With a new year comes a new rom-com with two of the biggest rising stars. We have an exclusive with Chase Hudson and Sara Waisglass, who star as Nate and Ellie in the new Tubi original How to Lose a Popularity Contest, out on the platform on January 16th. We chatted with them to learn more about their prep for filming kiss scenes, their favorite off-screen moments, and how Sara’s experience as Max on Ginny & Georgia prepared her for this role.

The new rom-com follows perfectionist overachiever Ellie who teams up with rebellious Nate in their race for student body president, discovering unexpected feelings along the way.

You definitely already recognize these stars as they continue to grow in their careers. Sara is best known for playing Max on Ginny & Georgia and Frankie Hollingsworth on Degrassi. Chase began his career on TikTok and was later signed to Interscope Records, releasing his debut album in 2021. He also starred in Downfalls High alongside Sydney Sweeney.

Having starred in the hit Netflix show Ginny & Georgia, Sara said she learned a lot from playing Max, which helped her in this role. Sara always knew Max and her energy and because Ellie is such a different character, she always had to be aware of Ellie’s energy and how she was coming off in each scene.

Sara: “The biggest thing I learned from Ginny & Georgia is consistency and energy.”

Sara and Chase’s chemistry comes off strong on screen and they enjoyed breaking down their prep of these scenes. Chase said even deciding what type of kiss to have all depends on the conversations your characters are having leading up to it and Sara said it’s important to feel comfortable with your scene partner.
Sara: “Being comfortable with your scene partner and knowing them and reading their signs makes a difference.”

Both Sara and Chase said the How to Lose a Popularity Contest set was a blast. The entire cast would crack jokes the minute after director Stephen S. Campanelli yelled “cut”, and everyone opened up and got to know each other well.

Chase: “We really found the humor in everything.”

Because Chase is newer to the acting world, he said he had an acting coach who helped him and he also said he had the most success when he learned his lines at night. And of course, he said Sara is a pro and was always there for him.

Chase: “I like studying my lines at night.”

Thanks to Sara and Chase for chatting with Young Entertainment! Watch the rest of the interview to hear about even more BTS moments and tips, and be sure to like and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment.

Consider this:

• Reading and memorizing lines at night is beneficial as sleep can help you remember and retain information better. Multiple studies have shown that studying before bedtime is the best for recalling lines.