Class is officially back in session at Hollywood Arts! Over a decade after Nickelodeon’s pop-culture phenomenon Victorious wrapped its final season, the hallowed, vibrant halls of TV’s most elite performing arts school have reopened their doors on Netflix with the all-new spin-off series Hollywood Arts.
Stepping squarely into the center spotlight is Trina Vega (Daniella Monet), the over-the-top, perpetually ambitious older sister who spent years fighting for a taste of fame. When eccentric acting guru Mr. Sikowitz (Eric Lange) abruptly steps down, Principal Helen (Yvette Nicole Brown) taps Trina as an unqualified substitute teacher. While Trina’s initial game plan is simple—scout Hollywood connections to jumpstart her own stalled career—she soon finds herself clashing with,mentoring, and fiercely cheering on a whole new generation of ambitious teen performers.
Among that fresh class is rising triple threat Emmy Liu-Wang, who shines as Pepper: a wild, food-obsessed, unpredictable firecracker whose ditzy one-liners mask a powerhouse stage presence. Between trading insults with her perfectionist frenemy Jen (Erika Swayze) and commanding every dance number she’s thrown into, Pepper is quickly becoming a bona fide fan favorite.
Long before she ever set foot on set, Emmy was just like the rest of us: completely obsessed with the iconic Nickelodeon series.
“Victorious was my ultimate favorite show growing up, so this is just a dream come true for me,” the 19-year-old tells Celeb Secrets. “I remember singing the songs in my room as a kid, pretending I was one of the characters. To be part of the universe now as part of the new generation, I feel like I’m living every Victorious fan’s dream, and I could not be more grateful.”
When the audition notice landed in her inbox, Emmy was originally called in for a character who coincidentally shared her real name: Emmy, the stage manager and tech whiz (played by Alyssa Miles). But after reading the character packets,another personality caught her eye.
“Something in me was like, ‘I don’t think I’m an Emmy,’ which is hilarious,” she laughs. “I read all the breakdowns, and I remember reading Pepper’s and thinking, ‘If I happen to get called back, I really, really hope it’s for Pepper.’ There was so much to play with. She’s the tough girl who protects her friends, the ditzy class clown, and this fierce, experienced performer. A few weeks later they called and asked me to read for Pepper, and I was just overjoyed.”
While Pepper brings massive laughs and lovable cluelessness to Trina’s classroom, stepping into the role held a deeper, healing significance for Emmy on a personal level.
“Growing up, I almost didn’t see a lot of people who looked like me on screen doing what I wanted to do,” she reflects. “There weren’t many Asian American characters, and if I did see them, it was an archetype — the smart one, the academic weapon. There was almost one path written out. What I love about this show is that Pepper is arguably not the brightest, but she shows me I can do whatever I want to. There’s no single path. She is a performer, she dances, and playing her healed a part of me.”
The instant chemistry you see on-screen was forged before cameras even rolled. Alongside castmates Peyton Jackson (musician Qwest) and Martin Kamm (school star Oscar), Liu-Wang found herself bonding with the cast in their downtime.
“They put a bunch of instruments in the green room — a piano, an electric cello for me, drums, and electric guitars—and we immediately just started jamming together,” she recalls.
When executive producer and star Daniella Monet arrived, she immediately took on an older-sister role for the young cast. “I think I screamed! Everybody jumped up to hug her,” Emmy says. “She comes in and she’s this older sister mentor—super down-to-earth, very sweet. She’s big on wellness, so she had vitamins and supplements in her trailer and told us, ‘My door’s open anytime you guys want to come in and grab anything, or if you need to talk.’ She welcomed us with the most open arms.”
The nostalgia went into overdrive whenever original cast members like Eric Lange, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Matt Bennett (reprising ventriloquist Robbie Shapiro) dropped by to film.
“They’re just as iconic as you remember,” she shares. “They came up to all of us, gave us advice, and were so encouraging. Seeing your childhood icons right there, cheering you on, is the craziest feeling.”
Music has always been the heartbeat of Hollywood Arts, and the spin-off wastes no time delivering bops. Republic Records: Kids & Family dropped the 16-track official soundtrack alongside the show’s Netflix launch, led by the catchy pop-punk theme song “Here To Stay.”
Emmy’s personal standout track, however, arrives later in the season: a girl-power anthem titled “Hold You Up,” performed alongside Monet, Miles, and Swayze.
“It is our girl group song,” she teases. “The message is girlhood at its best: ‘When you don’t feel like you can hold yourself up, we’ll be here.’ The melody, the message, the choreography — the entire thing is a masterpiece.”
The creative team also leaned heavily into the actors’ real talents. After Emmy casually mentioned her love for following online K-pop choreography, executive producers Samantha Martin and Jake Farrow wrote it straight into the script.
“A week later, I saw it in the script: a K-pop subway battle dance!” she beams. “I mentor some of the kids at Hollywood Arts and teach them how to be masters at subway dance because they get stopped by a dance crew. It’s one of my absolute favorite moments in the show.”
As soon as longtime fans watch the show, they will immediately spot familiar details around the campus. The creative team brought back original set designers to replicate the iconic hallway and classroom, keeping the DNA of the original series intact while giving the lockers a modern upgrade.
“Pepper has a rule: there’s not one thing she wears that doesn’t have an item of food on it,” Liu-Wang hints about her character’s aesthetic. “Her locker is my personal favorite — it has stickers, little fruits on the outside, and a fun surprise on the inside that you’ll definitely have to watch the show to see!”
Whether you grew up singing along to “Make It Shine” or you’re diving into the halls of Hollywood Arts for the very first time, Emmy promises the new series has something for everyone.
“It feels like a comfort show,” she says. “There’s nostalgia, amazing original music, and a relatable arc for everybody —focusing on lifting each other up, working through insecurity, and celebrating what makes each performer unique.”
For more on Hollywood Arts, make sure to watch our full interview with Emmy below, and don’t forget to let us know if you’re loving the show by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
You can stream Hollywood Arts on Netflix here.
