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Starring in a TV show is a high-pressure job no matter what, but starring in the reboot of a beloved sitcom? Anxiety level: Off-the-charts. For most people, that is. Somehow, Callie Haverda, the 15-year-old actress leading the cast of That '90s Show (aka Netflix's answer to the prayers of fans who have been yearning to return to the cozy, nostalgic world of That '70s Show), makes it look effortless. In the new show, Callie plays Leia Foreman, the daughter of Eric Foreman and Donna Pinciotti from the original series, who ushers in a new generation of teens hanging out and growing up in Red and Kitty's iconic basement when she spends the summer of 1995 with her grandparents. 

For a firsthand look at Callie's effortlessly awesome energy (and her insider intel about That '90s Show and her character, Leia), read our exclusive Q&A with her below.

Girls' Life: As the official Gen Z expert on That '70s Show, what are the essential things new fans need to know about the OG series before they watch That '90s Show? 

Callie Haverda: Eric Forman, Kitty and Red are a wonderful family that I feel like everyone can kind of relate to and most of the show takes place in their basement, where Eric and all of his wonderful friends, including my character's mom, Donna, got up to a lot of trouble and a lot of different high jinks and fun things. It's about them growing up in their teen years and kind of finding themselves, and it's a really hilarious show with a lot of dramatic moments, as well. It's a great mix of the comedy and the drama. 

GL: And what's Leia up to when we meet her in That '90s Show? 

Callie: Leia is going to visit her grandparents for the summer. She's ready for a new life of trying to find herself and adventure, and when she meets Gwen next door, she kind of realizes how much she's been missing out on. So, as she's becoming a teenager and finding herself, she wants to take advantage of everything that she's been desiring in her life. So she's staying with her grandparents in Point Place and just getting up to a ton of trouble and having a lot of fun.

GL: What is Leia like as a person—and did you relate to her a lot IRL? 

Callie: Honestly, it's kind of a joke on set that I'm I'm basically Leia for real. Like, I see it a lot. We definitely have a lot of similar traits. We're both teenagers, both finding ourselves, both going into these kind of new lives that we're not used to. So, I definitely relate to her on that level. I think we're both really awkward. And we're both very fun people to be around—at least, I hope people think I am.

GL: Obviously the show takes place in the '90s, way before social media was a thing, but if Leia got in a time machine and ended up in 2023, what would her Instagram and TikTok be like? 

Callie: That's such a good question! Um, I think her Instagram really would just be filled with a lot of pictures of her friends and family. She plays the oboe, so maybe some, like, awkward videos of her playing the oboe. I think it'd be a lot of relatable content. Like, on TikTok, the kind of storytime videos that you see of her doing something like in a Starbucks drive thru line where she'd do something really awkward or embarrassing. 

GL: Would she be more of an Instagram girl or a TikTok girl? 

Callie: Instagram, I feel like. 

GL: And what about you—are you more into Instagram or TikTok? 

Callie: I kind of like Instagram more, because I feel like I can post like the aesthetic pictures. With TikTok, I never know what to post—like, I'm always looking for the sounds and, like, just what to do. 

GL: What's your personal aesthetic—either on Instagram or just IRL, as a human? 

Callie: I've definitely gone through different aesthetics as I've seen them pop up and though like, "Oh, I like that...but wait, I also like that." I think I've kind of learned to not like box myself into one thing because it makes me feel kind of claustrophobic, almost, and like, "Oh, I have to dress this way." I think I've kind of figured out my own style. I play with different colors and fabrics with my clothes and I'm always trying new things. So, now, I'd say my aesthetic is kind of my own personal Callie-core.

GL: If you had to make a Callie-core mood board, what would be on it? 

Callie: Colors definitely can vary, but no neon. That's a big Callie-core rule: No neon. More, like, very autumn-based, saturated kind of colors. And a big thing, too, would be old jewelry from, like, antique stores, definitely. Big, big old jewelry.

GL: And how do you feel about Leia's fashion? Does she follow Callie-core or not so much? 

Callie: I definitely have mixed vibes about Leia's fashion. I absolutely love it sometimes. Like, there was this one really amazing shirt that was like an elephant shirt, and the front was the face and the back was, like, the elephant's back. And I really wanted that. I almost did steal that. She also wears Docs, which I wear all the time. But the one thing that I would never wear are the really flat, white Keds. Those make me cringe—but they work well on her! 

Stream season 1 of That '90s Show now on Netflix! 

Top image: Emily Sandifer

by Kayleigh Roberts | 2/5/2023