Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell interview for Disney’s “Teen Beach Movie”

Maia Mitchell interview and Ross Lynch interview for Disney Channel’s new original film “Teen Beach Movie” premiering Friday, July 19 at 8pm ET/PT.

The latest Disney original flashes back to those cheesy yet fun-loving summer beach movies that Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon made popular in the ’60s. Filled with songs, dance sequences, surfers, bikers and a crazy scientist and his dingbat sidekick, Disney’s new Teen Beach Movie (July 19 at 8pm ET) is just as fun.

The film follows surfing sweethearts Mack (Maia Mitchell, The Fosters) and Brady (Ross Lynch, Austin & Ally), who blast back in time, getting thrust into Brady’s favorite movie, Wet Side Story. Things get weird when their actions inadvertently alter the movie’s romantic storyline.

“Brady is a very cool, chill, go-with-the-flow type of guy. When he gets stuck in the movie, it’s his favorite movie and obviously, he’s loving every second of it, but his girlfriend Max has to get home so she can go back to her life. So he kind of has mixed feelings. Younger kids will like that the music is very, very catchy and very fun,” Lynch shares. “It’s funny and there are a lot of situations that are cool — like cool wardrobe, cool cars and surfing shots. Adults will like it because it might remind them of their childhood or the time they grew up in.”

As with all Disney originals, between the music, dance sequences and fun costuming, there is a subtle message. “Mack is a very ambitious girl with a lot of heart,” Mitchell tells us. “She’s loyal and wants to live up to expectations, even though it counters her own wishes. [She needs to learn] her own lesson — that in order to be happy you must trust your heart and let your destiny take care of itself.”

One of Mitchell’s favorite songs from the film is “Crusin’ for a Bruisin’.” “I loved watching our team performing ‘Cruisin’ For a Bruisin’. It’s such a fun song and there’s so much going on. You really see the characters come to life.”

Filmed in Puerto Rico, the movie’s beginning and end center around surfing. While Lynch, a Colorado native, tried a little surfing after his family moved to California a few years ago, Mitchell — who resides in her home country of Australia — wasn’t as fortunate.

“When I landed the role I had never touched a surfboard,” Mitchell confesses. “Disney Channel picked out the one person from my hometown who doesn’t surf. The next day I was in the water, mind you, and then every day for the next couple of months. Now it’s one of my favorite things to do — although braving the California water temperature takes some gusto.”

Lynch says he was thrilled at the opportunity to go to a surfing camp to really learn how to surf. “Right when we booked Teen Beach Movie they said, ‘We are going to put you through surf camp and really make you a good surfer.’ I’ve been skateboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding for almost forever, so I was like, ‘Sweet, the next board sport, right!?’”