Get to know the cast of Nickelodeon’s new live action series, The Astronauts. In this video, we chat with Miya Cech, Keith L. Williams, Kayden Grace Swan, and Ben Daon. They talk about their favorite moments shooting the show, what they did for fun and so much more!
What Is ‘The Astronauts’?
A brand-new live-action series follows a group of kids who embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they are mistakenly launched into space.
The Cast & Their Characters
The group traveling together through space are: Samantha “Samy” Sawyer-Wei, played by Miya Cech (Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Always Be My Maybe); Elliott Combs, played by Bryce Gheisar (Wonder, A Dog’s Purpose); Martin Taylor, played by Keith L. Williams (Good Boys, The Last Man on Earth); Doria Taylor, played by Kayden Grace Swan (A Black Lady Sketch Show); and Will Rivers, played by Ben Daon (Child’s Play). Matilda, the ship’s onboard AI system, is voiced by Paige Howard (The Employer, Adventureland).
SAMY Played by Miya Cech (Are You Afraid of the Dark, The Rim of World)
Cool-headed under pressure, poised, prodigiously intelligent and empathic. The daughter of the ship’s astronaut, she has been studying her mother’s training her entire life. Though commonly branded “shy”, Samy will not hesitate to courageously and fiercely assert herself when encountering injustice or cruelty.
ELLIOTT Played by Bryce Gheisar (Wonder, A Dog’s Purpose)
The son of the spaceship’s billionaire owner, Elliott grew up in the shadow of his accomplished father. What comes off as a proud and spoiled exterior is really just a mask to his soft, sensitive, approval-seeking core. Elliott has strong leadership abilities but struggles to form lasting relationships with his peers because of his need to be the ‘big shot’. Elliott sees the crisis as his opportunity to prove his worth to his dad and to himself, leading to clashes with Samy over control of the ship.
MARTIN Played by Keith L. Williams (Good Boys, The Last Man on Earth)
Quiet, unprepossessing, with a no-nonsense dry sensibility, Martin is physically the biggest kid on board, but tends to be the most reserved. While protective of sister Doria, he can be impatient with her immaturity. Their father is an engineer in Mission Control. Martin brings a healthy dose of common sense to the group, along with heart and loyalty.
DORIA Played by Kayden Grace Swan (A Black Lady Sketch Show)
Doria is self-confident, stubborn, and – unlike her brother Martin – extroverted. She is obsessed with fashion, pop-stars and music, but has an obsessive interest in medicine. She likes to argue, and always gets her way. If asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she would reply in all earnestness that she’s going to be a Nobel-winning neurologist AND a top fashion designer AND a professional choreographer.
WILL Played by Ben Daon (Child’s Play, The 100)
Bouncing with energy and possessing a goofy sense of humor, Will is used to feeling like an outsider in groups. He has an obsessive interest in fantasy and sci-fi, which gives him a unique perspective about being launched into space. His mother is a journalist investigating Elliott’s dad, which leads the other kids to wonder if they can really trust him.
WHEN CAN WE WATCH?
Nickelodeon enters orbit for an epic hour-long premiere event of The Astronauts, the network’s first co-production with Imagine Kids+Family. The first two episodes of The Astronauts premiere back-to-back on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.
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