If you devoured Laura Dave’s novel “ The Last Thing He Told Me,” you’re not alone. The New York Times Bestseller, “The Last Thing He Told Me” lasted 65 weeks. Jennifer Garner was among those who couldn’t put the book down.
“I read it with my middle child. “We kept pushing bedtime forward because we were just compelled read one more chapter. We were just forced to read two more chapters. Three more chapters.” Garner stated in a recent interview. She had a copy of the book beside her, on a chair. “I can’t even explain how much I loved it.”
Her great read turned into a “ dream role ” when Julia Roberts — who was originally attached to star in a TV show based on the book had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Dave, Josh Singer and her Oscar-winning husband Dave co-created this series. The series debuts on Apple TV+ on Friday. Reese Witherspoon is an executive producer. She chose the book after it was released in May 2021 for her Reese’s Book Club.
Garner portrays Hannah Hall. She marries Owen (played brilliantly by Nikolaj CosterWaldau) after a turbulent courtship. Hannah is not only a new wife, but a stepmom of Owen’s teen girl, Bailey. Angourie Rice plays her, and she regards her as a rude interruption in her family of two. Owen vanishes one day and leaves Hannah a note directing her to protect Bailey. Bailey and Hannah must work together to find out the truth.
The idea of playing a person “growing into becoming a mother” intrigued Garner. As a mom of three, she gravitates to children and describes herself as a “natural caretaker.” Garner co-foundedrhe children’s fresh produce-centric company Once Upon a Farm and is a board member of Save the Children. She’s also acted in a number of family friendly films including “Yes Day” and “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” Garner was curious about a character who learns “how much parenting comes from doing it.”
For Rice, she adjusted to play someone who “doesn’t know how to have a mother.
“Bailey has only had one person in her life, and that’s her dad. That is the first and only person she goes to for anything,” Rice said. They really make a team. When that goes away, Bailey will resist Hannah because she is everything her dad isn’t. She doesn’t understand Bailey and Bailey is so used to being understood.”
Garner and Rice realized their off-screen relationship was also developing throughout filming. This was in contrast to becoming an instamother and daughter.
“Sometimes you play a mom in a movie and you are thrust in the role of motherhood. Garner stated that you are being a mom, and then the relationship underneath it must catch up. “In this case, you’re watching us grow closer and closer and more and more trusting of each other into a really cool partnership in the way that Hannah and Bailey experienced as well.”
Garner also had the challenge of keeping her energy in check to match Hannah, who is less reserved.
“Hannah and I are incredibly different,” she said. “I have kind of Labrador Retriever energy and Hannah is more a sphinx of a cat who wants to be left alone.”
Singer provided guidance and Dave was the author, so the actors could also stay true to their scripts.
“How Josh likes to work is we have a backyard with this old 100 year old pine tree, which you can sit under. Jen would visit us before we started filming and go over the script several times. Josh wanted to hear what the words sound like. Dave explained that Angourie and other cast members joined us, then Dave. “The script was so well-written by the time we set it.”
Dave spent 10 years writing the book and says for someone who loves the process of writing, this one was “painful.” The screenplay was a different story. It was so positive that it made her feel emotional. “There were a couple of times when we were in my backyard where I had to casually say, ‘Excuse me’ and I went inside and I was like a puddle. And then I’d go back outside and Jen would be like, ‘You’re not fooling anyone. I can see the crying.’”
Of the couple working together again, Dave says, “I should be so lucky.”
“Josh taught me so, so much,” she said. “There’s not a thing that this guy does not get. He thinks about and wants to talk about everything. This created an atmosphere that everyone felt included. I loved watching it. I enjoy being alone in a space and not having to talk to anyone. There’s no plans that can be canceled, that I’m not happy they were canceled. He’s the opposite.”
Singer is equally complimentary. “I’ve been a Laura Dave fan for a long time now,” he said. “She is such an inspiring, unerring compass of emotion, character and story. There’s nothing better than working with someone who has a true compass.”
Alicia Rancilio, The Associated Press
