ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke with Turtles All the Way Down stars Cree and Felix Mallard about the romantic drama movie. The duo discussed fan fiction and the film’s big monologue. The movie will be released on Max on Thursday, May 2.
“The film follows the story of 17-year-old protagonist, Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced). It’s not easy being Aza, but she’s trying … trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, and a good student, all while navigating an endless barrage of invasive, obsessive thoughts that she cannot control. When she reconnects with Davis (Felix Mallard), her childhood crush, Aza is confronted with fundamental questions about her potential for love, happiness, friendship and hope,” reads Turtles All the Way Down‘s synopsis.
Tyler Treese: Cree, your character Daisy is doing Star Wars fan fiction. It’s such a fun little plot element. Have you ever dabbled in fan fiction reading or writing? What’s your connection to that aspect?
Cree: Look, I was a Wattpad girly. I’ve been saying this all day — I have great respect for fan fiction. That is a fun time. That is a good time. So yeah, I love fan fiction. I grew up reading it. I’ve never written it, although I think I said this to John [Green, author] once — I loved writing growing up, and everything that I wrote, like any original story or whatever, was just really weak fan fiction of a book that I liked. [Laughs]. So, in that way, it’s just copying. It’s just fraud, it’s theft, plagiarism in that way. [Laughs]. Maybe, I guess Hamilton writing fan fiction, but not properly, not like, not like the greats.
Felix, you’re fantastic in Turtles All the Way Down. I wanted to ask about working with Isabela specifically and your chemistry together because this is not some sort of fairytale romance that’s blown out of proportion or the perfect love story. How was it working with her to portray these ups and downs that we see?
Felix Mallard: It was a joy, especially with … it’s funny to say that about such dark material and such intense scenes, but it really was a joy. I was just talking about Isabela being such a professional and giving so much in her scenes. When you have a scene partner who stays connected, who listens, who is just so deeply in it, it becomes a joy to act across the table with.
What I love about Davis is the almost tragedy of it and that these people are kind of perfect for one another and that they see each other and they truly appreciate one another for who they are rather than what they’re going through or what’s affecting them. And they just can’t be together because of it. That’s just the best scenario to kind of act when two people want something so badly and they can’t have it. That’s drama 101. So, I was so lucky to be able to do that with Isabel.
Cree, you have what were some of my favorite lines in Turtles All the Way Down, and you give this wonderful and reassuring monologue at the end. You say, “Love is how you become real,” which is a great line. How was it filming that whole sequence? It turned out great.
Cree: Thank you. I appreciate that. I was pretty nervous about that sequence. It closes everything up. It’s a big old monologue, it’s real emotional, and it was so beautifully done by John. That is so, to me, the epitome of John, you know what I mean? 100% love is how you become real, holy s—. I was very nervous about it, but on the day, I remember really vividly sitting in the backyard of that house, and that was one that was like closer to the end of production, I think. It was really emotional, actually. I think both of us were cheering up quite a bit, like in a way that wasn’t … we didn’t keep that in the in the movie. [Laughs].
We had to relax a little because … it’s just really beautifully written and it feels very … something about saying that, it feels like being very close to John. It feels like speaking John’s words more than other parts of the script, maybe. I mean, it was an honor to have the “over-the-montage monologue.” I was really nervous, but really happy to get to do it and I’m glad that you liked it.
