Sway Bhatia Talks Zombies 4, Mighty Ducks Memories and Learning From Succession’s Stars – INTERVIEW

From being a Zombies superfan to skating with Emilio Estevez, Sway Bhatia shares her Disney journey and what’s next.

Disney Channel’s Zombies franchise has a new Daywalker in town — and she just happens to be one of its biggest fans. Actor and musician Sway Bhatia is making her mark as the Zombies series roars back with its latest chapter, Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires. Nerdtropolis Mayor Sean Tajipour caught up with Sway for an in-depth conversation about being part of the Disney powerhouse, the lessons she learned on Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, her time alongside the cast of HBO’s Succession, and why she’ll always keep her drumsticks close by.

Living the Zombies Dream

For Bhatia, joining Zombies 4 was the definition of a full-circle moment. “I am a huge part of that massive fan base,” she said. “I was basically the superfan on set. If the new cast had questions, they’d ask me because I’d know all the trivia!”

Sway grew up watching the original movies, cheering on the adventures of Zed and Addison. Now she stars alongside Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly, bringing a new supernatural twist to the franchise with the addition of Daywalkers and Vampires. “Milo has carried this franchise like a champ,” Bhatia said. “He’s like a big brother. I actually met him years ago, and he told me, ‘Don’t tell anyone, but Zombies 4 is probably happening.’ And then he said, ‘You’re going to be in it.’ He manifested it for me!”

In Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, Zed and Addison’s summer road trip detours into a fierce monster rivalry as they step in as camp counselors between feuding Daywalkers and Vampires. The new installment continues the franchise’s legacy as a ratings giant for Disney Channel. The first three films alone racked up nearly a quarter billion streaming hours and dominated among kids and tweens during their premieres.

Filming the fourth chapter felt epic for Sway — not just because of the music and dance numbers but also because of the stunning real-world sets in New Zealand. “One of the biggest brags about Zombies 4 is that we didn’t have much green screen,” she said. “Those sand dunes, forests, and dunes — they’re all real. Dancing in thick boots in the sand was a challenge, but you can feel that authenticity on screen.”

Mighty Ducks: A Franchise Full of Mentors

Before joining the Zombies crew, Bhatia was a breakout star on Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. For her, the show was more than just acting — it was an education and a family all in one. “It was my first series regular role,” she said. “It felt like my high school journey. I learned so much about acting, filming, even makeup, hair, and how to set up a good crafty table!”

She leaned on the guidance of original Ducks star Emilio Estevez and co-star Lauren Graham, who became a mentor and mother figure. “Emilio was like our expert for all things Ducks,” she said. “Any time we had a question about the franchise or about being on the ice, he was there. And Lauren was always there to talk about anything. We all keep in touch. We still wish each other happy birthday and check in — it’s a safe space.”

Her years of figure skating as a kid growing up in Dubai came in handy when it was time to hit the ice. “Almost everybody needed to learn how to skate. Brady [Noon] and I were the only ones with any real training. And Kiefer O’Reilly, who was supposed to be the weakest link on the team — he was actually the strongest because he’s Canadian. Watching him try to skate badly was hilarious.”

The Succession Effect

Outside of Disney, Bhatia has also worked alongside some heavyweights in prestige TV. On Succession, she played Sophie Roy, the daughter of Kendall Roy, played by Jeremy Strong. “Jeremy literally belongs in a museum,” she said. “He’s a work of art — the way he turns Kendall on and off. He’s a method actor, so seeing that up close was amazing.”

Despite Strong’s intensity, Bhatia said he never let the grown-up drama overshadow being a mentor to the younger cast. “He’d break character for a second to check on us and always told us, ‘Don’t ever do what Kendall does. Don’t drink, don’t do drugs — just don’t.’ That was really special to have as my first big set experience.”

Drumming, Dream Roles and What’s Next

Outside of acting, Bhatia is a true one-woman band. She’s been drumming since she was four years old, after her dad handed her her first pair of sticks in Dubai. “I couldn’t even reach the toms at first!” she laughed. Now she drums, writes songs, and records covers from her room, always staying true to her musical roots.

So what’s next? Bhatia has her sights set on something a bit unexpected: horror. “I’m not a big horror movie watcher, but I’d love to test myself in that genre. I want to see how I’d handle it. And of course, my dream is to be a superhero in the Marvel Universe — maybe one who knows every language!”

No matter where her next adventure takes her, Bhatia says she’ll always carry the lessons learned from franchises like Zombies, Mighty Ducks, and Succession — and from the mentors who showed her how to light up the ice, the stage, and the screen.

Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires will premiere on Disney Channel on July 10 and begin streaming on Disney+ on July 11.

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