Austin Butler discusses whether he would be open to a cameo in the upcoming Zoey 101 reboot, Zoey 102 after serving as a series regular on the Nickelodeon show. Running for four seasons between 2005 and 2008, Zoey 101 saw Jamie Lynn Spears star as Zoey, a new student at Pacific Coast Academy. The series followed the daily dramas and adventures of Zoey and her friends at the prestigious boarding school and stands as one of Nickelodeon's most successful series to date. Earlier this year it was confirmed that Zoey 101 would receive a sequel movie titled Zoey 102, which is slated to release on Paramount+ in late 2023.One of Zoey 101's original stars, Butler discusses whether he will be reprising his role of James Garrett in the upcoming series, even if only in cameo form.
Speaking to Variety, Butler shared that he hasn't heard anything yet, remaining fairly vague by neither confirming nor denying any plans to return. Sharing his gratitude for the opportunity to star in Zoey 101, the Oscar-nominated actor then continued by sharing that his primary focus now is taking on stories that resonate with him. Check out Butler's quote below:
I haven’t heard anything about that. I don’t know. I’m so grateful for all those stepping stones that I had throughout my career. Zoey 101 was a big turning point for me cause it was the first time I was ever a series regular on a show so I got to be a part of an entire season. But now I’m just going after whatever story resonates with me or whatever director or actors I really wanna work with.
Every Original Star Set To Return For Zoey 102
The story of the Zoey 102 movie will see the characters reunite at a wedding, with a number of original cast members from Zoey 101 set to reprise their roles. Spears will return to lead the reboot as Zoey, while Sean Flynn will reprise his role as Zoey's love interest Chase Matthews. Quinn Pensky (Erin Sanders), Michael Barret (Christopher Massey), Stacey Dillson (Abby Wilde), Logan Reese (Matthew Underwood), and Mark Del Figgalo (Jack Salvatore) will also return.
A few of the most noticeable absences from Zoey 101's original cast include Victoria Justice and Alexa Nikolas, who played Zoey's friends Lola and Nicole, respectively. Paul Butcher will also not return for the reboot after starring as Zoey's brother Dustin in the original series. Butcher even recently took to Tik Tok to throw shade at Zoey 102, after the reboot become the subject of much discussion as some questioned whether a sequel to the popular series was even necessary.
Butler's somewhat indifferent response to returning to his Zoey 101 role will come as little surprise to many after the actor has seen his star rise astronomically over the past year. After leading Baz Luhrmann's Elvis last year, the actor has quickly become one of Hollywood's most exciting new faces and with a key role in the upcoming Dune: Part Two, Butler is likely to have a busy year ahead. While many would get a fun nostalgic kick out of a Butler cameo in Zoey 102, it's likely that the reboot will continue on without its most famous series regular.
Source: Variety