The Baby-Sitters Club – The Exclusive Interviews

The Baby-Sitters Club airs on Netflix on tomorrow and we are thrilled to bring you interviews with the full club as you get ready to binge watch the show. We have seen the first few episodes and we can tell you that that The Baby-Sitters Club adaptation for Netflix gets it all right, from casting to story it feels right. Let’s learn a bit more about the girls below before you tune in tomorrow to watch.

Netflix’s new series THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB is based on the best-selling book series, that follows the friendship and adventures of Kristy Thomas (Sophie Grace), Mary-Anne Spier (Malia Baker), Claudia Kishi (Momona Tamada), Stacey McGill (Shay Rudolph), and Dawn Schafer (Xochitl Gomez) as the middle-schoolers start their babysitting business in the town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut.

Cast: Sophie Grace as Kristy Thomas (President of BSC) / Malia Baker as Mary Anne Spier (Secretary of BSC) / Momona Tamada as Claudia Kishi (Vice President of BSC) / Shay Rudolph as Stacey McGill (Treasurer) / Xochitl Gomez as Dawn Schafer (Alternate Officer)

Xochitl Gomez

BSCKids: Tell us how you got the role on The Baby-Sitters Club and a bit about your character.

Xochitl Gomez: Dawn Schafer is the Alternate Officer of the Baby-Sitters Club and the new girl in town. She’s a passionate activist for the environment and social justice. Because she had earlier baby-sitting experience, Dawn quickly finds her place in the Club. She’s a loyal friend and a likeable, hard working sitter. She’s got a unique up-styled skater girl look that mixes urban and bohemian fashion. I was lucky enough to land the role after auditioning four times. It was a long process since they looked at thousands of girls for each role. I still can’t believe its real!

Do you have anything in common with your character?

I have a lot in common with Dawn because I care about many of the same things she does and I have empathy for others. Like Dawn, I am a chill person but I also have a strong will and can sometimes try to “help” too much—even if no one asks.

What did you know about The Baby-Sitters Club prior to auditioning? Did you read the books?

I had read a couple of the graphic novels in elementary school, but I really got into the original novels 2 years ago when they first announced that a show was going to be made. I started reading them hoping that someday I would get the call for an audition– and then it happened! I fell in love with the stories and now I’ve collected about 80 books so far. I’m currently reading Dawn’s Family Feud.

Tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you?

People might be surprised to know that I am related to one of the founding fathers of the United States, Justice John Marshall.

In a few words, tell us why everyone should tune in to watch The Baby-Sitters Club

In each episode our characters are given an obstacle to overcome and a lesson to learn during the process. So that provides a lot of drama and comedy as well. Ann Martin’s books are full of great material and the episodes are so well done that you forget this show is mainly about teens. It’s truly for everyone!

Tell us about your favorite red carpet event you have been to. Who are some of your favorite people to follow on social media?

My favorite red carpet event was the premiere of Netflix’s Gentefied. I got to reunite with the cast, and the party was amazing. Great food & music. So many stars attended! I was so proud to see this big community of Latinx artists and creators all in one place celebrating a show about an East LA family and their little taco shop. It really gave me hope for the future of television.

Sophie Grace

BSCKids: Tell us how you got the role on The Baby-Sitters Club and a bit about your character.

Sophie Grace: I got the role by filming my audition in my bedroom, on my phone, and hoping for the best. It was super crazy to get a call-back let alone get the role! Kristy is a girl boss. She’s passionate, intelligent, creative, and fiercely independent. Along with all that, she is thoughtful and has a heart of gold. Something I love about her is that she’s not perfect and doesn’t feel the need to be.

Do you have anything in common with your character?

Yes, Kristy and I are very similar! We’re both natural leaders who love supporting others.

What did you know about The Baby-Sitters Club prior to auditioning? Did you read the books?

My older sisters introduced me to the books when I was younger and I loved them! My friend and I even tried to make our own Babysitter’s Club once!

Tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you?

Something that people are surprised to learn about me is I love sewing -and all forms of art! I do everything from upcycling and altering clothes to magazine collages and paintings. People are usually surprised by that because those are such delicate interests and I have a very bold personality.

In a few words, tell us why everyone should tune in to watch The Baby-Sitters Club

The Baby-Sitters Club is something a lot of people can relate to, no matter your gender, age, etc. Everyone working on it made it so real and relatable and gives real life a fun perspective.

What is it like living in a house with so many siblings?

Living with so many siblings is a lot of fun. There’s never a dull moment and we’re always doing something fun together. We go on bike rides, watch movies, bake a new dessert, and there’s always a baseball or basketball game to go to.

Who do you feel has taught you the most in your acting career?

My acting coach, Jill Donnellen, has been the person who taught me the most in my acting career. I’ve always been a person who likes to tell stories – and she encouraged it and gave me confidence.

Shay Rudolph

BSCKids: Tell us how you got the role on The Baby-Sitters Club and a bit about your character.

Shay Rudolph: The audition process was just like any other ordinary audition, but the second I read the script I knew that this was a special project. When I met the other girls at the screen test, we ALL felt that something incredible was happening. It was while we were in the screentest room together when we found out we got the roles. We started freaking out and hugging and I started crying out of happiness. It was truly a magical moment which I will always hold close to my heart.

Stacey McGill is a super chic, incredibly smart, and sophisticated girl who is formerly from the upper westside of New York City. Stacey gets invited to join The Baby-Sitters Club by her best friend, Claudia Kishi. She’s terrific at math so she easily becomes the club’s treasurer. Stacey grows to love all of the girls more than anyone before and their friendships quickly become the most important thing in their lives.

Do you have anything in common with your character?

I am similar to Stacey because my friendships are top priority for me. I also became very interested in fashion while I was playing her. It was really fun to be able to wear Stacey’s incredibly cool and sophisticated outfits. Wearing these more dressed up clothes made me realize how fun fashion was and how much I wanted to get out of wearing jeans and a t-shirt every day.

What did you know about The Baby-Sitters Club prior to auditioning? Did you read the books?

I knew about the Baby-Sitters Club before auditioning because all of my friends in elementary school were OBSESSED with the series. I hadn’t read many of them before getting the first audition, maybe one or two graphic novels, so I had a lot of fun reading them to prepare for the role.

Tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you?

Something that not many people know about me is that I’m really into music. I play the piano and the guitar and I’m constantly learning new songs, writing some of my own, or listening to music.

In a few words, tell us why everyone should tune in to watch The Baby-Sitters Club

I think that everyone should watch The Baby-Sitters Club because it is a heart-warming, wholesome, and nostalgic show that will put smiles on everyone’s faces.

What is your favorite idea for a vacation? Tell us a bit about your charity work.

My favorite idea for a vacation would be going to a European city like London, Paris, or Venice with a bunch of friends and going on fun adventures.

I’m still learning how to use my voice and find new things to advocate for. I’m really passionate about animal advocacy. I have been a vegetarian for the past three years and I plan on going vegan sometime in the near future. I’m also quite vocal about mental health awareness and how to take the steps for self-care. As a teenager, it’s so important to find the balance between school, friends, family and my work AND to carve out enough alone time so I can reboot.

Malia Baker

BSCKids: Tell us how you got the role on The Baby-Sitters Club and a bit about your character.

Malia Baker: There were three auditions in total that led me to book this iconic character. The first self-tape audition, my mom and I were running around the house with excitement because, ahem, it is The Baby-Sitters Club and we are huge fans!! After a couple weeks of waiting, and doubting that I got a callback, they asked to have a video call with the director and creator! After the callback was successful, they flew me out to LA where I did the final audition, booked the role, and celebrated with ice cream!

Mary Anne, the secretary of The Baby-Sitters Club, is a dreamer with a warm and accepting nature. She is kind, shy, and funny without even realizing she is, and loves her friends more than anything! She has a complicated relationship with her overprotective father, but she knows that he is that way only because he cares so much.

Do you have anything in common with your character?

Mary Anne and I are similar in many ways. Deep down I am a shy person, although I am able to overcome that while I am doing my job. However, I definitely have come out of my shell like Mary Anne does in the book series. I’ve been told I’m funny, sometimes without even realizing that I am, and I’d like to think of myself as kind and caring as well!

What did you know about The Baby-Sitters Club prior to auditioning? Did you read the books?

My mom had always referred to herself as “being a Dawn,” so automatically being younger and curious, I researched who the heck Dawn was and stumbled upon The Baby-Sitters Club books which I fell in love with right away. I now have a huge collection of the books and love every one of them!

Tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I will either be super overheated or a walking popsicle. I’ve got to say, my circulation is not the best haha! You will never see me without fuzzy socks and gloves.

In a few words, tell us why everyone should tune in to watch The Baby-Sitters Club

People should watch The Baby-Sitters Club for so many reasons! It is an amazing family show to watch, especially for the adults who grew up with the book series to hand down to watch with their kids. The Baby-Sitters Club has timeless themes, and now with this contemporary reboot, it will have situations that make the show even more relatable. That is one of the amazing things about The Baby-Sitters Club…you can always relate to one of these strong young feminists and look up to their unbreakable friendships!

Malia Baker as Mary Anne Spier (Secretary of BSC) – What are some of your favorite books to read? What is your favorite piece you have written?

I was a little confused about whether you wanted me to answer this as Mary Anne or myself, but I did both for you all to choose! (We loved both answers so much we kept both!)

Malia Baker: Some of my favorite books to read are The Baby-Sitters Club books by Ann M. Martin (of course); One Crazy Sumer by Rita Williams-Garcia, which has been in my favorites since I was nine; The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; Emma by Jane Austen; and With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo. I am actually writing my own non-fiction book right now, so that is definitely my favorite piece!

Mary Anne: Mary Anne’s favorite book is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, but she also loves To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Megan Rhinehart novels! She loves writing in her diary which she keeps all her secrets and thoughts in and loves to receive and write letters back to people.

Momona Tamada

Tell us how you got the role on The Baby-Sitters Club and a bit about your character.

Momona Tamada: The Baby-Sitters Club, which is based on the original book series by Ann M. Martin, follows the lives of five girls and all of their babysitting adventures! My character Claudia is known as the trendy one of the group, she is really creative and has a wardrobe that is to die for!

Do you have anything in common with your character?

Yes, I share a lot in common with Claudia, actually! I am also pretty creative and I love making art, just like she does.

What did you know about The Baby-Sitters Club prior to auditioning? Did you read the books?

Yes! I read the books in elementary school and I still read them now. When I first got the script for the audition, I was so excited to see that they were making a reboot. Shortly after I found out I got the role of Claudia, my mom and I went out and tracked down as many books as possible, so I could start re-reading them to prep.

Tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I have a double-jointed collarbone.

In a few words, tell us why everyone should tune in to watch The Baby-Sitters Club?

You should watch because it’s relatable, inclusive, feels both fresh and nostalgic, and has little bits of humor that everyone can enjoy!

Tell us about a funny thing that has happened behind the scenes while filming The Baby-Sitters Club.

Ok! There is a little drawer right beside Claudia’s bed, and when we were holding some candy for a scene, they would start to melt in our hands, so we would put them in the drawer in between takes. Funny thing is that the very last day of shooting, I looked in the drawer to see the candy still sitting there!

Tell us a bit about your dancing and modeling career.

I first started dancing at the age of 4! A couple of years ago, I got an agent for dancing and she started sending me to acting and modeling auditions too. They were a very different form of expression than I was used to with dance, but I loved it and I was excited to do more! I’m very fortunate that I’ve been very busy with acting ever since and it also has given me the chance to model for ivivva by the Canadian athletic wear brand lululemon!

This was a great interview and we love the show, so make sure to tune in tomorrow and watch The Baby-Sitters Club adaptation on Netflix. Thanks to the cast for taking time out of their schedule to speak with us!