Convincing people to make a movie always has its challenges. What do you think has been your hardest film to pitch or sell? I think of something like “Horns,” where you explain the lead character is going to grow horns.
That’s funny you mention that one because the best thing “Horns” had going for it was Joe Hill wrote it, Stephen King’s son. But people understood the genre and it wasn’t so difficult.

I would probably say “Five Feet Apart.” We wanted to make a movie about two teenagers who had cystic fibrosis, who won’t live long, who fall in love but can’t touch each other — we now know that you have to be six feet apart and the idea was they decided to risk that foot to be together. We wanted them to wear masks throughout the entire movie. It was prescient. But we had these two attractive young leads and the idea that I thought they should wear masks … didn’t go over well. Not to mention it was about disease. But it ended up being such a romantic and sweet movie and it did enormously well. I tried to focus on human emotions, not see these kids as victims, just two people who looked at how to overcome their obstacles and consummate this young love.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 16: Cathy Schulman attends “The Idea Of You” World Premiere during SXSW at The Paramount Theater on March 16, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios) Getty Images for Amazon MGM Stud

In the movie, Anne’s character faces online hostility due to her relationship, a struggle she’s been candid about. We wanted to underscore the film’s portrayal of societal judgment, a topic frequently discussed between Michael Showalter and myself. Our focus was on depicting the harsh realities of public scrutiny, particularly concerning women’s pursuit of happiness. Anne has spoken about her personal journey through this challenging period and her subsequent recovery. It’s gratifying to see her work being appreciated anew, given the dedication she invested in the film. While portraying a strong character, Anne also reveals a commendable level of vulnerability, adding depth to her performance.

The performances in this film are so fantastic and there’s a couple of scenes in particular where I think Anne is doing some of the best work of her career. It makes me wonder why people sometimes dismiss rom-coms or don’t give them the same appreciation as other genres.
I think there’s a presumption that joy and happiness are easier to act than torment and sadness. And the truth is, it’s the exact opposite.