Four months after the release of the first “Sidelined” film, actors were in front of the cameras, ready for a second.
“It comes with its own challenges,” director Justin Wu says of the quick turnaround. “I had such an amazing time with the cast and producers that we fell right back into it. In shaping the characters and their journeys (in the first film) we already had a lot of the discussions, so we were able to evolve and go deeper.”
In the sequel, “Sidelined 2: Intercepted,” now airing on Tubi, high school football star Drayton is an incoming quarterback at the University of Southern California. His sweetheart, Dallas, is a student at an arts school, majoring in dance. Personal challenges keep them apart and drive a wedge between their relationship.
Noah Beck and Siena Agudong star in "Sidelined 2: Intercepted."
Noah Beck, the influencer who plays Drayton, also produced the films. He was a key proponent of the sequels.
“When I first met him, I was over the moon,” Wu says. “He was extremely passionate, dedicated to his craft, open to listening, open to feedback and all these qualities I’m looking for when it comes to finding a creative partner to worth with.”
Beck frequently consulted Drew Ray Turner, who plays Dallas’ brother, about football moves. Although he has a soccer background, he needed fine-tuning in football for the first film, “Sidelined: The QB and Me.”
“He knows what he’s doing, so he didn’t need any of my advice,” Turner says. “He can throw a football better than I can. … I wasn’t a quarterback, I was a running back.”
To get Turner into the sequel, Wu devised a visit.
“I figured I’d show up in a FaceTime or a Zoom call,” Turner says. “But to visit her on campus in the coffee shop was a treat for me.”
At that shop, Dallas encounters a clerk, Skyler (played by Charlie Gillespie), who shows her more attention than her boyfriend.
Charlie Gillespie and Siena Agudong star in "Sidelined 2: Intercepted."
Gillespie also gets a chance to sing a song for Dallas (played by Siena Agudong). While it isn’t one he wrote — “they have tons of songs and music and songwriters,” he says of the studio — it did come with a team that made sure he was able to deliver. If there’s a third film in the series, Gillespie would love to share one of his originals.
That third film, which seems inevitable at this point, would be able to explore other characters’ relationships.
“I think it would take more than Skyler or an army to break (Drayton and Dallas) apart,” Gillespie says. “I think the electricity is just flying off of them so hard it would take a miracle.”
Roan Curtis, who plays Charlotte, a USC trainer, says outside relationships would reflect the kind of reality college students face today. “When you’re young and in these situations, there are definitely questions that run through your mind: Have I picked the right person? Is my person forever?” Curtis says. “I think they are very symbolic of that other kind of fit.”
Like Wu, Curtis is a big fan of Beck. “I’ve been acting for 20 years now and I’ve been very impressed with the way he has approached everything,” she says. “He’s doing it the right way. He’s taking classes. He’s training. He’s very naturally charismatic but I really respect the fact that he’s taking all the right steps and he wants to learn and grow and dedicate himself to this.”
Wu, who has encountered actors from all backgrounds, say Beck is ideal to play a quarterback struggling with pressure.
“Noah, as an influencer, comes with a lot of pressure,” he says. “I can make those parallels with Drayton and how he feels the pressure from the fans and the adoration of his campus, his cohorts and his family. Noah was able to not only bring his life experiences into it but augment the character with some of the stuff he experienced.”
