Julia Stiles had long thought of making her feature directorial debut, but it took a special story to make it happen.
“I had been wanting to direct for a long time, but never really found the right story, or the thing that I could get financed. I was also probably a little bit shy about it, too, so it was always an abstract goal,” she told Access Hollywood.
“But five years ago, I was sent the book, ‘Wish You Were Here,’ and immediately knew, ‘This will make a great movie,’ and I could totally visualize it,” she continued. “So, it was the book and that story that really empowered me to step into directing and say, ‘OK, I’m ready to make a movie.'”
The film follows the story of Charlotte (Isabelle Fuhrman), a woman whose life is forever altered after a whirlwind night with Adam (Mena Massoud).
“It’s gotten deeper and more meaningful in the five years since we started making the movie, and it really touches my heart still,” Julia said of her connection to the story, calling herself a “romantic at heart.” “I mean, I know the movie by heart now, but it still chokes me up.”
“It’s not concerned with love at first sight,” Julia added. “It touches a lot on the idea that we should be so lucky to create a lifetime of memories with someone else – to have a lifelong love affair with someone.”
“Wish You Were Here” is out now in theaters.