EXCLUSIVE | 'She-Ra' star AJ Michalka believes 'show will live on' with the fandom long after Season 5 ends
With 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power' coming to an end with its fifth season, its cast is having to say goodbye to the characters they've embodied since the series began. In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), AJ Michalka, who voices Catra on the show, talked about the character's resolution and her feelings on saying goodbye to the show.
She spoke about her feelings regarding the resolution of Catra's story: "I'm thrilled. I'm excited for people to see exactly where this character goes because it's kind of everything I hoped for," she said. "We're lucky that we got to tell the story and tell it in a way where it could actually be completed — so many shows don't get this opportunity. And Catra really has an incredible moment to shine towards the end of this show. And it's really everything I wanted for this character. I'm proud of how this show ends and I'm proud of Catra in the end for what she does."
However, the series finale is definitely a bittersweet experience. "I'm really sad to see it come to a close," she said. "I think the show will live on in terms of the fandom that's been created around it. I think it will live on for a long time, therefore I don't feel like I need to say goodbye to it right now. But being a part of my last recording session and knowing that Season 5 was really wrapping everything up was really — it was emotional for me. It ended up really servicing the material in a really great, authentic way because I felt emotional going in there, performing some of my last pieces as Catra, but it's been bittersweet."
She also talked about the extensive fandom that's sprung up around 'She-Ra'. "I've had some really powerful fan interactions, not only online but in person — whether it be WonderCon or Comic Con. I haven't been able to go to a ton of cons, surrounding 'She-Ra', I'm really hoping in the future that I can do more," she said. "But there have been a few fans that have come up to me and have just said, 'This show helped me come out. I felt represented on this show. I feel like I can be who I am, I can love who I want to love and I feel safe watching this show'. And that to me — that's kind of the coolest part about fan interactions — the honesty and authenticity you get from face-to-face interaction, it's really powerful."
"I just hope that they feel represented on this show and that they feel like it's a safe place for them to enjoy entertainment. I think this show is really at the center," said Michalka. "It, to me, represents a giant rainbow. It doesn't matter what size you are, what color you are, who you love, who you care about — the show represents everyone and I hope that people feel that when they watch it."
Michalka has also just wrapped up the latest season of ABC's 'Schooled'. She is also releasing a new music album with her sister, Alyson Michalka, on May 18. 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power' releases on May 15 on Netflix.
