Posted in: Interview, Lionsgate, Movies | Tagged: julia stiles, lionsgate, wish you were here
Wish You Were Here Director Julia Stiles on Grammer, Grey & More
Director Julia Stiles (10 Things I Hate About You) spoke to Bleeding Cool about the drama 'Wish You Were Here,' Grammer, Grey & more.
Article Summary
- Julia Stiles makes her feature directorial debut with "Wish You Were Here," adapted from Renée Carlino's novel.
- Kelsey Grammer and Jennifer Grey joined the cast after memorable collaborations and compelling script reads.
- Stiles declined acting in the film to focus on directing, avoiding potential distractions on the storytelling.
- The most challenging scene to film involved a sailboat, requiring meticulous planning and coordination.
Julia Stiles is always looking for new challenges, and her latest revisited something she dabbled in years ago over 10 years ago, directing episodes for the WIGS web series Paloma. Waiting for her ideal project for her feature directorial debut, the 10 Things I Hate About You star chose to adapt the Renée Carlino novel Wish You Were Here for Lionsgate to the screen, working with the author to make the film adaptation a reality with her Orphan: First Kill (2021) co-star Isabelle Fuhrman to play her lead Charlotte, a woman who finds the perfect night with her perfect soulmate, Adam (Mena Massoud). After he leaves her in what seems to be a dream too good to be true, Charlotte searches for answers and meaning in her disappointing life until she uncovers a secret that changes everything. Siles spoke to Bleeding Cool about whether she considered casting herself in a role, how co-stars Kelsey Grammer and Jennifer Grey got involved, and her most difficult scene to film.
How Julia Stiles Successfully "Captained" Her Way Through "Wish You Were Here"
Bleeding Cool: A two-part question: Did you consider inserting yourself in the film to wear multiple hats? How did Kelsey and Jennifer get involved?
I worked with Kelsey Grammer on 'The God Committee' (2021), and we didn't have trailers. We had dressing rooms or sometimes cubicles. In our downtime, I would hear him singing opera, and I also loved him. He was such a sweetheart, and I wanted him to play the dad in ['Wish You Were Here'], but I had this memory in 'The God Committee' where he would be practicing opera, and he had the most amazing voice. He was practicing for a run of 'Man of La Mancha' in London after that, which I saw, and he was phenomenal! When he said he would play the part of the dad, I was like, I must write a scene where he's singing.
Jennifer Grey is an icon. I needed an actress who would be hugely memorable as the mother and not just a trope but a quirky, unique person, and she embodied that. I spoke to her over Zoom, and she loved the script. I remember she said to me because we were talking about how exhilarating it is to do something that you've wanted to do for so long, but how scary it can be. She said this one thing I took with me every day on set, which is like, "I've been waiting for this wave for my whole life as if you're a surfer diving into a wave."
As far as appearing in the film myself, there wasn't a part for me, and I don't understand how directors direct themselves. I was excited to step behind the camera. There was talk of me doing a cameo for fun, and I had a scene in the restaurant where I wrote that I was maybe going to play one of the annoying customers, but ultimately, I felt like it would be distracting and take you out of the story, so I decided not to be in it. Then I thought I'd be an extra in the background like Alfred Hitchcock, but that also felt distracting, so we didn't do that.
What was your most difficult scene to film?
Practically?
As far as planning and execution.
The first date was probably the most difficult in terms of planning because I needed to show their intimacy and connection, but I didn't want to film a sex scene because I hate watching them and I hate being in them. I thought about it, which forced me to think, "What am I trying to show here?" I'm trying to show people growing closer or connecting, so that became what it is in the film. Also, filming on a sailboat was hard, and that took a lot of planning because logistically, you're filming on satellites and a boat that's moving, filming another boat that's moving with safety boats around you.
I remember finishing it, and we had a lot of planning behind it. I had to shot-list the hell out of it because everybody else is looking at your shot list, and there's no room for improvising. At the end of the filming, the sun's going down. We got everything I wanted, we're coming into port, and I'm on a boat with like ten big burly dudes, the safety guys, my cinematographer, and first aid. I was like, "Whoa! I was the captain of that ship!" It was so exciting.
Wish You Were There, which also stars Gabby Kono-Abdy, is now available in theaters.