Summary
For a full decade, theHer Universefashion show has cemented itself as a cornerstone of theSan Diego Comic-Conexperience. Created by Ashley Eckstein (best known for her role asAhsoka Tano in theStar Warsfranchise), the Her Universe brand combines geek chic with genuine fashion to allow pop culture enthusiasts to express their interests while still looking hip enough for any New York Fashion Week runway.
Returning as co-host for the second time isBroadway star Michael James Scott, best known to Disney aficionados as Genie in the stage musical adaptation of the 1992 animated classic,Aladdin. After he and Ashley, lifelong friends in real life, proved a winning combination at last year’s Her Universe fashion show, it’s only natural that this dynamic duo would return to make the tenth anniversary show a true celebration worthy of such a milestone.
Aladdin: 18 Best Genie Quotes
Disney’s animated Aladdin movie introduced many fan-favorite characters, including Genie voiced by Robin Williams. Here are some of his best quotes.
While promoting SDCC 2024and the Her Universe fashion show, Michael James Scott sat down for an interview withScreen Rant. He discussed his history with Eckstein and the brand, shared thoughts on the importance of Her Universe in the world of pop culture fandom, and reflected on a few “greatest hits” from his career as a Broadway thespian.
Michael James Scott On Her Universe & His Life On The Stage
Screen Rant: Tell me about about hosting this show. Hosting an event like that is a secret dream of mine. Is it so much fun? What is it like to, you know, get to be the face and show off all this great stuff?
Michael James Scott: Oh, it’s a blast. I mean, it’s everything that you may imagine. You know, there’s such energy in the room. And to be able to do that on this level, on this scale, specifically with the Her Universe fashion show and what Ashley Eckstein has created and built, it’s just epic. It’s just an incredible, incredible thing. The love in that room is just so amazing. It really is just amazing. So it’s just fun for me! You know, I’m standing there next to a very dear friend of mine who I’ve known since high school and sharing this energy with her into this amazing room of brilliant artists, this community of people who just want to have a good time and and celebrate.
Screen Rant: And in the notes, it says that you’ve known Ashley since high school. Like which one of you beat up the other? What was that? In my experience, high school is just people beating up and being beat up by one other. I, uh, I wasn’t a big high school guy.
Michael James Scott: We actually had an amazing high school time! We were very blessed. We went to a performing arts high school program, so we got to do a lot of things that, you know, a lot of high schools maybe don’t. And just because it was us, and because of the program we were in, there was no beating up going on. It was really more like, who is going to sing what song? Who’s going to do what number? It was all of that, which was really, really fun. And, you know, we’ve been able to we grew up in this business, both of us. High school, for us, we had an incredible foundational place where we got to learn art and become artists. High school, for us, was a really great time. It really was.
We’ll get back to the show in a second, but first, can you tell me a little bit about going from a performance arts high school. Do you go straight from that to getting gigs or is it a longer journey than that?
Michael James Scott: Well, I went to school. I went to Webster University. I majored in musical theater there, the conservatory program in St. Louis, Missouri. So I got my BFA in musical theater. I was a child actor, but also then went into Broadway. Ashley and I did things differently, where she went more into the TV and film world, and I went more in the Broadway world. and now our paths have crossed, and now I also do TV and film and I’ve done voiceover stuff, too. And, you know, people don’t know this, but little Miss Ashley sings as well! And I’ve gotten her to sing on a stage before, which has been amazing (Laughs)!
Oh, I bet!
Michael James Scott: So, I went that route and I went to college. I got my degree in BFA in musical theater. And from there, I actually left school to go and stand by for the legendary Ben Vereen in Fosse. My career started to just sort of kind of go from there. And that’s how my career of being an actor really began.
That’s fantastic. I’ve spoken to stage actors before and it just seems so much more intense to me. I mean, I’m sure acting on film and television is intense as well, but that idea of getting to, in some ways, make a different performance every single night to every single seat…
Michael James Scott: There’s nothing like it! It’s why so many film actors, they come back to the theater and they’re scared of it, because it is a really big, incredible test to be on a stage and do it live. You do it in one take, basically. There are no redos. That’s what that is. And, of course, there is incredible work that is done on film and TV with actors who are out in front of the camera, but there’s just nothing like being on stage with a live audience and what that does and how that influences you as an actor on stage, and really bringing that to life right in front of the audience.
Is there something that you’ve done that you’re particularly proud of that maybe didn’t get the attention that it deserves, something that you kind of want to shout out for the Screen Rant audience? Especially since on stage, a lot of that is is lost, we can’t go back and watch those performances.
Michael James Scott: I had the fortune, the pleasure, the amazing opportunity to do a Broadway show called Something Rotten. It was a beautiful, incredible piece of work. And it was such a wonderful time. But it was short-lived. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long on Broadway. It’s done very well regionally with subsequent productions of it, the touring production and regional productions that they’ve licensed out.
But for me, it’s Something Rotten. That show is so near and dear to my heart. It’s just it’s crazy to me that it didn’t pan out. You know, that’s the nature of our business. It’s so fickle. You never know what will hit. And that was one that unfortunately didn’t quite hit. But it was just wonderful. So it would be that piece. It would be Something Rotten.
This is the tenth year of the Her Universe show. And so that’s a big deal. Did Ashley just give you a call and was just like, you’ve got to be the emcee on this thing?
Michael James Scott: Yeah, basically! Last year, she was like, “Would you co-host this with me? I know it’s crazy. But I just think you would be so awesome. I would love for you to be my co-host.” And I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I’m very new to this world. Ashley introduced me to this world. And so did my husband, who happens to be the director for the show this year, Jeremy Merrifield. They both said, it’s amazing, the fandom world of it all. And I tell you, it just blew my mind. It was just unbelievable.
I think one of the things I bring to this is my showmanship. I’m a Broadway actor. And so it’s a little bit different for me, but it works in a really beautiful way. And I think that’s a nice connection, being able to have that fun on stage and both of us coming from two different places, and I think that’s probably one of the reasons why I’m back this year. It’s really exciting and an honor, especially to celebrate 10 years of Her Universe fashion.
From your perspective, what makes Her Universe fashion so special?
Michael James Scott: The inclusivity, that’s easy. It’s the inclusivity of it all. It’s the welcome nature of ‘come as you are.’ It doesn’t matter, you know, where you come from, what color your skin is, any of it. You are welcome, regardless. And you feel that in the room. That’s what stuck with me. You know, being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, being a part of being a part of the minority community, I have felt othered for many, many years.
To be able to connect with people, a lot of other people who may feel othered in very different, various ways, we can be othered together and be the fierce ones. That for me is really a wonderful, beautiful marrying of a force, if you will. And that has stuck with me and it just blew my mind. Ashley really founded a wonderful and inclusive community with Her Universe, and then with this new Her Universe fashion show.
One of my favorite lines is inThe Rise of Skywalkerwhen Poe says, “There’s too many of them.” Lando shows up and says, “But there’s more of us.” And so I need people like you and Ashley to keep on doing stuff like this, letting the people know that those loud voices out there, you know the ones I mean, those voices don’t represent all of us and that “there are more of us.”
Michael James Scott: Exactly. Well said, my friend. Well said.
About Her Universe
The iconic Her Universe Fashion Show will return to San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) for a celebratory 10th anniversary with host Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka, Star Wars & Founder, Her Universe) and returning co-host Michael James Scott (Broadway star, Aladdin, The Book of Mormon, Something Rotten) on Thursday, July 25 at 6 p.m. PT in the Harbor Ballroom of the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel San Diego. Additionally, award-winning director Jeremy Merrifield joins the celebration as the show’s director.
This year’s show is presented by Mattel, leading global toy and family entertainment company, and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world.
Her Universe is known as the groundbreaking fandom fashion company and lifestyle brand originally founded by Ashley Eckstein in 2010. Her Universe strives to cultivate a fandom-centric community powered by women to be authentically themselves and celebrate what they love by designing quality, fandom-centric, size-inclusive, stylish merchandise. For more information, visit heruniverse.com and follow @heruniverse on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and @officialheruniverse on TikTok.
This year’s Her Universe Fashion Show will take place on July 25 at 6pm PT in the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel.
