Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp stop by Trending to talk about returning as Red and Kitty Forman in 'That '90s Show.'

Kurtwood Smith & Debra Jo Rupp Return as Red and Kitty in 'That '90s Show'

Hi guys, welcome back to trending, that's Jordan and I'm baker. And when that 70 show premiered on fox back in 1998 it was depicting the year 1976. That was a 22 year gap, which for many viewers felt like an entirely different world. But now netflix is that 90 show has arrived in the summer of 1995. It's a 28 year gap. But somehow it does feel kind of like yesterday. It does and everyone is here for the nostalgia trip. The first episode of that. Now, the show was watched by more than 1.7 million households during its first three days on netflix, it's a hit for sure. And while there are cameos from Topher Grace, Laura, Prepon, Mila Kunis, Ashton, kutcher and wilder valderrama to seventies mainstays are back to lead the new cast. Red and kitty themselves were talking about kurt would smith and Debra jo Rupp and our West Coast correspondent Asia Celestino caught up with them to talk all about that nineties show, Take a look. Deborah joe! I want to start with you from the very first scene we hear laughing and cheers. What was it like to be back for this project? Well, it was great to be back. Are you talking about in front of the audience when we, when we shot it. Oh, that you know what? I think you're the first one who's asked me that question, which was remarkable. Um oh that was that was the best. I love an audience, I'm a theater person. And oh, just that audible response, there's just nothing like it. And then to have it happen before you even open your mouth because they so know the character, you just go, oh my God, I'm home, this is great, Life is good, and and just wait now, Just wait. It was fantastic. That was fantastic. I was getting goose is for you guys, the whole first episode, because the same reaction was there for kurt would for you, kurt would, what was it like to work on this project? And how long was it in the works? Because I know some of the original creators from that seventies show are back for this one. Um how long was it? Well, let's see. Um they called us, it was in the fall, right, I think it was months, it was four or five months, then it kept going on this and that, and it all had to be worked out with, you know, first we had to figure out, you know, uh we had to figure out what we were going to do, and then they uh had, you know, there was much talk about what kind of show it would be, and here's this pitch and that pitch, you know, uh fortunately for us, so much of that was dealt with by um the creators, the original creators of the show, Bonnie and Terry Turner, two of the original three creators, and then also um uh um Greg Mettler, who is the Showrunner on, on the show, and was one of the writers on the original show. So they really had to kind of iron it out and then they would come back to us and say, what do you think of this? What do you know, we're thinking about this, what do you guys think? And we'd be like, yeah, that sounds great and they or we don't think so mr we don't care what you think. Um but it was uh you know, it took a while to kind of get the ball rolling, it seems like a while, but considering that so many shows go through years of getting on the air and for us it was a matter of it was actually quick. Yeah, months, but still, that's pretty quick. Yeah. And for Debra jo I know you and Laura free phones character Donna have such an interesting relationship this time around. She also directs some of the episodes like to work with her in that role. Oh, I was just like a proud mom. I was just like, look at you, look what has happened here, look at you, she's beautiful, she's kind, she's smart. Um I think, you know, in the beginning, I think she was a little nervous because because of our roles and you know, and then and then I would pick up that nervousness and try to take care of her. So we had our own little thing happening there. Uh She she is fantastic with the kids because she lived it. So that was a huge help to us. You know, she could talk to them in ways that no one else could. So it was great to have her, great to have her. And just to piggyback on that note, you all look incredible. It's like no time has passed. And of course that chemistry is still there. Yeah, you didn't see it on the big screen last night because I know I got to but kurt would the last question is that Seventies show so iconic. So part of the culture has such a following. Why do you think that I'd show is going to appeal to those fans, but also this new generation and these teen stars coming up? Well, I think that the show appeals to such a large group because it really is a show about home and family. And the old one was and the new one will be too, I mean it is, but it's you know, it's kind of developing and you know, the kids in the neighborhood have to sort of we have to have our our own relationships with them. You know, like we've already started with probably run has kind of worked his way and to hanging around the house some and he has a great relationship with uh with kitty and Red likes to make fun of him and uh you know, my my niece uh watched the seventies show. Of course she did because she's related. But she watched the Seventies show and then when the Nineties show was coming out, she called and she went, that's mine. The Nineties was mine. Oh now I get to watch mine. And I think we'll hopefully what happened, but she does not talk like that. But I think what I hope happens is that this this is a new generation. Like like parents who grew up in the nineties will now show their Children. Like the seventies parents showed their Children. So it's kind of great, you know, doing these period shows, it's kind of great. I find them so cute and adorable. Our thanks to Kurt would smith and Debra jo Rupp. That Nineties show is driven right now on netflix.