Get ready for Moon Girl Magic to hit your screens. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are running (and skating) onto your TV screens on February 10 with a hero story unlike any other. Imagine the smartest 13-year-old girl you know and make her a zillion times smarter with the ability to concoct futuristic gadgets. Then give that girl genius a secret lab underneath her NYC abode where she opens a portal and lets a dinosaur in from another dimension. They become pals and decide to fight for an area of NYC that the Avengers seem to ignore.
That’s what you get with Lunella Lafayette, the protagonist of this special Marvel story. Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is all about found family, unique friendships, and, yes, a large red dinosaur with a heart of gold. Nerdist chatted with Diamond White and Fred Tatasciore—who portray Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, respectively—about their characters’ best traits and the show’s endearing charm.
Nerdist: There are so many superheroes and superheroines out right now that it’s almost overwhelming. What do you think Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur brings to this landscape that’s truly unique?
Diamond White: It’s Marvel’s first African-American teenage girl superhero in her own series. So just that alone… she’s making history with this show. I never saw a show like this growing up. So the representation matters a lot to me. And it brings this sense of friendship, community, and love. It’s just a really good show.
Fred Tatasciore: I agree! I think that’s great for kids to see that a girl like [Lunella] can make a difference and that science is cool. You can be powerful and smart is good. I’m really excited to see a woman of color at the center of this. I play a force of nature that comes in and doesn’t have a community. I come from a very scary dimension. And I am somehow welcomed into this new portal of New York.
And a very brilliant being decides to take me in and learn my language and become my family, become my friend… That’s where [Devil Dinosaur] comes in… The takeaway that I hope people see is a very powerful force of nature, a dinosaur, be able to have a heart and make good decisions and side with the good, not just be something frightening. That’s the choice he makes and that’s a big thing for him.
I love that. And I definitely think the show expands both characters in a completely different way from the comic series. What are some of your characters’ trailers that really shine in this story?
White: I think it’s Moon Girl’s confidence because Lunella doesn’t always have confidence all the time. Lunella is insecure about a couple things… [but] her mom tells her that one girl can make a difference. I think that’s going to stand out. And even in the beginning, when she’s not so sure how to go about the superhero thing, she keeps going and she keeps trying.
Tatasciore: Devil Dinosaur is into art and music… He’s driven by his appetite for hot dogs, but he’s driven by his love for Lunella and Casey even more… I think there’s some humor in his journey of learning not to be so possessive and jealous of Lunella or Moon Girl.
Aww, that’s so sweet. If you could use three words to sum up Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, which ones would you choose.
White: Moon. Girl. Magic.
Tatasciore: Electric, love, and family.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur will hit the Disney Channel on February 10 and Disney+ on February 15.