Never count out Chad Powers. Now back for its sophomore season, the Disney+ comedy still very much has game. And the cast could not be more excited.
For those who are unaware, Chad Powers tells the story of Russ Holiday (Glen Powell), a disgraced college quarterback who still believes he’s got more to give. But no one would dare bring him on the team with his history. To prove them wrong, Russ creates the character of Chad Powers, an not-yet-discovered superstar who charges onto the field of a struggling southern football team. Though he’s trying his best to keep up the lie, the walls are closing in on Chad/Danny and he must enlist others to make his fantasy real.
As the chaos of Season 1 gives way to the new episodes, there’s little doubt that Chad has been deeply affected by those around him. However, with Season 2, the question must be asked whether or not Chad has really changed as a person or whether or not that’s still part of his disguise. For Powell, this is the lynchpin of his characters journey – and it’s also what makes the show so special.
CHAD POWERS – “First Look” – Chad Powers is a superstar on the field, but his odd behavior off the field has everyone suspicious — especially Coach Hudson and Gerry. Ricky knows the truth, but if Russ and Danny want Chad to survive the regular season and lead the Catfish to the college football playoff, the only person who can help them is the last person who wants to: Ricky. (Disney)
GLEN POWELL
“That’s a definitely a tough question,” Powell begins. “It was always kind of the intention is what you can learn from a lie, what you can learn from a mask on your face. How much can it actually teach you by pretending to be a good teammate? Can it actually change the man underneath the mask? And I think that’s what’s been really fun is… through this process, he’s kind of gained this weird family unit with Ricky, with Danny—you know, these two people that are inside the lie with him. They’re trying to get him to pull this off, but with that comes trust. Trying to pull something so incredible off in front of the eyes of the world [is] like this pressure cooker that creates romance and galvanizes friendships. And I think just for what this show is, the more intense the lie gets, that tension really just makes for a meal of a show. It’s been really fun. But I do think he’s learning a lot but with that you gain a few yards and you lose a few yards. That’s what makes good TV.”
But much of Chad’s journey stems from his relationship with Coach Jake, especially in the aftermath of Jake’s heart attack. As Jake, veteran actor Steve Zahn brings real joy to his performance, walking a balance between comedy and drama that pops onscreen. But the magic comes when the two of them perform together onscreen, creating a fascinating duo mired with Chad’s hidden agenda. That relationship isn’t lost on Zahn, who suggests that, in Season 2, his character will continue to keep up the charade.
“Chad is that missing link, you know?,” Zahn points out. “And Coach Jake will do anything to win. He’ll put up with anything, I think at first everything was he was bewildered by him. But as he gets used to him, it’s a little easier. He’s a little more calm…”
CHAD POWERS – “First Look” – Chad Powers is a superstar on the field, but his odd behavior off the field has everyone suspicious — especially Coach Hudson and Gerry. Ricky knows the truth, but if Russ and Danny want Chad to survive the regular season and lead the Catfish to the college football playoff, the only person who can help them is the last person who wants to: Ricky. (Disney)
STEVE ZAHN
And that line between laughter and tears is what makes Chad Powers such a fun experience for the cast. In some moments, they’re allowed to be their most bizarre selves. In others, they’re challenged to speak to deeper issues and tougher moments. As he reflects on his own preparation, Zahn recognizes the value in having moments that hit differently to help create something special.
“It’s not hard in a show like this to prepare for something like that,” explains Zahn. “That character is so grounded, and it’s right there. I don’t have to go off by myself and think of other things to get me to a point of where I act a certain way in a scene. It’s really easy in this show. I love that that scene is in this crazy, sometimes stupid show that is absurd, and yet we have grounded moments…”
“It’s interesting. When you’re doing a comedy and you read, he has a heart attack, sometimes I think you forget that just because it’s a comedy, it’s still a heart attack,” he continues. “A heart attack’s a heart attack. And you either play it right or you send it up or you wink or do something that isn’t as good. I think all of us plays the simplicity, the reality, the rawness of everything, and that’s what makes the humor so great in this show and so unique, you know? But yeah, it was an easy scene to get to just because the character is so fleshed out.”
Tackling serious topics remains an important part of the show’s DNA. Though it’s billed as a comedy, Chad Powers also opens the door for these characters to wrestle with issue that extend from their characters’ experiences. And, for Powell, many of those more dramatic notes extend from the strength of the cast and their ability to bring shades of drama to their performance.
CHAD POWERS – “First Look” – Chad Powers is a superstar on the field, but his odd behavior off the field has everyone suspicious — especially Coach Hudson and Gerry. Ricky knows the truth, but if Russ and Danny want Chad to survive the regular season and lead the Catfish to the college football playoff, the only person who can help them is the last person who wants to: Ricky. (Disney)
CHAD POWERS
“I would just say that in terms of what the show represented, it was always baked into the fabric of [it],” he suggests. “We always say that every character in this show is throwing a Hail Mary pass. You know, there’s a desperation, there’s a level of investment that it’s incredibly human. And the ensemble, every single person in this cast understands all those levels. So, it was always supposed to be a hilarious show, but the fact that we have this amazing group of actors that are able to pull off all the nuances really makes it operate on a different level dramatically as well. So, I’m just very proud that this show delivers on every level.”
And, with that spirit of heart and humour, Chad Powers is finally ready for its next chapter as Season Two finally releases on Disney+. Asked what viewers can look forward to in the new episodes, Zahn doesn’t hesitate with his response.
“Hijinks,” he says flatly. “It gets really cringey. It gets really intense. And yet never- never ceases to- it never loses its insane humor.”
All episodes of Season 2 of Chad Powers are now streaming on Hulu on Disney+ in Canada.
