If we had a nickel every time Milo Manheim played a dead (or undead) football player on TV, we’d have two nickels — which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it’s happened twice. In ZOMBIES and now, School Spirits (which is out now on Paramount+, by the way), Milo told J-14 that it’s just a “crazy coincidence” that he has a dead football player affinity.
Keep reading for our exclusive interview with Milo on all things School Spirits, “the coolest character he’s ever played,” and if he has actually ever played football before.
Who Does Milo Manheim Play In ‘School Spirits’?
School Spirits follows a character named Maddie (played by Peyton List), a teenaged girl who finds herself in the afterlife at her high school, following mysterious circumstances surrounding her death — which she doesn’t remember. There, she meets a Breakfast Club-esque support group of spirits who have also died at Split High School and are stuck in the in-between of life and death.
There, we meet Milo’s character Wally, a lovable, and very dead, football player from the 1980s.
“Wally is probably the coolest character I’ve ever played,” Milo gushed. “He doesn’t take life or death too seriously. He’s like a puppy dog. And it was very easy to play him and I was super excited to go into work every day because he’s just such a happy guy.”
The ZOMBIES actor explained that since he likes to immerse himself into the characters that he plays, it was “fun” leaving set “happy and giggly” after filming his Wally scenes, rather than anxious or “down” if he had played any another role.
Plus, Wally gave Milo another gift that keeps on giving.
“I took a deep dive into ’80s music, which is incredible. So I’m happy that he introduced that to me,” he admitted. “I thank Wally for that.”
Milo Manheim on Playing Dead Football Players
ICYMI, this isn’t the first time Milo has played a dead football player — who could forget his iconic role as Zed in Disney’s ZOMBIES franchise, an undead zombie who just so happens to be a star football player?
“I don’t know why this is the career path that the industry has chosen for me, but I play dead football players and I don’t know what that means,” Milo told J-14. “I have a really good time playing them. They’ve definitely been the most fun roles I’ve ever had. So I’m not complaining. I have no idea. Maybe I just give off a goofy vibe and I look like I could play football. I don’t look like I could play football though. I don’t get it. It’s just chance. It’s just a crazy coincidence.”
And can we expect a third role in where he plays a lovable football player from the beyond?
“I honestly hope it happens a third time just for the joke of it all,” he laughed. “I will write something where I play a dead corpse that plays football or something because I just think it’s a hilarious running joke at this point.”
Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.
