'PEN15' 's Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle Reunite for AHA's New Ad — But Without Bowl Cuts and Braces

"It was weird not putting braces on before the scene," Anna Konkle tells PEOPLE of shooting AHA Sparkling Water's latest commercial

Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle had an aha moment when filming their latest project together.

The PEN15 creators star in AHA Sparkling Water's new commercial but instead of playing 13-year-olds like in the cringe comedy, Erskine and Konkle are just themselves.

"It was really nice and interesting playing adults together," Konkle, 35, tells PEOPLE. "But it was weird not putting braces on before the scene. I remember being like, 'My little buddy, where's your bowl [cut]?' "

"It felt fun to just be us in a way," adds Erskine, 34.

PEN15's Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle reunite for AHA's new commercial
AHA

In the new spot, the real-life best friends stop by a gas station to try AHA's new flavors: pineapple-passionfruit, blackberry-lemon, and Fuji apple-white tea. When Konkle brings back a can, they can't help but insert aha into every sentence.

"Ca-aha-n I have a sip?" asks Erskine. "No, you said you didn't w-aha-nt anything!" responds Konkle.

What viewers don't see is that the two new moms were both breastfeeding in between shots.

"We were pumping every three hours and the production team was really nice about it," says Konkle. "There would be like these two 20-year-old guys bringing our breast milk to our house, which I just think is amazing."

AHA's new commercial Pineapple + Passionfruit, Blackberry + Lemon, and Fuji Apple + White Tea
AHA

Erskine, who gave birth to son Leon just two months after Konkle welcomed daughter Essie in early 2021, says they didn't intend to overlap their pregnancies.

"We didn't plan it to happen at the same time at all," she says. "But it did and that was a huge blessing. It is really nice to go through that."

"I never would've guessed on many levels that it would've happened like that, as it was a surprise for us," adds Konkle. "All of it was very serendipitous. It was the best surprise of my entire life and it's just couldn't have worked out any better."

Essie and Leon are bound to be fast friends like their moms, and already have a "weird, special connection," says Erskine. "They look at each other lovingly. It's really crazy."

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