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Laura Prepon has taken a seat at the director’s chair on That ’90s Show Part 3. That ’70s Show alum has been popping in for cameos on the popular Netflix sequel series of the cult classic sitcom. Prepon, who directed all eight episodes, planted several Easter eggs in the storyline and even recreated the original ‘70s opening credits in Episode 6.
Prepon plays adult Donna, the wife of Eric Forman, played by Topher Grace. She is also the mother of the new main character, Leia Forman, played by Callie Haverda. Prepon, who initially returned for onscreen cameos, took on a bigger role in Part 3 as her character stayed in Point Place with her daughter. She also shared tidbits about her experience sitting in the director’s chair in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Laura Prepon discussed how she felt it was essential to keep with the show’s tone and could take her own experiences and reimagine the storyline in a fresh way. She has also planted several Easter eggs that she hopes people will discover and relate back to That ’70s Show.
Prepon also shared how the atmosphere on set was brimming with empathy since the cast had a lot of faith in her as their director. The working environment was healthy and uplifting since she’d been in their shoes before. Due to the trust and love the show’s cast had showered upon her, Prepon had a great time sitting in the director’s chair. She shared an anecdote of her work mantra in the following words:
“I was in your shoes, and I’m not just saying that. Physically, I was standing where you were doing the same thing.”
Laura Prepon Described Recreating the Opening Credits as “Surreal”
A really fun directorial experience for Laura Prepon was recreating the iconic That ’70s Show opening credit scene in Episode 6, where everyone is seen sitting in the car as they sing and dance to the theme song. She confessed how they had to squish a lot more people into the Vista Cruiser, and she even got chills the first time they played the song.
Prepon revealed how it was nostalgic that she was outside the car and directing the scene that she herself had been a part of all those years back. The scene also had a sweet touch: Leia placed her hands on the dashboard just like her mother did in the original, making for a cute “like mother, like daughter” moment.
Laura Prepon revealed that it was intentional and had debated a lot about whether Leia should do it for a while. They didn’t want it to seem like she was just intended to be a replica of Donna. Prepon was very particular about maintaining that Leia is her own person. Part 3 ended on a cliffhanger, and fans hope to see what Prepon has in store for them next.
Netflix has yet to announce a Season 3 of That ‘90s Show. However, you can stream all episodes of Seasons 1 and 2 on Netflix.
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