High School Musical: The Musical: The Series alum Frankie A. Rodriguez says there would be no Chad Powers without his team mascot character, Danny.
Russ dons facial prosthetics, a wig and West Virginian accent to sell himself as awkward nice-guy Chad Powers, a walk-on player for the South Georgia Catfish.
Danny is the first person to see through the facade, but instead of turning Chad in, Danny helps him by securing him fake identification, maintaining his hair and makeup, and giving him a place to stay.
"I play Danny. He is the mascot for the South Georgia Catfish and he really is the mastermind behind everything," Rodriguez told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
"Russ is kind of like the first person who creates Chad, but then it's really Danny who's like: 'Wait! I think we have something here. Maybe we can explore. Maybe we can try and see how far we can go," Rodriguez added."Chad is also Danny's ticket to relevancy, popularity and celebrity -- a world that he wants to be a part of, but hasn't gotten the chance to. So, I think they're definitely using each other in that sense."
Having an impulsive brother in real life helped Rodriguez understand the chemistry that Danny shares with Chad.
"Also, working with Glen, who's so wonderful and really wants to talk everything through so that we're both on the same page, was very helpful."
Wynn Everett plays Tricia, the team's biggest booster.
"She's in charge of getting the money and she wants to see this program win more than anything," Everett said.
"There's a lot at stake in finding the right quarterback, getting a winner, seeing this team go to a national championship. She's very invested."
And Tricia thinks Chad might be her ticket to the big leagues.
Powell and Michael Waldron created and executive produced the show, while pro football legends Eli Manning and Peyton Manning also served as executive producers.
Everett described Powell as a "very calming presence," despite his many job responsibilities.
"He wants everyone to feel included and it's a collaborative process. He's never the star. He doesn't ever give out that energy. He is just gentle and kind, very loving," she said.
"He's like a true Texas gentlemen, just considerate of everyone's feelings, which is exhausting," she laughed.
Rodriguez admitted he needed a bit of an education about the world of football going into this job.
"I'm still taking the crash course," the actor quipped.
"I still don't even know... Is it 'S-E-C' program or 'SEC' program? OK, so in my audition, I said, SEC program, because that's what I thought it was and they actually corrected me at the audition, not even as a correction, but, at the end, they're like: 'Oh, also, by the way, it's this. Thank you for coming in,'" Rodriguez recalled. "And I told that to a friend who loves football and he was like, 'That might have been what sold it.'"
Everett grew up around a family that loved watching and playing football.
"I remember my dad watching football on Saturdays and Sundays," she said. "I'm a theater kid at heart and I still have a hard time grasping the rules and exactly what's going on in football," she noted.
"But I really love football because of what it does and how it brings people together and just being with your family and your friends and eating and food. It's just a joy."
