Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder Star Imogen Cohen Talks About The New Show

Wanda and Cosmo are back with more mischief, magic, and brand new friends in the new NICK series The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder. Whether you grew up watching the original Disney classic or it was before your time, the new series will catch your attention.

Imogen Cohen, the talented actor who plays the spunky Zina Zacharias in The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder, joined us at Wealth of Geeks for a conversation about her experience working on the new show. Imogen also plays a crucial role in the new Disney+ holiday heist movie, The Naughty Nine. In the interview, Imogen shares insights into her acting journey, the most powerful advice she's heard, and details about her new projects.

The Path to Success

Maya Capasso: What made you want to pursue professional acting?

Imogen Cohen: I was inspired to start acting by my dad, who introduced me to Shakespeare when I was 6. I loved watching him perform. When I was eight years old, I started going to Shakespeare camp, and that's when I was inspired to become an actor and pursue theater.

I also dance and sing, so naturally, I became a musical theater fan. I was cast as Annie in Annie the Musical for a summer festival in Colorado, but due to the pandemic, the show was canceled. Also, the same thing happened when I was cast as Matilda in Matilda the Musical. At the time, I was heartbroken, but this allowed me to start auditioning for TV and film, and I landed my first role as Zina in The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder. It was a true blessing in disguise.

All About The Fairly OddParents

MC: Were you a fan of the cartoon The Fairly OddParents before you were cast in the new 2022 Fairly OddParents Sitcom?

IC: To be honest, I wasn't familiar with the original animated series before I was cast. But when I got the role, I did a lot of research and started watching it. I immediately realized why I was so iconic and felt so blessed to be a part of it.

MC: What makes this new show different from the original Fairly OddParents cartoon?

IC: Well, it's the same Dimmsdale, the same Wanda and Cosmo, and the same witty humor. But it's got different characters. It's so fun living vicariously through these new characters, Viv and Roy, and seeing all these crazy wishes coming to life. You get to see my character Zina unintentionally saving the day multiple times.

MC: What is your favorite thing about your character Zina Zacharias?

IC: My character Zena is the spunky, loyal, zany BFF to Viv Turner. And my favorite thing about her is that she is super self-assured. That's a quality I would like to have. She marches to the beat of her own drum.

The Action-Packed Holiday Heist Thriller

MC: Can you tell me about The Naughty Nine and your experience working on Disney+'s new holiday heist movie?

IC: The movie is about a group of kids on the naughty list who decide to rebel and steal their presents from the North Pole. My character Ha-Yoon is the getaway driver of the heist. Filming in the beautiful city of Montreal was just such a dream. I made a lot of great friends, but I would say the only downside was that it was freezing cold all the time.

My character Ha-Yoon is the adrenaline junkie of the group, so she has a lot of action-packed scenes. She is always in motion, and you can expect a lot of high-speed chase scenes.

MC: What do you hope viewers will take away from watching The Naughty Nine?

IC: It's a really action-packed movie, and I'm very excited to see what you all think of all the action scenes. They were so fun to film.

What Keeps Imogen Motivated

MC: Who or what most inspires you to stay motivated in such a cutthroat industry?

IC: I like to tell myself to believe in myself. Believing in yourself is so important. If you're trying to portray a character more convincingly, you can believe in yourself. Or if you ever feel a little stressed out, you can say, “I can do this.”

I was given so much great advice from Mike Caron, the director of The Fairly Oddparents: Fairly Odder. My favorite thing he said was, “Have a head full of ideas.” This advice helps me as an actor to always be creative.

MC: What is the biggest obstacle you've overcome as a professional actor?

IC: There are so many great things about being an actor, but I would say one of the negative things is that you have to face a lot of rejection. Like if you're so close to getting a role and you just don't get it, it's very heartbreaking, but you just have to brush yourself off. You get to the next audition.

MC: Do you have any big plans or dreams for the future that you'd like to share?

IC: Yes. My big dream is to go to Broadway. I love singing, acting, dancing, and being on Broadway is like the epitome of all theater and stage acting. So that's my big dream

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

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This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.