We Got Ready for Super Bowl 50 with Bella and the Bulldogs' Brec Bassinger
Photo: Lauren Loncar1/10"I'm not only going to the Super Bowl; I'm going to the 50th Super Bowl," says Brec Bassinger when asked about what's most exciting about attending the big game. And we're inclined to agree. You have to go all out for an anniversary like that
The actress knows a thing or two about football: she stars on Nickelodeon's Bella and the Bulldogs, as Bella, a cheerleader thrust into an entirely new world when she becomes the quarterback of her school's team. "I went to two weeks of football camp and did some private lessons to really learn how to be a quarterback," she told us about preparing for the role. "It wasn't just the physical stuff, but the persona that a quarterback has on the field, the way they walk and talk is very confident, so I needed to be able to do that accurately."
As for the cheerleading, Brec had that in the bag: she was a competitive cheerleader in her home state of Texas before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. She also played volleyball, basketball, and track and field. It's safe to say she loves her sports — so heading to San Francisco to partake in the NFL's Women's Summit was a no brainer.
We tagged along to see how Brec got ready for the Sunday game, and chatted about everything she saw on her first-ever trip to San Francisco.
Photo: Lauren Loncar2/10"I didn't watch a lot of the NFL growing up," Brec told us about growing up in Texas, "but I would go to every single high school football game every Friday. Our games would sell out...and we have a huge stadium for our high school! They shut down restaurants because everyone goes to the game. It's crazy but it's so fun."
Photo: Lauren Loncar3/10"Especially being on Bella, I've seen a whole new side of girls playing sports and some of the struggles that they face from the stereotypes that society has," Brec admits. (But she never let that stop her from playing as many sports as she could.)
Photo: Lauren Loncar4/10The first-ever NFL Women's Summit was called in order to draw awareness to the role sports play in women's lives, and to honor female athletes and leaders. "There were so many great, strong women at the summit," Brec told us. "Being in the same room as them just inspired me to speak up about things and to not let being a girl stop me from doing anything." She even got to meet Serena Williams, and said that, "to be in the same room as her, the way she spoke...she's a true inspiration."
Photo: Lauren Loncar5/10While Brec's outfit for Super Bowl Sunday is all about the 50th anniversary, she used to pull all the stops as a cheerleader. "When I was a cheerleader, we had three different uniforms," she recalls. "Our colors were red and blue, so we had a red one, a blue one, and a red and blue one. And before the games, we would pick a player and make a t-shirt for that specific player. So my friends would all come over and we'd get the glitter guns out and design these shirts and make them and wear them."
Photo: Lauren Loncar6/10"I'm not decided on one specific team," she explains when asked about whose colors she'll be wearing at the stadium. "I wanted my outfit to be based around the fact that it's the 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl, so I'll be wearing the anniversary shirt and gold, instead of going full-out with a team." (Now that's a diplomatic answer.)
Photo: Lauren Loncar7/10As for Brec's game-day must-have food? "Frito pie, which is not very popular. When I went to LA, nobody knew what Frito pie was. It's a bag of Fritos with nacho cheese and chili, and it's so good. Obviously very healthy [laughs] but that's what everyone goes for at a football game."
Photo: Lauren Loncar8/10She does have a favorite NFL player, however, even if he won't be angling for the championship tonight. "Thomas Rawls, who's on the Seahawks," she says. "He's a rookie this year, and he already holds two of the rookie records. He's such a kind guy — so funny, so nice, and he was so down-to-earth when we met." In fact, she says that she's "met about three of the Seahawks, and every single one of them has been so respectful, nice, funny, and just so real. Now the Seahawks are one of my favorite teams."
Photo: Lauren Loncar9/10So who does she want to win tonight? She's got another diplomatic choice: "I'm so stuck in the middle because the Panthers beat the Seahawks, so I kind of want the Panthers to win. I could be like, 'Oh, the Seahawks lost to the winning team, so they're basically second.' But I also love Peyton Manning. Being from Texas, Peyton is pretty popular. Either way, I'm going to be happy."
