Judy Blume’s, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” is a poignant coming-of-age novel that’s been read for generations. The film adaptation compliments the classic and includes stellar performances from Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, and Kathy Bates. I recently had the opportunity to interview Abby Ryder Fortson (Margaret), where we discussed the importance of the book, fun moments on set, and so much more!
Interview with Abby Ryder Fortson | Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
What interested you in the role of Margaret?
Abby: “Honestly, I just related to her so much. I first auditioned when I first turned 12, and I was going through every single thing that she was. As soon as I read the book I thought, oh my gosh, this is the experience. How did someone write this down in the seventies? And then I just fell in love with the script and her character, and it just really made me want to do it and bring her character to life.”
She’s super relatable. She’s wholesome and down-to-earth, and I think you portrayed that perfectly in the movie. You said you read the book, are there any other ways you prepared for the role?
Abby: “My dad is an actor as well as my mom. My entire family are actors, actually. But, my dad and I went through the entire script and tore apart the pages with notes everywhere. We really dove deep into Margaret’s character and every single little tiny reaction she has to someone else or every thought going through her head. And we really just made sure to cover every single thing. We even went three months ahead of when we went shoot the film in North Carolina so that I was 100 percent prepared to just really do my good work on set.”
You worked alongside some incredible actors. What was it like working with Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates?
Abby: “It was wonderful, honestly. Everyone was so lovely and nice to work with. The experience was just amazing, and they were all so inspirational and so wonderful. I mean, Kathy Bates is a legend. She’s such a wonderful actress, so grounded, so humble, and just a wonderful person to experience being able to make a movie with.”
I loved the scenes with the three of you together, and I loved the relationship she had with her grandmother. It was super special. There were other kids on set, and I’m sure you were able to have some fun in-between takes. Can you tell us about some fun moments you had on set, or even off set, just hanging out with the other kids?
Abby: “I don’t know if there’s a specific moment, but we had a ton of fun on set and it was just really great to work with other kids which is something you don’t always get to do in this industry. But, it’s always super fun when there’s other people mom age to work with. Everyone was so lovely and so professional and really great people to be apart of this with.”
You have been acting for awhile, you said you come from a family of actors. Is there any advice you could give to kids who are interested in acting?
Abby: “If you know that you want to do this, you just really have to work hard and stay humble and put in the good work because it’s a tough industry to get into. But if you really want to do it, you have to stay positive and stay kind and really just be open to the opportunities that are presented to you, as well as fighting for the ones that you want. And just most importantly to be kind because this is an industry that is based around people helping each other out and based around relationships and really just making friends, honestly, in our business. You can do it, and if you’re really passionate about acting, you can do it and there’s a place for you here.”
That’s great advice. Did you get to meet Judy Blume?
Abby: “Yes I did, multiple times! She’s so sweet, oh my gosh, she is such a wonderful person and such an amazing writer. She was on set for a good couple of weeks. It was amazing, every single minute that we got to hang out with her.How many people get to say that they got to hang out with Judy Blume?!”
The set was based on many years ago and there were a lot of cool things. Was there anything you were able to take from the set and bring home with you?
Abby: “Yes! There was a few things that I may or may not have taken with permission or without. But I got a typewriter which was so awesome. I think I got a couple of really cool vintage bottles because I like little vases for flowers. We got a vintage Chinese checkers board which was awesome and we play it so much. And I got a suitcase! There was so much fun stuff, I wish I could have taken it all and just filled my room with it. I love vintage stuff.”
You have an incredibly impressive resume. Is there any sort of role that you haven’t played yet that you would love to play?
Abby: “I would love to play a villain. I would love to be evil. That is a dream of mine. I would love to be bad. I would also just love to do more roles like Margaret, honestly. Good stories that really show that there are good in people. I love stories like Margaret that are heartfelt and funny and you can relate to them.”
I agree, I think there needs to be more movies like that. My last question, what would you like families to take away from this movie?
Abby: “I hope it’s a conversation opener with your kids to be able to talk to them about all of the awkward things that you have to talk about. But it’s also just a great story to relate to and relearn how to accept yourself for who you are and know that you are enough and have the courage to be yourself. I think that’s sort of the message of the show that I hope people take away from it.”
Thank you, Abby, for your time. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is now available on Digital and On Demand! Coming to Blu-ray™ + DVD + Digital Combo and DVD on July 11 from Lionsgate!
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