‘To All the Boys’ director on the importance of taking risks, facing your fears

From left: Lana Condor, Anna Cathcart and Noah Centineo in Netflix’s popular rom-com

Condor (left) with Israel Broussard

At the heart of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’s” feel-good froth is a teenage girl’s complicated fairy-tale moment.

Never in her wildest dreams did 16-year-old Korean-American Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) think she’d end up getting the attention of her older sister’s ex-boyfriend, dreamy Josh Sanderson (Israel Broussard), and hunky campus heartthrob Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo).

Certainly not after the well-guarded love letters she keeps in a teal hatbox get sent inexplicably to their recipients—all five of them, including Josh and Peter! It doesn’t take long before Lara Jean’s “sources of embarrassment” turn her into her high school’s center of attention, especially after Peter asks her to become his make-believe girlfriend to make his flaky girlfriend, Genevieve (Emilija Baranac), jealous.

Early this week, we caught up with Susan Johnson, director of Netflix’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Carrie Pilby,” to discuss the complexity of turning Jenny Han’s well-loved young adult novel into a wholesome, heartwarming rom-com, as well as the joys of working with “To All the Boys’” attractive cast:

How did your experience directing “Carrie Pilby” prepare you for your second feature-length film? This film was pretty challenging to make, primarily because I was walking into a group of people who had spent years putting the project together—and I was the newest voice. But, in terms of directing, I would say that my experience directing “Carrie Pilby” gave me the confidence to trust my vision as a filmmaker. In that way, it was much easier the second time around.

The movie is a feel-good, heartwarming production about coming to terms with missteps you can’t undo and coping with their consequences. What drew you to “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”? What is it about Jenny Han’s novel and Lara Jean’s story that you most relate to? Honestly, what drew my attention to this material is that it is, indeed, a feel-good, heartwarming story. Lara Jean is a breath of fresh air. Jenny’s writing is sweet and loving, and she isn’t afraid to explore the “awkward” things in life. Jenny is also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. She puts herself out there. She is Lara Jean.

The film’s narrative progression has a certain easygoing rhythm that makes its charming story readily accessible. Do you think your background in music videos has helped you as a storyteller? Directing music videos has helped me hone my visual style, but producing a dozen independent films was more influential in helping me understand who I am as a filmmaker and storyteller. Thank you for the nice compliment!

What was the biggest challenge for you in adapting the novel for the big screen? Honoring the fans of the book was my biggest concern in adapting the novel. Oh, and again, keeping the spirit of the book intact.

I did a good deal of research about what fans were responding to in the books, looked at all of the mood boards, and read hundreds of posts and reviews. And I wanted to make Jenny happy. It’s hard to let go of characters you created, then hand them over for someone else to interpret. Jenny was super supportive, even though it was scary for her.

Director Susan Johnson (left) and lead actress Condor

The novel has a lot of fans. Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Israel Broussard, Emilija Baranac and John Corbett, who plays Lara Jean’s doting dad, seem snug-fit for the characters they portray. What was it like directing them on the set? I worked with a wonderful casting director, Tamara-Lee Notcutt, to put together the cast for this film. She saw hundreds of actors, and we narrowed it down to a dozen or so. We then did chemistry reads in LA for the roles of Lara Jean, Peter and Josh. Then, we cast Anna Cathcart, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac and Trezzo Mahoro in Vancouver.

The chemistry between Lana, Noah and Israel was immediate. You could feel it in the room, clearly. But it was trickier figuring out the sisters, because we had to think about ages (in relation to each other), ethnicity and chemistry. I loved directing the whole cast.

Isn’t it scary to adapt a popular YA fiction and displease its fans? Yes, it is scary to adapt a popular book. Always. I did a lot of research to figure out what fans most wanted to see. Then, about a week prior to shooting, I shunned social media. I had to trust my own interpretation of the characters and make the movie I wanted to see. I trust that the fans understand that I love the book as much as they do, and I hope that the love I have for them shines through.

What message do you wish your film to impart? Face your fears. I think it’s such an important message. If you don’t reach out of your comfort zone once in a while and take risks, you’ll miss out on so much love… and life. Lara Jean was forced to face her fears, but in the end, she did it. She took an emotional risk, and it paid off.