Q&A: 'Sharknado' star Cassie Scerbo is more 'hardcore' in this sequel

When last we saw Cassie Scerbo, she had just been retrieved alive from the insides of a shark that had been cut open by a chainsaw-wielding hero named Fin.

Only moments earlier, Scerbo's character had fallen out of a helicopter and directly into the mouth of the shark, which was airborne thanks to a massive tornado that swirled above Los Angeles. On the ground, our hero Fin, in one timed motion, saw the falling shark and leapt through its open mouth, cutting his way into the shark's insides but missing Scerbo.

It was an iconic OMG scene in the original Sharknado and defined what made the 2013 Syfy movie so ... cultish.

"Was I shocked? Kind of. But then again, not ... because it's Syfy," said Scerbo, who'll reprise her role as Nova Clarke in the second sequel, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No, on July 22.

"It was already so crazy and ridiculous. That's how it's become a cult classic. It's real cool to say that I was part of that. I got to be in the Jaws of our day."

To outdo itself, Sharknado 3 will have to rely on even greater schlock value. Cameo-laden Sharknado 2: The Second One became Syfy's most-watched original movie with 3.9 million total viewers, triple the viewership of the original. Syfy also claimed the sequel was responsible for 1 billion estimated impressions on Twitter.

Scerbo, 25, who just got back from a break with friends in Granbury, will rejoin Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) and April Wexler (Tara Reid) in Sharknado 3. In the original, Scerbo was a primary character, but was inexplicably AWOL in Sharknado 2. She's back as a Lara Croft-esque heroine, fulfilling tomboy traits that she couldn't explore in previous roles as a cheerleader in the Bring It On series and a gymnast on ABC Family's Make It or Break It.

Spending time in the insides of a shark "really traumatized" Nova, so "she's angry in this movie. Way more hardcore," Scerbo said. "She wears this leather combat-looking outfit and she's got a lot more backbone. She's ready to take charge."

As Sharknado 3 nears, Scerbo fielded a few questions via phone about her role and what's next.

Q: What was your reaction when you first read the Sharknado scene where you become a shark snack? 

A: "Not going to lie. The script changed 97 times. The director [Anthony C. Ferrante] and writer [Thunder Levin] are proactive and constantly coming up with new ideas. To tell you the truth, I don't remember if that part was even in the first draft. I know that when I found out and read it and saw it for the first time, I was blown away and laughing. The whole thing is crazy. It's Syfy. You never know what to expect."

Q: Were you worried that falling into the mouth of an airborne shark was going to cause you to be typecast? 

A: "When watching these movies, people know what to expect and they laugh with you. That's what the world is doing with these movies, like it's a big party with the universe. On all the different talk shows, everyone has fun with it. I know I'm just real happy to be a part of it. I've always played the cheerleader or rich girl. To me, this is like stepping out of the box and doing something different."

Q: Was Mark Cuban a believeable POTUS? Did he seem presidential? 

A: "I don't have any scenes with Mark, and I didn't get to meet him personally. But I got to see him in some real cool clips. He did great."

Q: What was your reaction when you learned of rejoining the old shark-killing gang? 

A: "I got the offer around Christmas and my team worked it out. I read the script and got really excited. It's pretty bad-ass this time around, especially when I got to shoot that shotgun around in the film. When she was absent [in the sequel], she was plotting her revenge."

Q: How will we be shocked in the second sequel? 

A: "All of our storylines have progressed and the characters have go on to a lot of different things in their lives. Every time, [Ferrante and Levin] always are trying to find a way to shock people. I can say that NASA is involved, and you can imagine where that's headed. Maybe headed to space. Lots of things can happen and I don't want to give away too much."

Q: Was the success of Sharknado unexpected? 

A: I'd just got off this TV show called Make It or Break It and I was ready to try something different. I didn't know it was going to be a sci-fi film that Asylum was producing -- just some independent film called Dark Skies. I read the script and it was appealed to my inner tomboy.

Q: Does having Florida roots make this sequel more fun? 

A: "I was raised [in Parkland, Fla.] and I have lots of family in Florida. It was fun for them to watch and hang around on the set and run around Universal Studios."