Emma Roberts has been booked and busy. The 33-year-old actress recently wrapped up another season of American Horror Story alongside Kim Kardashian and is gearing up to release a new comedy-drama with Prime Video.
And yet, it’s her 2008 rom-com Wild Child that has stuck with us most. Perhaps, that’s why we’re drawing a direct correlation between Poppy Moore and her latest character, Rex Simpson.
That’s right, Emma is going back to her roots and channelling her inner Poppy once more in Prime Video’s latest comedy, Space Cadet, where dreams are never too big, and nothing is ever too wild.
“It was so much fun to get to play Rex and it makes me so happy that people are feeling the Wild Child vibes,” Emma told marie claire Australia.
“Although two very different movies, they have very similar vibes in the nostalgia and the feel-good, and I miss movies like this. I was so happy to get to be in one and I’m so excited for people to get to watch it.”
That’s not the only comparison being drawn from Space Cadet either, with fans claiming the film is where “Legally Blonde meets RocketMan” and it’s “Legally Blonde, but space edition”.
Ironically enough, law is very much on the brain for Emma, who said it is her AHS co-star Kim Kardashian who has her considering a career change–much like her new character.
“I always wanted to be an actress and then there was a moment where I wanted to be a lawyer,” she told us, “but then I realised the amount of schooling and it felt like it was too late for me.”
“Although by Rex’s standards, it’s never too late. And I still think about it sometimes. I see what Kim Kardashian has done and I’m inspired. So who knows? Maybe I’ll do that in the next 10 years or 20 or 30.”
Certainly, by the film’s standards, it really is never too late to follow your dreams, something Emma’s character Rex is setting out to prove to every kind of dreamer out there, both young and old.
What Is Space Cadet About?
As the name suggests, Space Cadet is a fun and aspirational film that follows Florida bartender and self-confessed party girl Tiffany ‘Rex’ Simpson (Emma Roberts) as she gets admitted into NASA’s infamously competitive Astronaut Candidate (AsCan) training program.
With the help of her supportive best friend Nadine (Poppy Liu), Rex makes her way up in the prestigious and cutthroat astronaut training program in Houston. It’s there she also attracts the romantic attention of the program’s deputy director, Logan (Tom Hopper).
But, as you’d expect, it’s only a matter of time before Rex’s ruse starts crumbling down and NASA administrators start closing in on the truth about her.
Who Is Cast In Space Cadet?
Starring alongside Emma Roberts are Poppy Liu, Tom Hopper, Gabrielle Union, Kuhoo Verma, Desi Lydic, Sebastián Yatra, Yasha Jackson, Andrew Call, Troy Iwata and Josephine Huang.
“It’s just such a cool cast and [Liz W. Garcia, producer] did such a good job in bringing great chemistry between people that maybe weren’t the most likely of casting,” Emma said.
“We were all just this bunch that came together and happened to become close and have great chemistry, and of course, Liz was the mastermind behind that as the director and as the one that put us all in this movie.”
And while their fun clearly shines through on-screen, it’s certain behind-the-scenes moments that really brought the cast together. Notably between Emma and her on-screen pal Nadine, played by Poppy Liu of Dead Ringers and The Afterparty.
Poppy, who was heavily pregnant at the time of filming, was supported by her co-star via pregnancy tips and prenatal leg massages–something she very much appreciates.
“It’s so special,” Poppy said. “There’s a myth, that is not really a myth in the industry, that your own wellbeing comes last and that there’s also this scarcity mentality too of ‘oh if I’m not willing to do the most, there’s someone else who is just as hungry for this’.”
“So to be on a set where I was taken care of first as Poppy the person… I just appreciate that a lot,” they added. “You’re really vulnerable at that time.”
Where To Watch Space Cadet In Australia
Space Cadet premieres worldwide on July 4, 2024, on Prime Video.
While you’re there, you can stream Legally Blonde and its sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, too.
Stream Space Cadet on Prime Video from $6.58/mth, with a 30-day free trial.
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