Based on the 1992 sports comedy,The Mighty Ducks: Game Changersreturns to Disney+ for a new 10-episode season. The junior hockey team ditches middle school to head to a competitive summer program in California, ran by former NHL player, Colin Cole (Josh Duhamel).
Duhamel joins the season in a new role, accompanying Lauren Graham, who plays Alex Morrow, team coach and mother of one of the players. Game Rant caught up with the two actors about the new season and how “sparks fly” between their two characters.
Related:Anthony Michael Hall on The Breakfast Club, John Hughes' Legacy, and Upcoming Drama The Class
Game Rant: Josh, since you’re joining this season as a new character, I would love to know what drew you to this project. What can you tell us about Colin?
Josh Duhamel:Well, there were a lot of things appealing about this, Lauren being at the top of the list. I have been a huge fan of hers for a very long time. I loved what was pitched as far as the storyline and what this character was about. I love the fact that he was his hard-nosed, super-aggressive, former pro-coach who runs this hockey Institute. I’ve been coached by guys like this. It’s a lot of fun to get into that mindset. I think what really sort of drew me to it was the show.
I saw thefirst season of the seriesand I really loved the combination of comedy, emotion, and drama. Especially the comedy. There’s a dynamic between my character and his son that drew me to this character. He is a guy who is falling short as a parent and doesn’t really know how to fix it. As perfect as he looked on the outside, he was really struggling and covering a lot of his insecurities with hockey. He decides that he has to let go a little and let his son do what makes him happy and listen to him, rather than try to transpose his love of hockey onto him.
Game Rant: That’s great. This show does a fantastic job of navigating those types of conversations. We saw that at the end of the season with Alex’s storyline. Your characters develop a relationship in this new season. What was it like to build that chemistry on onset?
Lauren Graham:They do a great job starting us in such opposite corners. There is a lot of tension between our characters. But, we wouldn’t fight this much if we didn’t care on some level. We both care about our kids. I think it’s a believable progression in terms of how our characters start to understand each other and appreciate each other more.
Duhamel:What I loved about the writing is it was unpredictable. We did start in these opposite corners. I honestly didn’t know until about two or three episodes that they planned on us having sparks because it was written in a way that didn’t set it up at all. It was written in a way that I was having a hard time communicating with my son and she was having a hard time communicating with her son, and we were better working with each other’s child. I thought that was a really smart way to go about it.
GR: Lauren, what can you tell us about Alex’s journey this season? Where do we find her at the start of season two?
Graham:In general, it feels like Alex is standing on her own two feet. She struggled last year and had a domineering boss. She struggled with confidence. She didn’t really know how to start a team. And this year, she brings her team into a new world. They’ve all bonded already and felt the strength in that. There’s just something aboutdoing a second season, the show is more on its feet. It’s more dug in.
GR: Which younger character can you relate to the most?
Duhamel:I would say Evan, Alex’s son, for sure. My mom and dad were separated when I was young, and I had a love for the game and an intense dedication to sports, like Evan.
Graham:My first thought was Brady, but I am nothing like Brady. And then my second thought was Max, but I am nothing like Max. I just really appreciate him as an actor. He’s always looking for the funny and, actor to actor, I’m always like, “Dude, you are funny. You don’t even have to do anything.”
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changersreturns September 28 on Disney+.
Next:Interview: Director J.J. Perry Calls Day Shift A ‘Throwback to the 80s’
