Disney Lab Rats Interviews

Spencer Boldman and Billy Unger from Lab Rats

What do you think of the new Disney show, Lab Rats? Here's the rundown for those of you who haven't seen the show. 14-year-old Leo falls into a secret underground lab in the basement of the home he shares with his inventor stepdad and his mom. There, he discovers 3 teen super-humans -- Adam, Bree, and Chase. The bionic trio is anxious to leave the confines of the lab, and experience life in the real world. Leo agrees to take them to school, and an unlikely friendship develops as Adam, Bree, and Chase get their first taste of freedom while they also help Leo elevate his social status at school (on account of they are bionic super-humans).

We interviewed 2 of the actors in the show Spencer Boldman (Adam) and Billy Unger (Chase). First let's hear from Spencer.

Q: What is Lab Rats about?
Spencer: Lab Rats is about me and my two siblings. I play Adam, and I have super strength and heat vision. We’re bionic teen super-humans so we have superpowers, and the show is about us navigating the outside world for the first time. We were raised in like this billion-dollar, high-tech mansion, and for the first time we get to leave the house and go to school and experience life. So it’s basically us balancing being normal teenagers and also having superpowers while keeping that a secret from the rest of the world. 

Q: How did you get your superpowers? Are you guys aliens, or what?
Spencer: No. We’re normal teenagers. We look like human beings, and we are implanted with bionic powers. They’ll explain that more as the season goes on as part of like the secret of the show. Our dad’s kind of like our inventor, and he implanted us with these bionic capabilities. So we’re still, you know, normal people. We just have superpowers.

Q: Tell me more about your superpower. 
Spencer: I have super strength and heat vision. I can shoot lasers out of my eyes. So when I get mad, I accidently shoot lasers out. And my character’s kind of. . . he’s not the brightest, so he accidentally sets stuff on fire, and it’s really funny.

Q: If you could have a special power, what would it be?
Spencer: I like the heat vision because if I needed to make food or to start a fire, it would come in handy, and no one would mess with me. People would leave me alone. [Laughter]

Q: When you were a little kid, were you into superheroes?
Spencer: When I was little, I would really believe anything, and I remember watching Harry Potter, and I would go in my backyard and I would try and do it. Obviously, nothing ever happened. Like I would try and fly. It never worked, obviously. But, you know, as a kid you believe that that stuff’s possible.

Q: What were you like in elementary and middle school?
Spencer: I always felt like I didn’t fit in in school. I always felt like I wasn’t cool enough or a part of something. And I remember I would talk to my mom about it. I have a great mom, and she would give me advice on stuff. She would always say like, “What you go through now, you’ll look back in a couple of years and laugh. It’s a learning experience.” I remember I wanted to play football and some kid in my grade wouldn’t let me. And I had glasses. People called me four eyes. You know, you get made fun of and stuff, but at the same time, it makes you the person that you are today. Looking back on that stuff now, it’s kind of funny, but then it was a big deal. I think the most important thing to learn in situations like that is, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to your life when you grow up. It’s a learning experience, so this is where you should try new things and be inspired by different things, and let your imagination go. 

Now let's hear from Billy Unger.

Q: Who is your favorite superhero?
Billy: My favorite superhero all my life has been Spider-Man. I had like two or three different Spider-Man costumes. Every day after school, I would dress up and run around and pretend like I was fighting crime. 

Q: Tell me about your character on Lab Rats.
Billy: Chase is the youngest of the super-human siblings, and he’s super intelligent. He also has super bionic senses, which means that he can see from afar and hear conversations from across the room. He also has a force field, and he’s a martial artist. So whenever it comes down to him not being able to solve something, which rarely ever happens because he’s the smartest human being on the planet, he has no problem fighting bad guys to save the rest of his family.

Q: What do you like best about him?
Billy: Chase’s personality is really fun to play because one second, you might think he’s a nerd, but the next second, he’s in a fight scene, flipping around, running up walls, kicking, jumping. 

Q: What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?
Billy: The most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me actually happened on the set of Lab Rats. I was supposed to be doing a back flip, so I’m preparing for this flip, saying the lines, and then I go to do the flip, and when I land there’s a huge [sound]. Everyone stopped, and my pants had ripped right open from end to end. Of course, I was embarrassed as all get out, but everyone else was laughing, and I actually think it ended up to be a good thing. It was the first day – no one knew each other yet – and it kind of broke the ice. Everyone could laugh together, and I put the embarrassment aside because it was a good bonding moment for everyone. [Laughter]

Q: What year of school are you in now?
Billy: I actually graduated high school early. I did a film in Thailand, and because I was working so often, I fell behind, which made me feel really uncomfortable. I never like falling behind in my schooling. So I got a tutor and started picking up the pace. Not only did I catch up, but I actually flew ahead. So I moved ahead in all of my schooling by almost a year. When I was in seventh grade, I was actually in eighth grade schooling. I spent the next three years doing year-round schooling as opposed to just doing school and then taking the summer off, and before I knew it, I was ready to graduate high school. You know, it wasn’t fun, but looking back now, it’s something that I really am glad I did.

Wow! Maybe he really does have super intelligence! Are you a fan of Lab Rats? Leave a Comment to tell us what you think.

— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Interview by Marie Morreale
Images Courtesy of Disney XD

Comments

[Comment #51]

I think that in this show that there should be another guy that has telekinesis, the power to fly, or x-ray vision. That would be cool.

[Comment #52]

i love this show

[Comment #53]

Hey Lab Rats crew i really like your show it's filled of comedy, action,and its just fun watching it, keep up the wonderful work you guys do.

[Comment #54]

omg i love them adam is my favorite and bree and leo and sometimes chase i am watching an episode now on demand (it is new)

[Comment #55]

i love lab rats my favorite character is billy.

[Comment #56]

cool
cool
cool
cool
cool
cool
ooooooooooo
cool

[Comment #57]

wish i had super strength

[Comment #58]

i watch this show every day it is soooooooooooo awesome!!!!!!!

[Comment #59]

i love lab rats omg it is awesome

[Comment #60]

Lab Rats is the BEST show ever!!!!!! I've seen all the episodes so far and I love their theme song! It's so catchy 8-)

[Comment #61]

i love ab rats. my fav. characters are bree and chase.

[Comment #62]

Who loves Rags? I know I do!!! My favorite nickelodeon movie. (And probably always will be.)

[Comment #63]

they are funny

[Comment #64]

i love them so much when i laught i have to go to the bathroom

[Comment #65]

lab rats is my favorite show