'Sidelined: The QB and Me': For Deborah Cox, watching Noah Beck and Siena Agudong reminded her of early career days

Deborah Cox continues to be one of Canada's most impressive artists and now she's brining her experience as a seasoned actor to some new talent. Cox stars in the newly released Tubi movie Sidelined: The QB and Me, with TikTok sensation Noah Beck in his first feature film role, alongside James Van Der Beek, Siena Agudong and Riverdale alum Drew Ray Tanner.

Based on Tay Marley's Wattpad story, Dallas (Agudong) is determined to get a scholarship to a top dance program after high school, being trained by no-nonsense dance teacher Miss Alicia (Cox). When Dallas has a connection with football quarterback Drayton (Beck), who tends to have a bit of an ego, their career aspirations and complicated family lives try to pull them apart, but it's hard to fight against the force of love.

For veteran Cox, playing a dance teacher was particularly attractive for the actor and music artist to take on.

"She is this driven mentor to Dallas. She's loving. She's also very maternal and very nurturing, but she really is about tough love," Cox told Yahoo Canada about her character.

"Dallas is in love, ... so she has to find a way to navigate and keep that energy between the two of them, so that they stay driven. But at the same time, help them to understand that it's going to take discipline and really making sure that they focus on themselves if they want to get into the schools that they desire."

For Cox, it was easy to find a personal connection to Miss Alicia and the journey Dallas goes on, being such an experienced artist herself.

"Being a mother, being a mentor, being a friend, being someone who is in the public eye a lot, I understand and recognize that you do have to take on a leadership role," Cox said. "Not all the time it's fun, but I think in this instance, I think she ... realizes that Dallas is just head over heels for this guy, and it's starting to affect her whole approach."

"Sometimes when you see greatness in someone you have to know how to shift and move things around so that they don't lose perspective. And I think in a lot of ways, Miss Alicia helps her to do that, and Drayton as well. When the two of them are in the dance studio together and she really sees that there's a deep connection with the two of them, she's able to ... harness it and show some restraint, and wanted to cuss her ass out, because she's really about to throw everything away. But at the same time, keep her very focused and inspired."

Agudong recognized that the honest approach Miss Alicia has with Dallas is something she would want as an artist herself.

"I feel like that's a conversation I would really appreciate in Dallas's position," Agudong said. "We sort of developed a relationship with Miss Alicia where it was sort of a mother-like figure, and that balance between teacher and mother was kind of tested."

"Growing up with acting as my main passion, since a very young age, I had that drive and I knew that this is what I wanted. And I think there was a time where I was very much like Dallas and very tunnel visioned, 'This is what I want and this is how I'm going to get it.' I like to think I'm looser now and a lot more spontaneous, and can see life as a whole thing now, not just this one path, but it was beautiful to bring on screen, because ... I really think that it was a lesson that I wish I had learned when I was younger."

'It reminds me of why I came into the industry'

Cox only had great things to say about her younger co-stars, calling Agudong a particularly "beautiful" actor, while praising Beck on impressive work in his first feature movie role.

"Siena is just so charming, so beautiful, so talented," Cox said. "Her dancing, her commitment to being really real in the moment every single time. Her consistency is incredible. To see that kind of discipline at such a young age is incredible."

"Kudos to Noah as well. [His] first film, being able to tap into such depth, without doing a lot of films, is really a testament to just how bright their futures will be."

Being the more experienced actor on set, Cox stressed that she appreciated being an "observer" and seeing how her costars navigated the process of filmmaking.

"I love the process, and I love to see people going through the process and taking it all in, and I get an opportunity to see what they're seeing through their lens," Cox said. "It's like being a fly on the wall, ... and then it reminds me of why I came into the industry, and I remember the early days when I was on my first film and what that felt like."

"I'm an observer. I think that's just kind of who I am and I like that side of thing. I like to kind of just be in the background and watch it all play out. So it was just great to see ... the instant chemistry that Noah and Siena had right out the gate. To watch the two of them it's like, wow, you're seeing these two stars just shine so brightly."