Moxie, the Netflix teen flick out on March 3, is much more than your average high school romcom. While romance and comedy are both present and accounted for, the heart of the story lies with shy teenager Vivian (Hadley Robinson, Utopia) leading a feminist revolution at her school through an anonymous magazine.
Directed by Amy Poehler (whose debut was 2019's Wine Country), Moxie brings together girls from every social group and extracurricular activity to fight for one cause. Jock Kiera (Sydney Park, The Walking Dead), free-spirited Amaya (Anjelika Washington, Stargirl) and musical-loving CJ (Josie Totah, Saved By The Bell) are among the myriad of classmates to join forces to stand up to sexism.
The members of the Moxie club spoke to Screen Rant about their offscreen bonding, the ways their characters are inspired in the film, and what the word "moxie" now means to them.
I love how the movie explores that one person speaking out can empower others to do the same. Can each of you take us through your character and how they are inspired by the Moxie zine?
Sydney Park: Sure. I would definitely say, portraying a character like Kiera - her being black, her being mixed, and being part of a women's soccer team at her school - they're constantly overlooked, because they're women.
And because we have girls of color on the team - and of course, Kiera being the captain is carrying the torch - she's definitely inspired by all of the girls in the film to speak up and raise her voice. Because I don't think before she felt safe to do so. The high school that she's at, Rockport, is obviously brushing a lot of things under the rug. Girls like Lucy, girls like CJ, Amaya, Vivian, and then eventually Lauren's character Claudia chime in and really raise that bar.
Anjelika Washington: I piggyback off of everything that Syd just said. I think that our characters just continue to show moxie and grow, and I hope people see that and they learn from that.
Personally, I definitely learned from my own character as a black woman and even more so from this group of women that I get to work with and be friends with. [I learn] how to not only stand up for myself, but stand up for others of people who maybe can't stand up for themselves, and how to always do the right thing and call out bs when we see it. I'm excited about that.
Josie Totah: I think CJ, like all the other members of Moxie, are really emboldened by this group of women who are able to empower them in a way to become their true self and to reach their self-actuality. And I think the way that happens in CJ's lije specifically and quite literally is her auditioning to be the lead of this school play, which she feels [disenfranchised] by the students because her peers do not think that she is capable or woman enough to to be this lead.
With her sisters, her Moxie members, she's able to secure that spot and become the queen that she was meant to be.
I also love the bond onscreen between all the girls. It really feels genuine, like they could have easily become friends in these meetings. What was that bonding like offscreen and what kind of conversations did you have to gel together as an ensemble?
Sydney Park: I definitely think our chemistry translated onscreen because behind the scenes, we were always just so supportive of each other. And we had our number one, Hadley Robinson, who really set the tone of, "Look, we are all number one. We are all here to make the best possible film, to unite together to educate one another and challenge each other."
And that's what we really did, from being in hair and makeup to being in cast chairs waiting between takes. We always made it a point to have interesting conversations, and also keep it light and get to know each other and genuinely have fun. And we are sisters to this day; I met some of my best friends working on this project. Having someone like Amy lead us and bring us together was honestly just a godsend. It was a blessing.
Josie Totah: We had such incredible conversations and discussions that were really reminiscent and reflective of the conversations that we were having in our movie and onscreen. We talked about race, socioeconomic status, class, gender identity - we got into it. We did not waste a minute on set; just talking about things that are uncomfortable.
I think what was so incredible was we were all willing to learn, and we all recognize that there are certain blind spots in all of our lives, because of the different identities and experiences we all have faced. But the fact that we're all willing to learn and engage in those conversations, I think, is really what creates change and generates growth in the world.
I was so pleased to meet some of my best friends. You're looking at two people that I call every day, and Alycia Pascual-Peña, who plays Lucy, is my roommate now. We met on Moxie, and I lived with her for a year and a half. We now have our show together through NBC's. Peacock. It really was an environment that fostered so much love and relationships, and I am so grateful for the two that you see you right now.
Anjelika, can you tell me what moxie means to you after doing the film? What do you take away from the word "moxie?"
Anjelika Washington: Once I watched the film, I realized, first of all, how powerful the word "moxie was" and the strength that it holds. I guess moxie to me means that every single person is powerful. That when every person stands up for what they believe in, stands up for themselves and who they really are, they are powerful and there's nothing that can stop them.
Moxie drops March 3 on Netflix.