Check out Dove Cameron’s interview for Kode Magazine:

Kode | Dove, You’re currently filming for the movie Dumplin’ with Jennifer Aniston, an actress well known for her work as Rachel Geller on the hit show “Friends” and other projects. What are other big name actors you would like to work with? Any specific storyline or roles?

I am! I am so happy to be a part of such an incredible cast and work with such an incredible director. I’ve always been a huge fan of Jennifer and she’s been so kind to me. In terms of other big names, I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of my heroes already…Kristin Chenoweth, Kenny Ortega, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Nettles…a lot of Jennifers! I would say, after those, next on my list would be Stanley Tucci and Jessica Lange! They’re my favorite film actors.

Kode | You seem to connect with your co-stars on projects like Descendants and develop strong friendships. Do those relationships come naturally for you or are they more of it takes a while to build these friendships? Are there any actors you’d work with again?

What a cute question! Yes, I’ve kept practically every friend that I’ve ever made on all of my projects so far. People are my favorite part of being alive, and loving them comes easily to me! I am in almost constant communication with my peers and loved ones. It’s a treat, and I feel lucky that they love me back! I would work with everyone again, ten times over.

Kode | Your range of characters have gone from good girl in “Liv and Maddie” to bad girl with your character in “Hairspray”… When you’re handed a script or think of characters you would want to play what comes to mind? What draws you to a certain character or role?

What usually draws me is a number of things. If the character is well-written, the lines come easier, there’s less of a struggle to sell the lines. So, I notice that immediately in any script, when they read like a real human being. Second, even though I have played a wide variety of characters, they’ve all had a through line of what I would call “healthy mania”. I am definitely a high energy, highly emotive human with lots of thoughts in my head all the times, and I want my characters to reflect that! So, they have to be interesting and watchable and multidimensional.

Kode | You recently posted on your Instagram about your upcoming single “Talks About,” what can we expect from the single and is there an album we can look forward to in the near future? As a Disney artist you’ve been able to sing songs for the Disney brand. What kind of music genre would you like to dabble in and explore? Is there any specific artists that influence or inspire you?

In terms of announcing “Talks About“, it was a little premature because I don’t have a release date, but I just needed to give my fans something to chew on and feel like they were on the inside of the process. I know they’ve felt that my music has been something they are a bit in the dark about! The song is a bit edgier, a bit louder than a lot of what my fans have heard from me so far, but my true fans will know that it’s nowhere near outside my wheelhouse. It’s the kind of music I’ve always wanted to create! In terms of an album, I have more announcements coming soon…but you’ll have to stay tuned for those!

Kode | It’s your day off and you’re relaxing, sitting on your couch and listening to your favorite jams… Who do you listen to? What genre is the most played on your ipod?

I have always been a fan of blending genres. I would love to blend pop and jazz in the future, as I’ve always had a romance with older music…but as of right now, I’m a bit of a noise-pop girl! I love heavy production, and I love to sit on the floor of a studio and play for hours. I love to be very involved!

That’s actually what I’m doing right now! Currently playing is Witchcraft by Frank Sinatra, next is Amy Amy Amy by Amy Winehouse, then Misbehaving by Labrinth. I love music that makes my heart swell right out of my chest, music with a sense of humor and a dark note to it. Music to grin and smirk to and dance barefoot on a hardwood floor.

Kode | You started with theater at a young age and have worked on theatrical productions Hairspray Live and Mamma Mia! What sparked your interest and you drew you to entertainment? What production(s) would you like to work on in the future?

Since I can remember, I’ve vacillated between musical theatre, film, television, and music. Right now, theatre has somehow found its way to the top of my heart all on its own! My experience with Hairspray Live and Mamma Mia left me breathless and so creatively and emotionally fulfilled that I can’t help but think about theatre all the time, like a new romance. I have been wanting to revive “The Light in the Piazza” FOREVER now, star as Clara…Lucy in “Jekyll and Hyde”…obviously Glinda in “Wicked”…Baby June in “Gypsy”…I’m also going to need them to turn “Bombshell” into an actual musical, and I’ll be first in line to star as Marilyn. I also REALLY want them to make a Stepford Wives the musical! I think it would lend itself SO WELL! Ok, I’ll be done.

Kode | The reaction to both “Descendants” and “Descendants 2” have been overly positive and fans have said they’re excited for the third. Are there any upcoming Disney projects outside of the “Descendants” brand you’re excited to be working on or looking into?

I love the Disney Family so much, and I’d be grateful and excited to work with them on new projects in the future, but with a full 4 years of my sitcom series under my belt, and a happy franchise that’s on wheels at this point, I think my relationship with the channel is coming to it’s natural, happy end! I’ll always kick about with the family, be happy to produce or direct some channel things, but I definitely feel like I’m in senior year and I should move out of my loving parents home and pick my major!

Kode | Many Disney stars grow out of their Disney image through the roles or projects they take on. Are you planning on leaving your Disney days behind and trying to develop a more edgy, grown up image?

I don’t think I would ever say that I am purposely attempting to create an edgier image to depart from my “Disney image”. Just as I’ve never attempted to cultivate an inauthentic image with my Disney life, I would never try to do the same as I naturally grow up and into whomever I am on my way to becoming. Attempting to be anything at all communicates an insecurity in one’s own sense of self and level of self-respect. The only person I need to prove anything to is myself! And I think ones work stands on its own, much louder than any projected “image” one could cultivate.  

Kode | A lot of the time actors do their best to fully immerse themselves in a role and really connect to the character they’re portraying, for instance you got spray tanned, outside in a tent, in Georgia, at night, in a hairnet. What’s the most strange or difficult thing you’ve had to do for a role? Are there any limits to the strangest or most difficult thing you would do for a role?

I love to transform for a role! I think that physical transformation is such a huge part of acting. I’ve never had to do anything too too crazy, just the basics: getting in better physical shape, lots of cardio, spray tans, wigs, dying hair…covering some of my tattoos. But there is virtually no limit to what I’d do! I’d love to either lose a ton of weight or gain a ton of weight or maybe even shave my head!

Kode | You and your boyfriend Thomas Doherty met on the set of “Descendants 2”, What does your perfect date night consist of?

We are all over the place. We’re practically the same person, which is actually a phenomenal thing for us in our relationship! We range from ditching major holidays or parties and lighting candles, buying bags and bags of candy, closing the blinds and not coming out of our apartment for 3 days, to flying to a random city on a whim, getting dressed to the 9’s and ordering $100 worth of pastries. We’re a tad dramatic, and it works for us.

Kode | You both have such demanding schedules with music and movies, how do you guys manage to balance that and keep your romance burning strong?

Well, if one of us is working and the other isn’t, we will always fly out to the other and just stay attached at the hip no matter what we’re doing. We never get sick of each other, and we’re always flying anyway, so it’s not hard to catch a random red eye and disappear together for a week! It also doesn’t hurt that we’re crazy about each other. Doesn’t take much to keep the romance going.

Kode | Some would compare your relationship with your castmates from Descendants to that of the camaraderie of the High School Musical gang. Do you guys still keep in contact? Can you share any really fun war stories with us from the set?

We all are insanely close. I’m honestly closest with the boys. Dylan, Mitchell, Thomas and I were INSEPARABLE on Descendants 2. Also, Boo and Cam are like my real life siblings. We all just got so lucky! It’s a lot of big hearts, and a lot of trust. We are also a group that loves to laugh, so that keeps us bonded.