Disney+ takes the classic Cinderella fairytale and switches things up in Sneakerella, premiering on May 13, 2022. In this feel-good, music-driven reimagining of the beloved story, an up-and-coming sneaker designer (Chosen Jacobs) from Queens pursues his happily ever while falling in love with the daughter of a sneaker tycoon (played by four-time NBA champion John Salley).
Lexi Underwood plays Kira King, the fiercely independent daughter of sneaker bigwig Darius King. The film’s cast also includes Devyn Nekoda, Bryan Terrell Clark, Kolton Stewart, Hayward Leach, Juan Chioran, Robyn Alomar, and Yvonne Senat Jones.
“I think it is one of those stories that’s timeless. And I think what is so appealing about the story is the aspirational element of the story and that people want to believe in good things happening,” explained executive producer Jane Startz during the 2022 Television Critics Association’s winter press panel. “I think in this particular iteration of the story, which is contemporized, you have the story of a young man who’s got dreams, and he wants there to be magic in his life. He aspires to be a shoe designer. He has big dreams. But in our story, in our iteration, magic is about real life. Our ‘Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo song is ‘Life is What You Make It.’ So, it’s about taking those dreams, having aspirations, working to make them realized, sowing the seeds to make things happen.”
Mixed into the dance numbers and uplifting story is a message of perseverance and following your dreams. During the TCA press panel, Jacobs and Underwood were asked how being a part of Sneakerella impacted their own creativity.
“I feel like after leaving the film so much of my creative vision was changed because you just really started to embrace your own individuality. I realized El has a character. He is so much himself. He makes his own shoes. And I feel like if we could pass anything to the next generation, and my generation, and every future generation, it’s to embrace who you are because that’s what makes you special. And the unique things about you [are] what’s going to change the world,” said Jacobs. “I’d say that was the biggest viewpoint shift for me from doing this movie.”
“It’s been a dream of mine ever since I was younger to be a part of the Disney family, but specifically to be a Disney princess. And so it kind of feels like a full-circle moment to be in this space at this particular time in my life to not only be able to work with Disney but to also be a part of a project that centers on themes of fate, community, passion, love, and of course, sneakers but also specifically what Kira’s going through,” explained Underwood.
“In a sense, she’s coming of age. It’s a coming-of-age story for Kira. She’s finding her voice. She’s taking control of her destiny, and she’s also falling in love. And for me, being able to see that imagery of a young girl dominating an industry that has usually tried to kind of leave women out of the narrative… In our everyday life, we see women like Beyoncé and Serena Williams and Yara Shahidi and Vashi who are dominating this industry and creating their own lanes and breaking out of these boxes that society has placed them in when it comes to the sneaker industry. But seeing Kira and all of those women that I just talked about, seeing them break out of the box that society has tried to place them in, it really inspired me to tap more into my passions, my creativity, and I hope that inspires young girls, young kids everywhere but specifically young girls that they know that don’t let anyone define your story and that anything is possible and you can do anything that you set your heart and mind to,” said Underwood.
Sneakerella’s peppered with vibrant, high-energy dance musical numbers and Lexi Underwood loved dancing in sneakers.
“Mine personally were super comfortable. And being someone who I dabbled in ballet and a couple of other dance styles when I was younger […] I definitely had to wear less comfortable shoes growing up when I was dancing, so I would take sneakers over anything, honestly,” joked Underwood.
Sneakerella marks Chosen Jacobs’ first time dancing in a film and he credits the talented team with helping make him comfortable while creating beautiful dance numbers. “And dancing in the sneakers, I play sports so I’ve always felt like sneakers are kind of the best shoe for everything. So, I’m pretty grateful that I danced in sneakers, instead of ballet shoes like Lexi or anything else,” said Jacobs. “I was pretty blessed in that aspect. And it was the shoes. The shoes were magical, Disney shoes.”
Executive producer Jane Startz believes music was the perfect way to bring this joyous reimagining to life, and the film features eight original songs. Lexi Underwood had never stepped into a recording studio prior to Sneakerella and confessed to initially being a bit nervous.
“[…] To be able to have so many incredible artists, composers that wrote the original songs, to have them and just their energy and just the talent and all the advice that they gave and wisdom, they truly made the experience like so beautiful for me,” said Underwood. “[…] They were just absolutely incredible and I’m so grateful that we had the chance to work so intimately with them. I’m really proud of the work that we did.”
Chosen Jacobs describes Sneakerella as a dream job because it combines two of his favorite things: acting and music.
“That was an extreme draw for this role, and that’s what made me so excited was Disney movies, you know, growing up, Disney movies and the songs in those movies were as important – if not more important – than the visual aspect because it was songs that I sang with my sister, with my mom, with my best friends at school. We were always trying to be Zac Efron, like do dance moves, dipping like that, jump in,” said Jacobs. “To be able to have an opportunity to sing songs that I know the next generation will grow up with and, hopefully, we’ll be able to have the same impact that other Disney classics were able to have on myself and my mother and so on and so forth.”
