When your first role outside of community theater is playing the titular role in an original Disney+ movie musical, the pressure could be overwhelming. In the case of Rubey Wood, the star of Better Nate Than Ever, art imitated life when he was given the chance to play Nate Foster.
“I love theater, and that’s where my heart is,” says Wood. “Being able to make my movie debut in a movie that’s about Broadway is just so cool.”
In a dream-come-true moment for Wood, he was able to experience “the singing, the extravagance, the dancing, the glamor” of Broadway when he performed live in Times Square during filming.
“It was mind-blowing,” according to Wood. Production took place at the height of Covid protocols, which allowed the filming to take place on location. “We could actually film in Times Square because there wasn’t a ton of people bustling around.” The resulting performance they filmed until 3 AM was “magical.”
“Broadway is really a place where anything can happen,” according to Wood. You can see that magical moment for yourself when you watch Better Nate Than Ever, now streaming on Disney+.
About Better Nate Than Ever
In Disney’s comedy adventure “Better Nate Than Ever,” 13-year-old Nate Foster has big
Broadway dreams. There’s only one problem — he can’t even land a part in the school
play. But when his parents leave town, Nate and his best friend Libby sneak off to the Big
Apple for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove everyone wrong. A chance encounter
with Nate’s long-lost Aunt Heidi turns his journey upside-down, and together they
must learn that life’s greatest adventures are only as big as your dreams. Based on the
award-winning novel.
“Better Nate Than Ever” stars Aria Brooks, Joshua Bassett, Michelle Federer and
introducing Rueby Wood as Nate, with Norbert Leo Butz and Lisa Kudrow. Based upon the
book by Tim Federle, the film was written for the screen and directed by Tim Federle. Marc
Platt and Adam Siegel served as the film’s producers, with Tim Federle and Pamela Thur
as its executive producers.