Terry Hu feels “really grateful” for their groundbreaking role as Disney’s first leading non-binary character in the new musical Zombies 3. The 26-year-old actor, who plays alien A-Spen, spoke EXCLUSIVELY with HollywoodLife and explained why they feel “honored” to be making history in the third and final installment of the original movie series which is being released on July 15th on Disney+.
“I’m really excited to be working on this project. It’s a new experience for me. It’s my first feature,” Terry said. “But it’s really when I talk to the fans or the fans reach out that I’m like, ‘Oh, this is so much bigger than me.’ I just feel really, really grateful. And honestly, honored to be in this position.”
“I feel like it’s extremely unreal, but it is real,” the continued. “I think it’s definitely getting more real now because we filmed this about a year ago, and now hearing the fans reaction to the first number, ‘Alien Invasion’, it’s getting super real. Seeing the impact it is having, and hopefully my character will have, and my presence will have, I’m stoked.”
Terry revealed that when they were presented with this role, they weren’t informed it was for Disney. They explained their reaction when they were finally told this was a role for Disney. “It was just kind of wild because I grew up watching Disney. I feel like Disney encompasses so many things but Disney Channel Original Movie, I grew up watching that, and to think I’m a part of it was just surreal. I think 10-year-old Terry is probably losing their mind somewhere,” they joked. “But like now I’ve gotten older so I’ve adjusted but I am just like, wow, this is really unbelievable to me. And super exciting.”
As we previously reported, Terry stars in the musical alongside Zombies newcomers Matt Cornett and Kyra Tantao. They spoke with HollywoodLife as Matt explained his role as alien A-lan a “super fun challenge” for him and why the role is a departure from EJ in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. “Obviously, I love playing EJ. He’s a second part of me now, but it was so much fun trying to figure out A-lan and figure out this alien world and doing it with these two [Terry and Kyra],” he said.