We got to catch up with Never Have I Ever stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Devi), Darren Barnett (Paxton), and Poorna Jagannathan (Nalini) on the set of their pop-up event in New York. Fans can find this adorable pop-up in Hudson Yards at 11 on Saturday, July 17th and at Domino Park at 2pm on Sunday, July 18th! Stop by to meet the cast, score some stylish season two gear, and stream the show on Netflix now!
In our one on one chats with the cast we were able to get their take on Season two. “I am so excited for (fans) to check out Common,” Jagannathan admitted. The rapper and actor plays a fellow dermatologist named Chris in this season, and is also Nalini’s love interest.
On the other hand, Devi finds herself in a love triangle; and while Paxson is used to being chased, fans get to see Mr.Popularity in pursuit. “For a guy whose had everything go so easy in his life, you’re definitely going to see him work,” Barney said. “It’s wild! The love triangle is on fire!” he confirmed.
While love interests play a big role this season, Jagannathan also assured, fans are definitely in for a laugh. “When we film our scenes it’s so hard for us not to be laughing! For them to get a good take is actually a miracle,” she shared. “It’s also a miracle this season got made because it’s so much funnier than Season one!”
She continued, “For me season two explores a different dimension of grief and losing someone and what it means to move forward without necessarily moving on. This show is so funny but it’s such a humble, intricate exploration of grief as well.” As for the cultural aspect, Jagannathan shared a bit of a spoiler. “A South Asian mother apologizing to her child has never been seen on TV and has never been experienced by a South Asian child before; so you’ll see it represented on TV,” she shared with a chuckle.
Ramakrishnan is also excited for what the show represents, and spoke about what the series means to her and South Asians of all ages. “We haven’t had a show like this so people who are older than me look up to me because there hasn’t been anyone for them,” she points out. “It sucks and it’s not fair. That’s not how it should be, but at least we’re here now.”
“It is a labor of love that goes into season two,” Ramakrishnan reflected. “I couldn’t be prouder of making this baby during the hardest time ever,” Jagannathan added.
In addition to chatting with the cast and finding out their favorite season two moments, we got an inside look at the fan popup that opens this weekend! Decked out in beautiful paper floral displays and colorful paintbrush-stroke visuals, the truck represents the cheeky, youthful joy embodied by Maitreyi’s character Devi and perfectly captures the show’s vibe. Inside, we glimpsed the fun merch waiting for fans: from pastel tie-dye bucket hats to comfy lounge sweaters, there are plenty of goodies for you to rock your favorite Netflix show with. Make sure to stop by the popup this weekend to catch up with the cast and grab some swag!
Register for tickets here: https://www.universe.com/users/netflix-D13BJZ
-Lenique Vinent and Megan D’Souza
