With each episode of School Spirits that airs on the 2025 TV schedule, I become more and more enamored by the fact that both Jess Gabor and Peyton List play Janet. Throughout the season, while Janet has been living in Maddie’s body, the show has switched between the two actresses to show us who the spirit truly is and how she’s acting in another physical form. So, when I had the chance to chat with Gabor about playing Janet, I had to ask about filming with List, and pulling this complex dynamic off sounds intense.
This process begins when the actors get the script. Gabor told me during an interview for CinemaBlend that she and the Cobra Kai star would get together on the weekends to go over scenes and plan out Janet’s actions for a given episode, explaining:
Whenever we'd get a new script, we'd meet up in each other's hotel rooms, and we'd go over how I would play it, how she would want to play it, what we think are little mannerisms and little things that we can do that we could replicate on set.
First of all, I love the preparation and intention these two actresses put into the role. Secondly, it sounds like it's necessary. Gabor went on to tell me that School Spirits shoots its episodes (which you can stream with a Paramount+ subscription) fast. That means they have to hang on and trust the process and their preparation. As the Janet actress said:
We're filming 14 pages a day, so it's like, we get in there, film the scene, you get one, maybe two takes, and then you're out. So you're not really sure. I think while we were filming this, me and Peyton were both like, ‘Ah, we really hope this is working. We don't know if this is working. We really fucking hope that this is working.’
Well, I can safely say it worked. And it’s creative choices like this that make School Spirits one of Paramount+’s best shows, in my opinion. From the elaborate ghost dance number to the many scenes where both Gabor and List play Janet, it’s clear that a lot of time, effort and thought went into making this show.
In the case of Janet being stuck in Maddie’s body, the actress told me they’ve thought a lot about her physique and the way she moves to make her a distinct character no matter who is playing her. Not only does it help Gabor and List play Janet in the same way, but it also helps List specifically differentiate Janet from Maddie.
To that point, the Shameless actress told me a lot of those choices are made because Janet is a girl from the ‘50s while Maddie is obviously a modern gal. She explained that her spirit always has her legs crossed or together, and her hands are crossed at her waist. Along with that, she kept a strict posture, explaining:
She had really strict posture, because, again, she grew up with a very religious father. She grew up in the '50s. So she automatically had a very kind of tight physique. And we wanted to make sure that came across in both of our bodies, especially because Maddie – when Peyton plays Maddie, she's a lot more slouchy and lazy there. So we wanted Janet to be the exact opposite of that.
Along with all that, Gabor said when List is playing Janet, she’ll keep her hair tucked behind her ears. That’s not just a choice made to differentiate between Maddie and Janet; there’s meaning there too, as the actress explained her character would do that because she’s “a big science nerd” and would never want her hair in her face.
Overall, the complexity of these characters’ situations is extreme. However, learning about all the thought and preparation that goes into it is wild, too. It’s all worth it, though, because it’s been easy to tell the difference between List’s Maddie and Janet, and when Gabor steps in to play the ghost stuck in Maddie’s body, she does so effortlessly.
To see what I mean, you can stream the bingeable School Spirits on Paramount+, and make sure to tune in for Season 2’s finale that promises to be intense next Thursday to find out what happens to Maddie and Janet, the ghost who is inhabiting Maddie’s body.
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