Dove Cameron initially gained fame through her portrayal of the lead characters in Disney Channel’s “Liv and Maddie,” followed by her prominent role in the “Descendants” film series. At the age of 27, she returns for the second season of the Apple series “Schmigadoon!” as Jenny Banks, a character inspired by Sally Bowles from “Cabaret.” This sophomore season, titled “Schmicago!,” draws inspiration from Broadway musicals of the 1960s and ’70s.
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Reflecting on the impact of “Cabaret,” Cameron shared her thoughts during a recent episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast, saying, “It was transformative, an educational awakening for so many of us. Especially, I’m sure you can relate, but growing up as a queer person and witnessing queer representation in an environment that was also so sexually liberated — those two elements combined were truly healing and essential for me to see while growing up, shaping me into the person I am today. I know that many others feel the same way.”
I had a virtual meeting with Cameron over Zoom from her part-time residence in New York City. During our conversation, we delved into topics such as the rationale behind her record label’s decision to produce a second music video for “Breakfast,” her decision to openly discuss her mental health challenges, and the words of encouragement she wishes to convey to LGBTQ youth amidst the ongoing surge in anti-queer bills gaining traction in state legislatures.
Cameron’s music video for “Breakfast” has amassed over four million views on YouTube, but it wasn’t the original video planned for the single.
Explaining the situation, Cameron shared, “Basically, I had filmed another music video for ‘Breakfast’ before I left for Vancouver to shoot ‘Schmigadoon!’ It was a good video, very vibrant and pop-oriented. I found it satisfactory, and I liked it. However, during the editing process, news of Roe vs. Wade broke, and I was in Canada at the time. I felt incredibly disheartened, and it was the lowest I had felt in a long time. I had lost hope and faith in our government.”
At this point, her record label approached Cameron and offered to shoot a new video for “Breakfast” that could better capture her emotions. The result was a video that told a gender-swap story, emphasizing the struggle for women’s rights and equality.
“It was a heavy burden, a real weight on me,” Cameron, who is currently working on completing her debut album, shared regarding the abortion ban. “My mom actually flew out because I struggle with depression, like so many people do. I was beginning to sense that familiar darkness creeping in, that feeling where you say, ‘No, not now, I need to work.’ I said to my mom, ‘I actually think I really need you out here.'”
Cameron bravely opened up about her mental health challenges in a heartfelt and candid Instagram post in May. In it, she candidly discussed her battles with depression and dysphoria.
“I just wanted to initiate a conversation about an ongoing internal dialogue I’m having with myself, hoping that someone out there would say, ‘Oh, okay, because me too. It’s been confusing, and I’m relieved to see someone else publicly addressing it so that I can feel like I can relate more,'” Cameron expressed. “My father took his own life, and suicide has been a significant aspect of my life for a long time. I firmly believe that secrets can be deadly.
“I think the more you believe you have to conform to others’ expectations or can’t live authentically, or have no way to release the pain, it doesn’t end well. It never ends well. I’ve made it a personal mission to try to give people permission and a safe space to discuss where they’re at, while also emphasizing that I’m a safe haven, but not every place is safe.”
Cameron publicly came out as queer almost two years ago during an Instagram Live session. Her song “Boyfriend” has since become a proud queer anthem. We discussed the recent surge in anti-LGBTQ bills gaining traction in state legislatures, and she expressed her concern, saying, “I’d love to say I feel incredibly hopeful, and everything will be fine, but I think it’s a very, very frightening time right now.”
However, she emphasized that the hate is “not more powerful” than the LGBTQ community, asserting, “It’s just sometimes louder.”
Source: https://dominioncinemas.net
Category: Podcasts
