‘Party of Five’ Cast Discusses Their “Timely” Reboot at Tribeca TV Fest

When Freeform’s reboot of Party of Five debuts next year, it’ll look vastly different from the original show, which aired from 1994-2000. Instead of focusing on the orphaned Salinger family trying to muddle through after their parents die in a car crash, in the new take (from the original series’ creators Amy Lippman and Christopher Keyser), the Acosta family’s matriarch and patriarch are very much alive — except in the pilot, they get deported back to Mexico.

The timely take on immigration made its premiere today at the Tribeca TV Festival, and cast and crew were on hand to discuss why the reboot was important to make, how it’s different from the original, and much more. The five Acosta children are: Brandon Larracuente as Emilio Acosta; Emily Tosta as Lucia Acosta; Niko Guardado as Beto Acosta; and Elle Paris Legaspi as Valentina Acosta. Bruno Bichir and Fernanda Urrejola are the Acosta parents, Javier and Gloria. Other than Lippman and Keyser, who are writers and executive producer on the project, the pilot was directed and executive produced by Rodrigo Garcia.

Oh, and your counting isn’t wrong… There are four speaking parts for the Acosta children. Like with the Salingers, one of the kids is super young — instead of the one-year-old Owen from the original, the new Party of Five has cast a baby. Sadly, the baby was not on hand at the Tribeca TV Festival to answer questions, which seems like a huge, missed opportunity.

“We began to read stories about immigrant families being separated,” said Lippman, on the new series during a post-screening panel. They had been pitched reboots before, but this new situation seemed, “timely, there’s an urgency.”

Lippman also noted that, to her and Keyser’s surprise, “It’s a better story than the original, actually.” Lippman continued that in the original, once the parents died if you’re still “crying around the kitchen counter six years later,” that doesn’t have the same dramatic heft. Versus in the new show, where the parents are a constant presence. “The fact that the parents are still there, and not present, there’s an engine to it.”

For Keyser, he found that there are a lot of similarities between the Salingers and Acostas, down to the youngest girl being the smartest. That said, “The show becomes very much about the people playing the parts,” so things will change over time.

That said, the show will delve very much into the Latin culture of the cast, and what identity means. “Latinx actors we’re constantly striving to bring more representation on screen,” said Tosta. “We feel very honored to bring characters who stay true to their roots.”

“Even if you can’t relate to the deportation, what you can relate to is the sense of family,” added Larracuente.

Tosta can relate to the story, though. She came to America from the Dominican Republic when she was 12, and when she was about to film the pilot she wasn’t allowed on the plane to Montreal. “We were in a very luxurious position,” Lippman added, since they were able to figure out how to get her onto the show, despite the immigration issues.

“What we wanted to do is that these stories come in every shape and size, that this is a family looks like your family,” Lippman continued. “It’s a family that we hope is very, very relateable. We wanted to say… Part of America thinks these people are different, but they love their families the same way we all love our families.”

Lippman also added that as Emilio is a Dreamer, and DACA status will be reevaluated by the Supreme Court in January — just as the show begins airing — so they may need to deal with that fallout in a potential Season 2. “We feel a tremendous responsibility to get this right,” she said.

Party of Five will debut January 8, 2020 on Freeform.

Where to watch Party of Five