'All That' Stars Lex Lumpkin and Gabrielle Nevaeh Green Preview Nickelodeon's NFL Playoff Game (Exclusive)

The NFL Playoffs begin on Saturday and run into Sunday with six high-profile matchups between [...]

The NFL Playoffs begin on Saturday and run into Sunday with six high-profile matchups between Super Bowl-hopeful teams. The second day will feature a unique broadcast with Nickelodeon airing the game between the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears. All That star Gabrielle Nevaeh Green will join play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle and CBS Sports analyst Nate Burleson in the booth to call the action. At the same time, co-star Lex Lumpkin will showcase his abilities as a sideline reporter.

Speaking with PopCulture.com and other media ahead of Sunday's playoff game, Lumpkin and Green detailed their temporary transitions from sketch comedy to covering live sports. Joining Burleson and Eagle for an NFL game is not a direct translation, but the two actors can use their experiences at other live events. Additionally, they put in considerable work to fully prepare for the upcoming game.

"I didn't specifically reach out to anyone," Lumpkin said about other sideline reporters, "but I did do research in watching them and seeing how they did it. Watching how they reacted to certain things and what they might have said when they were up." Lumpkin also jokingly clarified that he is ready for any errant footballs that may head in his direction during the course of the game and that he is ready to "juke them" while providing his reports.

Green also put in her own work in anticipation of joining the booth to provide analysis. She joined Burleson and Eagle for some test runs to ensure that everything will proceed smoothly on Sunday. This film study couldn't account for any wild situations on the field, such as a previous fight featuring players from the Saints and Bears, but it helped the trio build their chemistry.

"We watched a game together, and we practiced calling it," Green explained. "We practiced interjecting our own personalities into it and making it really fun because this is what this game is really about. It's about bringing fun to kids and families and being a great introduction, especially if you are new to football. ... We watched a few games; they helped me learn the lingo, who was who, what not to do, and what to do."

When it came to determining who would take on the specific roles, both actors clarified that it was an easy process. Green said that Lumpkin is perfect for the field due to his energy while she has to remain "sharp and focused" in the booth. Lumpkin added that being closer to the players and the action as a fan of football was "going to be really cool" for him.

Green and Lumpkin will make their NFL debuts on Sunday when the Chicago Bears face off with the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The game will take place at 4:40 p.m. ET on CBS and Nickelodeon. Lumpkin promises that fans tuning into Nickelodeon will "have no shortage of slime."

Disclaimer: PopCulture.com is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.

0comments