Cue up Sugar, Sugar and come along for a trip down memory lane.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you come up with the idea for the film?
A lot of the movie was really what we were going through back then.
Credit: K. Wright
We spent that whole summer trying to find out the mystery of how that little boy died.
The flashbacks in the film are set in 1970.
What was it like growing up in that decade?
It was awesome, it really was.
Now you would just text your friend; theres no romanticism to that.
It was a very special time to grow up.
And I think thats something thats still a great era for people to look back at.
And great music, too.
And Leonardo DiCaprio was originally cast in Brendan Frasiers role, is that right?
How involved were you in the casting process, and did everyone turn out how you envisioned?
It was great to be able to participate in all that.
Rosie [ODonnell] and Rita [Wilson] and Melanie [Griffith] came out to support Demi.
And then the other two [Gaby Hoffmann and Ashleigh Aston Moore] just came in after that.
What are your favorite scenes from the film?
Oh my gosh, thats so hard.
I really love the Scott [Devon Sawa]-Roberta [Ricci] kiss.
When you see that its just so adorable.
And I love when the girls are at the lake when Roberta pretends to be dead.
I just think afterwards that is such an honest moment with her and Chrissy.
Thats the wish fulfillment.
Do people still approach you aboutNow and Then?
I love it; I love it!
Mothers are now sending me notes saying theyre showing it to their daughters.
And I think its become this iconic movie, and thats awesome!
There was a TV series in development at one point, right?
Yes, we talked about that.
I didnt want to do that I felt that kind of ruins how special the movie is.
Have you thought about where these characters would be now if you were to do anotherNow and Then?
I thought about it a lot when we were starting to do the TV show.
Id love to explore that.
Do you remember what the reception to the film was like when it first came out?
2 at the box office right behindGet Shorty.
It was financially a success for New Line.
I was like, Oh, mom, theyre just two old dudes.
Theyre not going to get it and the audience will.
And thats why still I think these movies just dont get made.
Looking back on the movie now, what stands out to you the most?
It was just such a special time.
It was one of those things where everything was flawless.
It was such a special time, and it was a blessed project in that way.
Everything that could go right, did go right.
I love that people still remember it.
I love that people still send me quotes all the time, quotes from the movie that they love.
Its the little movie that could!
