‘Hollywood Arts’ star teases more ‘Victorious’ cameos as Season 1 continues
Going back to school looks a little different for Trina Vega. She’s teaching the next generation in Netflix’s ‘Hollywood Arts,’ but a few people from her own school days have already found their way back. The ‘Victorious’ spinoff has reunited Daniella Monet with several former castmates across its opening 12 episodes. And with the first season still far from over, there are more familiar faces to look out for.
In an interview with TV Insider, Monet teased “more romance [and] more returning cast members.” Season 1 has 26 episodes in total, meaning 14 remain beyond the initial Netflix release. So far, viewers have seen Matt Bennett return as Robbie Shapiro, Eric Lange as Sikowitz and Yvette Nicole Brown as Principal Helen Dubois. Monet hasn’t named the other returning actors or revealed when their characters will appear. Victoria Justice’s involvement as Tori Vega also remains unconfirmed, despite her character’s continued place in Trina’s life.
Robbie’s return, meanwhile, has given fans more to follow than a catch-up with an old classmate. The opening episodes reveal that his feelings for Trina have lasted, and this time she feels the same way. There’s a complication, though: he’s moving away. Trina’s relationship with Tori also carries over from ‘Victorious,’ even with her sister now a successful singer who hasn’t appeared onscreen. “There’s a lot to still uncover about the relationship between Trina and Tori,” Monet said. “I think we’ve definitely alluded to [their] dynamic, and there’s a sweet moment where you can hear that she has her sister in her corner. Hopefully, at some point, Tori can lean on Trina, [too].”
The conversation also turned to Monet’s experience making the spinoff with its cast. “This has been a dream experience,” she told the outlet. “We’ve got a dynamic that I’ve never even worked with. [It’s] so special, so supportive. Everyone’s seen, heard, loved, respected, and it gives this really nice work dynamic that I think allows for us to just lean into the story and the characters and have a lot more full expression of that. So I think there’s just so much more to explore.”
As for another season, Monet would be “more than open” to returning. A Season 2 renewal has not been announced, but she already has something in mind for Trina. “I think there’s an itch that I need to scratch in terms of some bigger performances for Trina. Our choreographer, Ryan Maw, is incredible and has some really fun ideas, one of them being this entire musical world,” she said. Those are hopes for a possible second season, with the rest of Season 1 still ahead. The first 12 episodes of ‘Hollywood Arts’ are streaming on Netflix.
