Exclusive Interview
‘Hollywood Arts’: Daniella Monet Spills on Trina & Robbie’s Romantic Reunion
Turns out, Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande) wasn’t the only member of the original Victorious gang that Robbie Shapiro (Matt Bennett) thought was “swell.”
In the new Victorious spinoff, Hollywood Arts, Trina Vega (Daniella Monet) returns to her performing arts high school as a substitute teacher after over a decade of less-than-satisfactory acting gigs and subpar dates. There, she meets a new class of talented teens and reunites with some of the original characters from the beloved Nickelodeon series, including Robbie. When Monet sat down with Swooon, she dove into the romantic reunion that nobody saw coming. (Warning: Spoilers for Hollywood Arts ahead!)
During Episode 6, “Cheese Men,” Trina’s love life steps into the spotlight when her students — Emmy (Alyssa Miles), Jen (Erika Swayze), Qwest (Peyton Jackson), Pepper (Emmy Liu-Wang), and Oscar (Martin Kamm) — set her up with their favorite part-time songwriting teacher, Mr. S. As it turns out, Mr. S is none other than her old pal, Robbie, who she refers to as “[her] sister Tori’s weird little friend.” Before their date can even begin, Trina gets “unready” and mimics gagging all over him.
“You grow up with people, and you think you know them, [but] you only really know them at that point in their lives, right?” Monet explained. While Trina isn’t ready to get to know adult Robbie, he confesses that the two-minute catastrophe was not his worst date of all time. Poor Robbie!
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Of course, the students aren’t convinced, and Robbie ends up admitting that he’s been crushing on Trina for a long, long time. Looking back at finding out Robbie and Trina have lingering feelings in Hollywood Arts, Monet explained, “I think it all makes a lot of sense, and I love the development of Robbie today.” As she put it, “he’s so lovable and grounded and familiar [but] still very much rooted in the Robbie we know.”
Ultimately, the students convince Robbie to sing a song he wrote for Trina at open mic night, which gets Trina to see him in a new light. He sings, “‘Cause my heart always knew, knew it was you, you, you. There’s nothing left to show me. Wish you would get to know me now.” Trust us, it’s a bop.
Talking about the vulnerable moment, Monet explained, “Matt is such a catch. He’s such a good guy, and I think a little bit of Matt kind of shines through Robbie, as grown-up Robbie now. She just sees what everyone else would have seen. This really sweet, vulnerable grown-up guy. He’s different than the Robbie she knew.” Unfortunately, before Trina can tell Robbie that she’s had a change of heart, someone else asks him out.
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Robbie returns in Episode 9, “Puppet Love,” explaining that he’s looking for a full-time position at the school. Ready to shoot her shot with Robbie one last time, Trina shows up to his puppet party with her own puppet, Sabine.
There, she confesses, “Robbie, ever since you sang that song, I kinda haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. You are the exact opposite of what I look for in a guy… I realized I’ve been looking for the wrong guy. What I should have been looking for is you.”
Monet noted, “I thought [that confession] was really true to our characters,” even if there were a few burns in there. “I don’t think it ever comes off super malicious… I think she did the best she could with the skills that she had, and she’s just trying to be honest, and ultimately doesn’t have all the maybe wherewithal to say things as eloquently as one would in the normal world.”
While Robbie is definitely moved by Trina’s speech, he admits that he’s been hiding a secret of his own: He just got offered a full-time teaching job in New Zealand. While he confesses that he might not have taken the job if he knew how Trina felt, she says goodbye, telling him, “They are so lucky to have you.”
Heading into the rest of the season and a potential Season 2, Monet explained, “I think there’s always going to be a spot for Robbie in Trina’s heart, and also a spot for Trina in Robbie’s heart. And as adults, we sometimes have to take opportunities.” That said, she admitted, “I think at some point they’ll reunite.”
Watch our full interview with Daniella Monet above to find out more about Trina’s relationship with Tori (Victoria Justice) today, her take on Oscar’s love triangle with Pepper and Jen, and more!
Hollywood Arts, Season 1, Episodes 1-12, Streaming Now, Netflix
