Julee Cerda Discusses 'The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers' on Disney+ & Living in the Moment

It is my honor to introduce you to Julee Cerda. Julee is starring as Stephanie in The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers on Disney +. Some notable credits for Julee include - Orange is the New Black, Homeland, House of Cards, Nurse Jackie, Blue Bloods, and NCIS: New Orleans just to name a few.

Ms. Cerda also performed on Broadway in the 2018 revival of Children of a Lesser God as Edna Klein (which I was lucky enough to see live and she was absolutely fantastic in!). I have been a fan of Julee for many years, and as a proud Minnesotan, to see her in the first episode of The Mighty Ducks was absolutely wonderful. I am so happy to have the chance to feature this amazing artist who is truly leaving her mark.

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be an actress? 

I was about 25 years old when I figured it out. I was a few years into my post-college career in digital marketing when I felt a strong need to satisfy a creative side in me, so I started looking into a bunch of creative classes I could take after work--everything from dance to interior design to eventually an acting class in the east village of NYC. I can’t say that I knew I wanted to become an actress the minute I stepped into that class (because I had a practical side), but I was definitely inspired to continue.

What started as a hobby that I did after work eventually grew into something that I started taking more seriously which ultimately led to a complete career change.

Are there any teachers or mentors in your life who truly helped you become the wonderful artist you are today?

Every single acting teacher that I’ve trained with has given me something that I apply to my work (and life) today. To single one out would be unfair. I have the utmost respect for acting teachers--they are the most devoted, passionate, and generous people in the industry that deserve far more credit than they get. My career would be nothing without them.

Congratulations on The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. As a proud Minnesotan & 90's kid, I cannot express to you how excited I have been for this show. How has your time been with the Disney + series so far? 

Thank you! We are so excited about the release of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, and so proud of the work. Working on this production has been a positive experience so far especially given the challenges we were faced with.

Not only did production have a huge ensemble to work with, but they also had to adhere to the strict labor guideline surrounding all the minors on set, on top of processing and managing all their stand-ins and hockey doubles, on top of filming on ice, on top of managing the new COVID-19 testing and safety practices on set! I’m amazed we got through it.

Julee Cerda in The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers

Are there any roles, shows (Stage, TV, or Film), or moments in your career that stick out and will always be near and dear to your heart? 

The revival of Children of a Lesser God on Broadway will always be a dear project that I worked on. I was so touched by the story, production, and cast and so inspired by the amazing work that both Lauren Ridloff and Joshua Jackson had put into it. It brought to me tears on many occasions. I also ended up learning so much about the deaf community and made some pretty fantastic friends on that production.

What advice would you give any young aspiring artists?

Have fun and live in the moment! It is a privilege to be pursuing the arts, and we must not forget to savor every moment - good or bad!

The first episode of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers dropped on March 26th with episodes being released weekly on Friday streaming on Disney+. Check out The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers

To stay updated with Julee and her career, be sure to follow Julee on Instagram and Twitter @juleecerda