An Interview with Kamryn Smith from ‘Yo Gabba GabbaLand!’

Plex (voiced by Christian Jacobs) and Kamryn Smith in "Yo Gabba GabbaLand!," now streaming on Apple TV+.

Kamryn Smith is a rising star in the entertainment business, and currently has the honor of playing Kammy Kam in the new Apple TV+ series, Yo Gabba GabbaLand! and we had the distinct honor of sitting down with Kamryn to discuss her work on the show.
 
John Betancourt: I would love to start today by getting to know how you became the host of this important show.
 
Kamryn Smith: This story is kind of long, but I'll make it short. Um, so basically, we were on another job, and one of the prop guys was the creator of the show, and we didn't end up knowing, and he tapped my mom on the shoulder and was like, “Is this your daughter? She's so good, and she would be a great fit for Yo Gabba Gabba!” And my mom was like, “No way, because me and my brother used to watch that show when we were younger.” So, my mom was like, so excited. And then that day, his brother, Parker, ended up drawing me in like, a Yo Gabba Gabba! outfit. And my mom was like, “Wait, that's like crazy, because like, this is real, like, this is no joke.” So, like, four years later, he ended up staying in touch with us, and then. it was real, like they were getting it done and finished with Apple TV Plus. And so, we finally got the audition, and I ended up doing it, and then couple days later, they were like, “You got it,” and it was crazy. And we couldn't believe in we were like, we're gonna have to go to Utah for three months. And we were so excited.
 
John Betancourt: What does it mean to you to be part of a franchise that is just so beloved and so iconic?
 
Kamryn Smith: It means so much for me, because it's so different from me watching it on the screen with a different person, than watching me, because I'm like, this is just crazy how, like, I just see myself in like, this whole world and this whole magical adventure that, like, I'm taking people on. And it's crazy.
 
John Betancourt: It also looks like you’re having so much fun doing the show. How much fun was it to be Kammy?
 
Kamryn Smith: It's so much fun because everybody on set is the most nicest people on set. They're always looking out for me, and they're just always so nice to me, and it makes it more fun because we always have music playing. We don't -- it's more silly, more fun when I'm doing it, instead of being like, super serious, and we have like, Nerf guns on set, and like, you know, it's like, more fun. It's not super serious. So, it was always fun.
 
John Betancourt: That does sound like a really good day at work. Now was there any pressure on you to go in and be a part of this show, since it is so important, and you’re such a fan?
 
Kamryn Smith: No, there was no pressure at all. You know, when I was coming into this, I thought of it more as being myself instead of being a different character. Um, because, you know, Kam, she's a younger girl, but like, she's still me, and I brought myself into this instead of being like, “Okay, I'm gonna set her up as a character instead of, like, being myself.”
 
John Betancourt: That's a great way to approach that. Now, what are you most excited for audiences to experience when they tune in?
 
Kamryn Smith: Um, I'm most excited for audience to experience like the magic and then the new adventures that we have on this show, because there's so many new things and new ways that we're going with this and just like the whole new world.
 
John Betancourt: Now since you’re fan of the original show, and now the host of this one. What do you like the most about this version of the show.
 
Kamryn Smith: Um, something that I like about this show, I think, is that it's from a kid's point of view, like mine, and I think it's showing the kids’ way of how I take care of all my characters and all my toys and how I'm showing them new ways and new adventures to go.
 
John Betancourt: Now everyone takes something away from this series, because it is so special. What do you hope audiences take away from this version of the show?
 
Kamryn Smith: I hope they just take. Um, like, the way of friendship and family, because that's a big thing is, us on the show, we are all one huge family, and they're, the toys are, like my babies, basically, and I hope they take away the friendship and the family part of it.
 
John Betancourt: The last question that I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to your work on this show?
 
Kamryn Smith: I'm most proud of me. This sounds kind of weird, but just me doing it. You know, this is my first, like, huge project, so me, just like actually going through with it. I'm also proud of me, like learning my scripts, remembering them in my head, because that's something really hard, and I didn't realize how hard it was until I did it. So really, just like learning my scripts, and, you know, remembering them, and just like believing in myself that I could, like, you know, do it.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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