Top 10 Behind the Scenes Secrets About Liv and Maddie

You might be thinking: why would someone think of turning down a role on Disney Channel? Well, sometimes things aren’t as simple as they first seem. Cameron was offered the part shortly after her father passed away. Understandably, she had some doubts about accepting a job at the time. She knew that it would give her a lot of exposure fast, and wasn't sure if that was something she wanted, given everything she was dealing with. But with the help of her mom, she decided to take the part. And the reason is a touching one: she loved the fact that it would reach a young audience. Considering how much she loves kids, it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Dove Cameron has talked about how initially, one episode of “Liv and Maddie” was filmed over the course of 5 days. This consisted of 2 days to practice, and 3 days to shoot. That’s standard at Disney Channel. Well, eventually executives asked them to cut the filming timeline down to 2 days. This might seem like a minor change, but Cameron has talked about how difficult the adjustment was. After all, she had to do double the work, since she was playing both Liv and Maddie! But they were successful, so the higher-ups made this accelerated schedule the norm for the show to save time and money. Luckily, everybody gradually got into the groove of the new timeline, and it began to feel normal!

Dove Cameron certainly made the difficult job of bringing two identical twins to life seem effortless. That’s just how talented she is. But did the actress ever get confused and mix up her characters while filming? It would be understandable, given the sheer volume of scenes she had as each girl. Well, according to her, it wasn’t a problem. Most of the time, she knew who she was playing. But it wasn’t always as easy for the rest of the cast to figure it out! In an interview, cast members talked about how sometimes, they'd step onto set and have no idea which twin Dove was portraying. It must have been pretty tricky!

Willow Cruise is an important part of the series. She is confident, and stands her ground in everything, from basketball to life. But if you’re thinking she looks a little bit older than the other kids, you’re right. The actress behind the role, Jessica Marie Garcia, was actually born in 1987. That means she was 27 years old when she landed the role of Willow on “Liv and Maddie”! Needless to say her teen years were behind her at this point. But Garcia seamlessly stepped into her character’s adolescent shoes, which is definitely impressive considering the age gap.

Sofia Carson is probably best known for her role as Evie in the “Descendants” movies. And she has racked up numerous acting credits since as well. For instance, she recently starred opposite KJ Apa in Michael Bay’s dystopian science fiction film “Songbird”. Not to mention she’s also a talented singer. Needless to say, Carson has made a real name for herself. But the path to success wasn’t always easy. Like many in the industry, she faced a lot of rejection. In fact, fans might be shocked to learn that in the earlier days of her career, she actually auditioned for “Liv and Maddie”. Sure, she didn’t get the part, but clearly everything worked out for the best in the end!

In an interview, Dove Cameron revealed that at the beginning of the show's run, she really struggled with the grueling schedule, and the pressure that came with playing both Liv and Maddie. In fact, she actually thought about leaving the show altogether. She said, "there was definitely a time when I [told] my mom, ‘I literally think I’m not capable of doing this. I do not think I will survive this. I think I am going to let all of Disney Channel down. They trusted me with this, and I seriously think I am going to cost them millions of dollars and pull out of this show.'" Thankfully, she persevered!

A slew of costume fittings and long hours in the hair and makeup chair is a daily reality for those who work in the entertainment industry. But this was especially true for Dove Cameron on the set of “Liv and Maddie”. According to the actress, it took approximately 2 hours to go from playing one twin to the other. This makes sense when you consider how Liv and Maddie had pretty opposite styles in the show. With Maddie’s more laid-back looks and Liv’s glamorous aesthetic, a lot went into getting Cameron into character. From the wigs, to the makeup, to the wardrobe, it’s no wonder the transformation was so lengthy.

There are certain details that go into creating a character. For Dove Cameron, this involved picking out each twin’s dominant hand. Yep, while Maddie was right-handed, the actress apparently decided to make Liv left-handed! And she actually made the choice without telling anyone. She only revealed that she had been playing Liv as a leftie later in the show’s run! Everyone was baffled by the revelation. And while it went unnoticed by most, it’s a revealing detail that shows just how meticulous Cameron was in her preparation. She worked hard to make each girl unique, and really did the twins justice!

A lot went into creating the illusion of twins on camera, including body doubles. Emmy Buckner was Liv's double, and Shelby Wulfert was Maddie’s. So when one twin had her back to the camera in a scene, it was actually the double that viewers saw. Dove Cameron wanted to act opposite a real person to help her channel the necessary emotions in her scenes. But there’s more: the camera remained in one place, and imaginary lines, that the actors didn't cross, split the set. Cameron would film as one twin on one side before changing characters and heading to the other side. Then, it was put together in post-production! The finished product was always flawless, which is a testament to the cast and crew’s talent.

It turns out the show's original concept didn't involve the twins at the center of “Liv and Maddie”! Imagine Dove Cameron's surprise when she got the part of a girl named Alanna, only to later find out she'd be playing two parts! The initial idea was actually for a show called "Bits & Pieces", a name that should ring a bell for fans who have watched the series all the way through. Of course, rewrites are common in television, but such a drastic conceptual change is a feat in and of itself. The twin storyline is part of what made Liv and Maddie such a special show, so it’s definitely hard to imagine it not existing!