intro by madden levin
interview by cami liberty
photo courtesy of déjà mattox
Starring in “Big Shot” on Disney+, Déjà Mattox is not new to the spotlight. With a pretty impressive roll call of past involvement, there are no doubts to why she has been as successful as she has. We were so excited to catch up with Déjà in an exclusive interview to get to know her and see how hyped she is for the release of “Big Shot.” You can catch “Big Shot” on Disney+ now! You won’t want to miss this new hit show.
For those that are not familiar with your work yet, please tell our readers one fun fact about yourself!
Déjà: “A fun fact about me is that I’m from a really small town. For some reason people assume I’m from a major city.”
You star in the new Disney+ series “Big Shot” as the role of Savannah. Can you tell us a bit about what we can expect from the show and your character?
D: “The show is relatable for everyone and there’s a diverse cast! Expect to want to pick up a basketball after watching. Savannah is that hooper who works extremely hard behind closed doors and she’s constantly praised for her skills. She is used to getting her way because of it, so anyone who plays sports has come across someone like that in some shape or form.”
Being that “Big Shot” is your breakout role, what was your reaction when you found out you landed the role?
D: “When I first found out I screamed and danced around for about four seconds and then I called my dad. He’s the one who taught me the game so I had to call him first. The best way to compare that moment to basketball would be that it felt like I hit a game winner!”
You also played basketball professionally overseas and for Indiana State University. What’s it like to have your two worlds collide like this for your role on “Big Shot?”
D: “It’s honestly a huge honor for me because I grew up watching Love & Basketball constantly. It was almost like a blueprint for me to follow for my life, but I didn’t know that my talent of playing the game would also be the key to spark my acting career as well. Playing overseas is a unique experience in itself because you really learn a lot about yourself, and I always wanted to pursue acting but basketball was always my first priority in the past. Seeing those worlds collide has been exciting. My coach in Lithuania had told me he couldn’t wait to watch me one day on the big screen and that truly motivated me to know someone that knew me only as a basketball player had faith in me as an actress as well.”
Is there anything else we can expect from you in the near future?
D: “In the near future you can expect to see me on more basketball courts! I’ve got a few things up my sleeve, so stay tuned!”