Stephen, you’re no stranger to bringing musicals to the big screen, and you’re no stranger to stories about teenage longing and discontent. How did you get involved in the project?
Stephen Chbosky: I saw the show about three years ago, on Broadway. And I loved it. I didn’t know anything about it when I saw it. And I loved the show.
You both had so many roles in making this film. How did you two connect to make this film during Covid?
Mark Duplass: Natalie and I were acquaintances; friends of friends who had met a few times and I think we had the sense that we respected each other’s work and we had hit it off and liked each other. I knew I wanted to work with her and ideally share the screen with her at some point, and we hadn’t really had that opportunity.
What was your initial reaction to the script?
Elijah Wood: I came into the script about five years ago, at a film festival in Austin, Texas, called Fantastic Fest.
get involved?
Andreas Koefoed: A producer friend of mine got in touch and told me about this incredible story. He was in touch with this British art critic—Ben Lewis—that was writing a book about the whole affair.
Can you discuss the way the film begins, and ends, with a family dinner scene?
Pascual Sisto: I think they are two very important scenes, but I will first say that, as a point of interest, they were shot on the same day because of practical reasons.