But it turns out that up until now, she’s actually had it easy.
Yeah, nowZoeyis singing her innermost thoughts and feelings.
Without the accompanying music and backup dancers she sees in her head.
Sergei Bachlakov/NBC
To everyone around her.
Sometimes she’s got a whole crew of dancers with her, but sometimes she’s on her own.
“He said he had an idea for an episode in which Zoey sings every song.
Sergei Bachlakov/NBC
I would say to Austin, ‘I really want to participate in the musicals.'”
Since Zoey always sees others performing, it didn’t make sense to have her join in.
“This episode was looming over my head all season,” she says.
Sergei Bachlakov/NBC
When we actually started filming it was just so much fun.
I now have this episode of television that Im extremely proud of."
“But we pulled it off!
Sergei Bachlakov/NBC
Mandy Moore, our choreographer, is a dream to collaborate with.
And Levy is the first to admit that the hour wasn’t a walk in the park for her.
“For one, I have never lip-synced before.
It was totally new to me,” she says.
“But I did sing some of them live.
There are pieces of all of them that are live.”
That’s where Levy had to lip-sync while filming after recording the songs previously.
“‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ was completely live,” she says.
“‘How Do I Live’ was hard because cryingandsinging at the same time is hard.
‘Crazy’ is a number that I am so proud of it was magical on set.
That whole number is mostly one shot.
Theres hundreds of dancers in the background.
And we did that!
Im so proud of you!’
When I watch that number, it might be my favorite.”
And Levy admits that portraying all those moments was equally difficult for herself.
“When I was doing it, I was embarrassed!
I was going through stuff as an actor of genuine vulnerability and fear and embarrassment.”
“It turns out to be positive,” she says.
But Levy doesn’t want Zoey to have to pick a side of the triangle.
To me, that is so normal!
That is so human.
That is so okay.”
“In my opinion, let her be!
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlistairs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
