'Up Here' Featurette: Mae Whitman & Carlos Valdes on the Show's Joyful World (original) (raw)

Published Apr 15, 2023, 12:19 PM EDT

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Last month, Hulu dropped one of its latest original series, musical rom-com Up Here. Set in the late '90s, the eight-episode first season follows Lindsay (Mae Whitman) and Miguel (Carlos Valdes), two people who meet and fall in love while battling their ever-present inner voices. As they navigate their relationship, they not only confront the challenges that come with it, but also begin to learn more about themselves in the process. Recently, Hulu released a behind-the-scenes look at the show, with some of the creative team members discussing biggest themes within it.

The video begins with showrunner and executive producer Steven Levenson breaking down the general story, first noting how Lindsay's life begins when viewers initially meet her. Whitman adds that Lindsay left her previous life as a way to find "her own self" rather than continue to follow what she thinks she should do. Danielle Sanchez (writer, executive producer) and Robert Lopez (songwriter, executive producer) focus on Miguel, who is a rather guarded person throughout the show. This is also something demonstrated in a more literal way a bit later into the season -- and through song, naturally.

Levenson continues by talking about one aspect that sets the show apart: the way the voices of Miguel and Lindsay's pasts stick with them. It's not uncommon to watch a film a TV series with characters running from a dark or unhappy past. However, Up Here quite literally reveals the voices inside Lindsay and Miguel's heads, with each having three people who affected them in a formative way. Whitman adds that while these characters face those voices, the show is also about learning to break free of the critical ones. Part of that also begs the question of whether two people can full know each other, which Levenson thought was a great thing to dramatize and explore through a musical format.

Carlos Valdes in Up here

Image via Hulu

Up Here Focuses on Joyfulness

Lindsay and Miguel may face their share of lows, but the series also aims to bring joy to the screen, something Levenson first notes when talking about the music. Songwriter and executive producer Kristen Anderson-Lopez reiterates the sentiment, saying "it's a really joyful show, and a really joyful world." She praises writer and executive producer Thomas Kail, who shares that working with the team was "a glorious collaboration." Later on, Levenson echoes everyone, also saying there's a "joyfulness" to the series within its comedy and strangeness. It ultimately is a coming-of-age story in its own right, with a rollercoaster of emotions and a central message on learning to love and be loved.

All episodes of Up Here are streaming now on Hulu. Watch the new featurette below: