- 8 minutes ago
'Chasing Summer' director Josephine Decker, writer, producer and star Iliza Shlesinger and co-stars Garrett Wareing and Tom Welling stopped by THR's Studio at Park City to talk about their film. Shlesinger explains why this film is a "love letter" to her generation and how she wanted to give herself "one last hurrah" of a summer at home.
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00:00I think there was like an invincibility that I felt in high school and that changed.
00:06And I think like the idea that you, the Colby of it all, like that I could do anything.
00:10I can be anybody I want to be like that idea, I think is something that we should try to
00:14hold on to.
00:17So I believe you said in your director's statement, and I hate to quote you back to
00:21yourself, but I believe you described this movie as a love letter, not only to our generation.
00:27Oh, I'm so glad you're part of it.
00:28That makes this a lot easier.
00:30Did you, were you, were you thinking I was Gen X?
00:33No, I thought you were Gen Z and actually legally not allowed to be here.
00:36Okay.
00:37I thought you were so young.
00:38I was like, I'm going to be interviewed by a child.
00:40I thought the same idea.
00:41I was watching and I was like, what did I thought?
00:43This feels good.
00:44Yeah.
00:45So, okay.
00:45So tell me when, how you started, how it started percolating.
00:50This was like any person who writes anything.
00:53It was a kernel of an idea.
00:55And I only recently found the email in 2018.
00:57I've written an email to myself as, because we have sent ideas to yourself.
01:00Um, and it was basically along the lines of what if high school came back to bite you
01:06in the ass?
01:06Like, what if you ended up, I don't want to give any spoilers, but it was about like your
01:11relationships in high school.
01:12And that doesn't sound so novel, but without giving spoilers, I can't really get into the
01:16idea, but it was just about what if all the things that had been, you felt had been chasing
01:21you your whole life.
01:22It turns out they weren't at all and nobody cared, which if anyone's been to high school
01:27and you've, if you've done any sort of self-evaluation, you're like, oh, nobody was that bad.
01:32Um, and so I started writing this and to the quote you said earlier, it's a love letter
01:37to my generation.
01:39Most things that I do are that just given the perspective I'm speaking from, I'm always
01:43talking to people my age because I think millennials have had it really rough.
01:47Like people are really mean to us, um, millennial women.
01:50I'm always trying to tap into our nostalgia because we miss it.
01:52And we're at that age now where it, it hurts the most.
01:56Um, and the state of Texas, you know, for politically, however you lean, I think you're allowed to
02:01say, Hey, I had a lovely upbringing in a lovely suburb.
02:05We were very clear on this was a suburban movie, not a rural Texas movie.
02:09We did not make Friday night lights.
02:10Um, although that box office success would be great.
02:13Um, and so I was just like, this is my story.
02:17And I wanted, I deeply wanted to see and feel that upbringing and that nostalgia on camera.
02:24And so if you looking, thinking back to the time when you sent yourself that email, was
02:28there something had like something happened or something you were thinking about that made
02:32you send that idea?
02:32Like, did you have a high school reunion or like something like that?
02:35So weirdly it was a couple of things and this is kind of like heavy, but I either had just
02:42gotten married or was getting married.
02:44And that's a very beautiful thing to be marrying the love of your life.
02:47But there's also whether you acknowledge it or not, like a slight mourning of the entire
02:53version of yourself that you were going into that because there are no more Saturday nights.
02:58There's no more what's going to happen.
03:00Like that type of excitement you trade in for the stability that in a way that you're craving.
03:05And so I think in a way this movie was me giving myself one last hurrah, but also putting to bed
03:11the idea of like, you're in your thirties, like you're not going home for the summer anymore.
03:16You're not having those relaxed summers that we all had, you know, when you came out of college
03:21or in your twenties or you come home for a little bit, maybe you don't know your plan.
03:24And there's something ephemeral and beautiful about that set against a Texas summer.
03:30And so I just wanted to kind of, I get goosebumps, I kind of wanted to just see it one last time
03:35before I said goodbye permanently and went on to become a wife and a mother.
03:40Because there are no summer vacations when you are a mother.
03:43Does anyone have a good memory of like one of their last summers at home?
03:49On this panel?
03:49Yeah.
03:50Well, one of the reasons I got involved with this movie was that-
03:53This is our director.
03:54Yeah.
03:55There'll be a higher up.
03:56One of the reasons that I was like really drawn to it was that I feel like this is, I think,
04:01I don't know if it's especially when you're from Texas, but like, I think there's kind
04:04of a crucible of the South that sort of like distills you and turns you into a, I think,
04:10and it gives you, there's an intensity about growing up in the South that I think turns you
04:14into at times an artist.
04:16And so when I read Eliza's script, I was like, oh, she's built this world where she's writing
04:23about something that I've actually lived.
04:24Like I had literally had this whole story about my high school that was felt like so
04:28prominent in my mind.
04:29I was like, this is like, these were the people who were cool and I had no friends and you
04:33know what I mean?
04:33And then I went back to my 10 year high school reunion and I walked into like this, like,
04:39you know, it was held at the football game, the high school football game, as you would
04:42imagine.
04:43And I walk in and there's like-
04:44It was a high school.
04:45It was a nice one.
04:45It was a public school, but yeah, thank you.
04:48But there was like a, there were like eight like really cool girls sitting at the front and I
04:51was like, oh, well, are you guys the only ones here?
04:54You know, at the reunion.
04:55And they were like, no, everyone else is up at the top.
04:57And I was like, what?
04:59And then there were like a hundred, there were a hundred people up at the top.
05:02And I was like these, but these eight girls that I had like been like the terrified of,
05:07you know, like obsessed with, you know?
05:09And I was like, oh, you were only friends with each other, but somehow your confidence
05:13like held us all wrapped.
05:16And then I went to the top and I was like, I was friends with everybody.
05:19And we all were like banding together in our like desperation to like get through puberty.
05:24And it was this is like total reversal of like how I had thought about the past.
05:27And I think when I read Eliza's script, she just captured that.
05:30And I was like, that's such a, I feel like relatable experience.
05:32And I don't know that I've seen a movie about it.
05:34And so it was really exciting to get on board because of that.
05:37Yeah.
05:38That's cool.
05:39Can I, am I allowed to say what Garrett and Tom are to your character?
05:44That's a great question.
05:45Or like, I don't think so.
05:46Otherwise.
05:47Okay.
05:47Yeah.
05:48Well, let's talk vaguely around what you were looking for in these two.
05:53I think that's the big, that's the big surprise.
05:57So.
05:58I mean, obviously I didn't go to high school with him.
06:01I was also homeschooled.
06:02Oh, really?
06:03It's not fun.
06:04It's not exciting.
06:04I didn't have these experiences.
06:06I longed for them.
06:07It's been acting since you was three.
06:08Yeah.
06:09I don't, it's, I don't, I don't know how to give that answer.
06:13That's really good.
06:13Yeah.
06:14Let's just say, what was it that you, you guys say what you connected to?
06:18Then you don't have to say why you like them further.
06:20One of the things that I connected to with my character is he's this guy who probably never left his hometown.
06:25And he's the guy who, if you know people like this, they're really good at telling everybody else what to do and how to do it and where to park their cars and trucks.
06:34But yet he's so, he can't do the same for himself.
06:39And that was my way into it.
06:40And, and as we got into filming, the whole idea of parked cars and trucks became much more relevant for me to, because that's who this guy is.
06:49He wants to tell everybody else what to do, but he's in some ways a failure on his own.
06:54So he's based on a real person.
06:56He's, and we all have that person.
06:58Yeah.
06:58I was going to say we literally all could name them.
07:00And there's, and Tom brought such texture to it, but like, it's the archetype of, and it's not even about like you were the successful quarterback and you didn't like, we've seen that.
07:09It's more about the guy that everybody, he's handsome and you want to like, you spent a lot of the movie liking him.
07:16But there is something, well, then there's something there.
07:19Like there's, we all have that like good old boy that like, you just like, but you know, like, you know that there's something else there.
07:26Like, there's like a reason you're like, I don't fully trust you.
07:30It's, he's a real person.
07:31I think with my character, I'm most gravitated towards the fact that he's the guy that I've always wanted to be.
07:36He's like that dreamer.
07:37He's the kind, the sales guy.
07:40And well, thank you.
07:41And I, it's very sweet, but yeah, he's, he's the good all American Texan kid.
07:47And he falls for a wonderful kind woman and he sees the best in her and he sees the, he wants to see the best in everybody.
07:53And he has these dreams of, I guess, now traveling the world with you.
07:56And we get excited about the future and, um, all while she's grappling with coming back to her hometown and rewiring who she thinks she is.
08:04And I'm falling for this version of what, who I think she is, you know, while she's trying to rewire that.
08:08And so getting to work with these two amazing female filmmakers and like, I will say that because I have to until I don't need to anymore.
08:18And I love you both so much.
08:20Um, and Eliza wrote an incredible story that I gravitated towards and Josephine I've been a fan of forever.
08:27And so to bring this story to life, the two of them was a dream come true.
08:31Should we talk about Garazal, dude?
08:32I want to, well, what I want to talk about is who, who, um, came up with the concept for Megan Mullally's character and accent and voice cadence.
08:41Cause that was genius.
08:42Was that a gene?
08:44We don't actually, I don't think we say her name in the script, but her, in the movie, but her name is Lam.
08:49And we, I don't think we ever say Lam.
08:51Uh, the accent was written in, my motivation was Heggie Hill from King of the Hill.
08:57Um, and Megan came with the accent cause she's from Oklahoma.
08:59So it was no problem.
09:01Um, and she kind of brought her own texture to it too.
09:04She's hilarious.
09:05Well, and also we had this fun part at the beginning of the movie where she kind of sits down, uh, Jamie, her daughter and is like, you know, getting her ready for Texas, but is also kind of giving her the once over of like, you know, okay, so you're home and we're going to do this.
09:19We're going to do that.
09:20But then she goes, she goes into sort of like, and I, and this was partly just Megan bringing herself.
09:27Like we, we, we were shooting in this kind of wild way.
09:30And we wanted to get a sense that like Jamie's character is really disoriented.
09:34So we're shooting all over the room.
09:35And, and so we were like, I was like, just keep going like beyond the lines.
09:38And Megan just starts, she's like, so what about those jowls?
09:42I was going to my face.
09:44She's like, and those, and what happened with your teeth?
09:46Why did we get you braces?
09:47What was, you know?
09:48And then she's just like beating her alive.
09:51You let the girl in that day.
09:52And I was like, why would that so easy for her?
09:56Like I'm calling Jason time.
09:57Ripped you apart.
09:58Yes.
09:58Just so.
09:59Yeah.
09:59It was really incredible.
10:00Um, we, did you want, was there something you wanted to say about Garrett's audition?
10:03Yeah.
10:03It was fucking, sorry.
10:04It was flawless.
10:05You can say, you can swear.
10:06It was fucking flawless.
10:08Like it was our first person to read for that.
10:11Cause you sit down, you're on a zoom.
10:12People are zooming in.
10:13Were you in Malta?
10:14Were you?
10:14I was in Malta.
10:15Yeah.
10:16I, I had just gotten off a flight to Europe and they were like, we want to read you from
10:19this.
10:20I was like, I can't do it.
10:21I'm in Malta.
10:22And then it was like 2am for me.
10:24Jet lag.
10:25And this kid signs on.
10:26We had a look and we knew that we needed Colby to be big because he's younger than me.
10:32And so I felt like if I'm kissing someone who's my height, it's like too childlike in
10:36a way.
10:36Like he needed to feel big and fulfill all those fantasies.
10:39Uh, so he signs on and he's gigantic.
10:41And then like jet lag, like on my best day with an acting coach, I could not give this
10:46audition.
10:47And he just rattles it off.
10:49And we're like, thank you so much for that.
10:50And we like hang up.
10:51We're like, I think that's it.
10:53One and done.
10:54Was I the first person you're ready?
10:55You're the first person.
10:56And then for the record, we did have two other guys that were phenomenal.
11:01And then as you know, like it just comes down to like the wire, but it was, yeah, destroyed
11:06it.
11:06And it was, oh, and I can inspire you.
11:08And I think the thing that really came across is that Garrett's character, um, is so like
11:14sexy.
11:14He's kind of like holding the romance of the whole movie, but somehow in this audition,
11:19he managed to do that.
11:20Like so gracefully that we were all like, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go.
11:23But also, are we together?
11:24But also he was so, there was just one small line in the scene that he turned into this
11:33gorgeously vulnerable moment where we were both like, like it went from like,
11:38just shivering with the romance to really feeling like inside of his character and perspective.
11:44And it is so hard to do in, in a, especially in an audition from Malta.
11:48Yeah, it was the, now he only audition shows Joe.
11:51You didn't even do an audition.
11:53We were like, I'll just take him.
11:53But he brought that to the whole movie and not just this audition.
11:56Yeah, audition more.
11:57Before we run out of time, does anyone have, and sorry, Garrett, you can answer this as
12:03well, but something from high school that you wish was still like, like, what do you miss?
12:06If you could bring back something from high school?
12:09Probably my weight.
12:11Oh my God.
12:12No, no, no.
12:12My jowls.
12:13The fun answer.
12:14Uh, my jowls.
12:17Yeah.
12:17You know, oh God, what's it?
12:18That's a great question.
12:19I have a lot.
12:21I, okay.
12:21I can, you know, I've talked a lot.
12:24I think there was like an invincibility that I felt in high school and that changed.
12:29And I think like the idea that you, the Colby of it all, like the, I could do anything.
12:34I can be anybody I want to be like that idea, I think is something that we should try to
12:38hold on to.
12:39I was going to say my hair because it was, it was great.
12:43Um, but you want a better answer.
12:45No, my hair is, is great.
12:47I have these, um, I was the one with the camera.
12:50And with my friends, I was like the funny girl with the camera and I filmed everything
12:54and we had a locker room, which is just where all the lockers were for everyone.
12:56It wasn't like where you change and we would shoot videos.
12:59And I remember gladiator had come out and I was like, let's shoot this thing.
13:02Like you have, everything is all at once mixed together and you're shooting things for fun
13:07and you're editing in your camera.
13:08And on for spring break, I said, I, my friends went on spring break and I was like, I just
13:12have a camera and I took it with me everywhere freshman year.
13:15And I would just film everything and you're making videos and you're doing SNL parodies and
13:19you're making it just to make it stop motion things.
13:22And that creativity just to express yourself for fun, not to monetize it, not to get famous,
13:27just to leave it on like a high eight tape, like sitting in a box in your garage.
13:31And like, I get goosebumps because it was so similar to what you're saying.
13:34It was, you're so free and so creative and no one could say no.
13:38And like you were your own director, editor, everything.
13:41You just did it because it was so fun with your friends.
13:43Yeah, for me, it's funny because I was like, first, the first thing I thought of was riding
13:48around in cars because that's a lot of what you do in Texas and high schools.
13:51In the back of a truck.
13:52Yeah.
13:52That was my whole life.
13:53You know, but, but also I was the thing that I was on the cross country team and we just,
13:59it was, it, it grew exponentially.
14:01And these girls were really bonded also because we did drive each other home every day.
14:05So there was a lot of like connecting in cars, but also connecting while sweating and working
14:10together.
14:10And I feel like that is probably the most painful part of adulthood is that there is
14:14not a team, you know, you don't get a team.
14:17And I think also the other thing that I was thinking about was like, when you talked about
14:21being invincible, I was like, I, who felt invincible in high school?
14:23I was like so vulnerable at all times.
14:25But I also was like there, because I was in Texas and I was like a Democrat and trying
14:32to like be a feminist in my 17 year old body.
14:35I had the, I did have a sense of like right and wrong and I was like fighting for something
14:40and I sort of knew who to, who was kind of on my side and how to like activate that.
14:45Because in high school, you actually do have somewhat forums for like expressing yourself
14:49and like it being seen.
14:51And I think nowadays things are quite nebulous and, and I feel like these, it's harder to
14:56feel like there's a galvanized, that you can find your galvanized team community as
15:02an adult, I feel like, and also, you know, as a person who still continues to feel strongly
15:06about women's rights, for instance, um, sometimes it, you know, how to advance that can be a
15:12lot more nebulous and long-term and complex.
15:15And, um, and it felt so straightforward in high school.
15:18I was like, those guys on the basketball team, you know, we're going to teach them that
15:23women should go to college.
15:24You know what I mean?
15:25Like it was that straightforward and now it is not.
15:28Yeah.
15:28Tom, is that similar to what you were going to say?
15:30Yes.
15:30Same.
15:30And those guys on the basketball team, what do you know?
15:37What do you want to, but yeah.
15:38What's your, uh, I moved, I went to a couple of different high schools.
15:41Um, so a lot of my experience was getting along with everybody, but not having, I don't
15:47have those, uh, lifelong friendships ever, ever really developed.
15:51Um, I was actually the person who was trying to get out of high school as soon as possible
15:54so I could go live and try to do something else because I, I, at the time I didn't see the
16:00value of it.
16:00I see it now.
16:01If I went to high school now, I'd kill it.
16:03Um, but I just, I wanted to get out and, you know, the adventure and, and just sort of
16:08like see the world sort of idea.
16:10So, um, I still feel that way to, to an extent.
16:13Um, so yeah, uh, I don't, I can't say that there's anything I want to bring back from it
16:19because I, I was trying hard to leave it.
16:21Please let the quote that you lead with be Tom Welling.
16:24If I could go back to high school now, I'd kill it.
16:28Please let that be like the summation.
16:29I'll just, see you guys there.
16:32See?
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