Laura Prepon has taken a seat at the director’s chair on That '90s Show Part 3. The That '70s Show alum has been popping in for cameos on the popular Netflix sequel series of the cult classic sitcom and has directed eight of the show's 26 episodes. Now, Prepon has revealed that she planted several Easter eggs in the series and even recreated the original ‘70s opening credits in Episode 6 of Part 3.
Prepon plays adult Donna, the wife of Eric Forman, played by Topher Grace, and the mother of the new main character, Leia Forman, played by Callie Haverda. Prepon took on a bigger role in Part 3 as her character stayed in Point Place with her daughter. During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, she also shared tidbits about her experience sitting in the director’s chair for the series. Prepon discussed how she felt it was essential to keep the show’s tone and how she was able to take her own experiences and reimagine the series in a fresh way. She has also planted several Easter eggs that she hopes people will discover as they watch the new episodes. She told EW:
"The thing that's great about the fact that it's in the '90s is that there's no cell phones. These kids aren't sitting there with iPhones and all that, so a lot of the stuff that we did on '70s where we were just "doing nothing" but there was so much going on in the basement, but we were just hanging out, I could take a lot of that stuff and incorporate those things with this new path. Because they're in the same basement with a lot of the same stuff, and I really got to lean in on my history of being on these sets of what we would do in the basement and these relationships and being this age. I was really thankful for my insight and experience having lived on the set for so long.
I'm really proud of how it turned out. I hope people see some Easter eggs. I hope when people watch it, they feel the familiarity, because '70s was like such a warm blanket for people. There's something about a multi-camera sitcom that's comforting, and I hope that that comes across in this show."
Prepon also shared how the atmosphere on set was brimming with empathy since the cast had a lot of faith in her as their director. The working environment was healthy and uplifting since she’d been in their shoes before. Thanks to the trust and love the show's cast had showered upon her, Prepon had a great time sitting in the director’s chair. She shared an anecdote of her work mantra in the following words: “I was in your shoes, and I'm not just saying that. Physically, I was standing where you were doing the same thing.”
Laura Prepon Described Recreating the Opening Credits as “Surreal”
One of the most exciting moments of Part 3 came when Prepon recreated the iconic That '70s Show opening credit scene in Episode 6, where everyone is seen sitting in the car as they sing and dance to the theme song. She confessed she even got chills the first time they played the song.
"Oh my gosh, that was so awesome. That was totally surreal. And a lot more people had to squish into the Vista Cruiser for this one. It was really fun. The first time they played the song and we were all singing, I just got chills. I'm like, "This is so awesome that they're doing this." And I love that that was written into the show. It just brought me right back — but now, I'm outside of the car directing the scene, and it just filled my heart."
As the interviewer noted, the scene also had a sweet touch: Leia placed her hands on the dashboard just like her mother did in the original, making for a cute “like mother, like daughter” moment. Laura Prepon revealed that it was intentional and they discussed whether Leia should do it before ultimately including the nod. Prepon was very particular about maintaining that Leia is her own person. As Part 3 ended on a cliffhanger, and fans will have to stay tuned to see if Netflix green lights Part 4.
Netflix has yet to announce the next installment of That ‘90s Show. However, you can stream all episodes of Seasons 1 and 2 on Netflix.
That '90s Show
- Release Date
- January 19, 2023
Cast
-
Kurtwood Smith -
Debra Jo Rupp -
Callie Haverda -
Ashley Aufderheide
WHERE TO WATCH
Now it's 1995, Leia Forman is visiting her grandparents for the summer where she bonds with a new generation of Point Place, WI, kids under the watchful eye of Kitty and the stern glare of Red.
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Netflix
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