Gabby Kono-Abdy – Wish You Were Here

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) Please tell us the premise for the film Wish You Were Here.

A) Wish You Were Here follows Charlotte (Isabelle Fuhrman), a young woman who experiences a whirlwind romance with a stranger – Adam (Mena Massoud). After their perfect night together, she wakes up to find him completely uninterested: he essentially kicks her out of his apartment. As she grapples with the aftermath, Charlotte uncovers truths about this mystery man that ultimately alters her life forever. The film playfully explores themes of dating, marriage and love as well as goes deeper into themes of the fragility of life, financial hardships and family unity.

Q) How was your character originally described to you?

A) I first came across Helen – my character – when I read the book back in late 2016, and through first Renee Carlino’s book and then Julia’s [Stiles] adaptation of the novel, I learned more and more about Helen. Helen is the type of best friend who feels like family – like the sister you always wished you had. She’s someone you can count on to show up when you need her, offering a mix of strength and sensitivity. With her humor and honesty, she brings both lightness and depth to tough situations. More than just a supportive friend, she’s the kind of person who gives you a real perspective on things, always willing to challenge you while still having your back in the most meaningful way. Spontaneous and carefree, Helen is the complete opposite of her best friend Charlotte – Helen really finds the fun in anything she does.

Over the seven years of developing this book-to-screen adaptation, I daydreamed about playing her and I really got to know her layers. The more time I spent with Helen, the more I connected with her emotional journey, and as I developed her character more and more, I saw her vulnerability alongside her strength. Playing her felt like uncovering new pieces of a puzzle over time.

Q) What was it about the role or the script that drew you to be a part of the movie?

A) What really attracted me to the role of Helen was how she balances out the heavier aspects of the story. While the film tackles some tough emotions, Helen brings a sense of levity and lightness, so playing this character was like a breath of fresh air. Her love story (with Roddy, played by Josh Caras) offers a major character arc and we get to see all the way through, unlike Charlotte and Adam’s, which ends too soon. Helen’s journey is something we get to experience fully, and I gravitated towards this role because it genuinely felt like such a rewarding contrast to the heartache around her.

Q) There is SUCH chemistry between Charlotte and Adam. What was it like for you watching these two connect romantically on screen?

A) Being a fan of the book, then seeing it come to life with Julia’s vision was so exciting. You have all these ideas in your head about how the characters will translate from page to screen and then working with amazing actors like Isabelle Fuhrman and Mena Massoud made it all so much more than I could’ve ever imagined. When you read a book, you always imagine how the characters will be brought to life and their chemistry is undeniable and, honestly, it wasn’t just about what you saw on screen – working with them day in and day out and becoming close friends was the best part. It made the whole process feel even more authentic and special.

Q) Talk about working with actor/writer/director Julia Stiles.

A) It still feels like a “pinch me” moment when I think about the past five years of working with Julia. I actually brought her the book back in 2020 and watching her take it from an idea to a full-fledged film was so impressive. She adapted the book into a beautiful screenplay and just seamlessly jumped into the director’s seat, managing all the responsibilities that come with it. Her ability to juggle it all while staying true to the heart of the story was incredible. I, honestly, couldn’t have imagined a better partner to help bring this vision to life and to collaborate with for all these years.

Q) We’ve all had our heart broken before. What were some of your favorite scenes or the most difficult emotionally to shoot with costar Isabelle Fuhrman?

A) There’s this one scene at the end of the film where Helen has to show up for Charlotte, to motivate her to move on after Adam’s passing. Charlotte is in such a deep grief and Helen needs to help her find a way back to life. After filming the scene a few times, Isabelle and I were just kind of sitting there, holding each other because the emotional weight of the scene hit us both so hard. Julia was ready to move on to the next scene, but she saw us in that moment and said, “Stop, don’t move. Let’s take it from there!” It’s the take that ended up in the film. It was pure, unfiltered emotion – just us being there for each other, really feeling the heaviness of the situation.

Q) The movie also stars legendary actors Jennifer Grey and Kelsey Grammer – not to mention Julia Stiles. Did you get much time with one or the other to hear some of their incredible stories from working over the years?

A) Julia and I have spent years getting to know each other, working on this film and spending quality time together. She’s not just an incredible collaborator, but also a dear friend whose perspective I truly value and admire. As for Jennifer and Kelsey, simply being on set with them was a dream. Their experience and expertise brought so much to the production and spending time with them off-screen was just so much fun. I really wish we had even more time to explore each of their amazing characters. Every moment on set with Jennifer and Kelsey was a treat and I would’ve loved to dive deeper into their stories.

Q) The big question surrounding Wish You Were Here is if you believe in soulmates. What are your thoughts?

A) Ah, this… I mean, yes?! I don’t know if many would agree, but I do. I believe in soulmates and I don’t think it’s just about romantic partners. Some of my closest friendships feel like soulmates, and even family like with my two older sisters: definitely feel like we were meant to be in each other’s lives, maybe we were even connected in a past life. And then there’s my husband, Michael. With him, it truly feels like the universe aligned for us, as though everything fell into place. I can’t explain it, but it’s almost like it was meant to be. I know, I know, I sound like a total cliché/cheeseball, but it’s also how I imagine my character Helen feels. I think we both share that belief in these meaningful, almost destined connections. It’s something that made me connect to her even more.

Q) What do you hope lingers with audiences that watch this movie – either as a message or an emotion?

A) I hope the movie leaves audiences with a sense of hope about connection. It feels like nowadays, everyone is a bit disassociated, glued to their phones, computers, etc. It’s easy to forget that real, life-changing connections can still happen. That cosmic connection, like the one we witness with Adam and Charlotte, the kind where everything aligns and shifts your life forever, is something that can still exist, and I think it’s something worth holding onto.

Q) What are the other projects that you have been busy working on lately?

A) I can’t dive into too much detail just yet, but I’ve been working on some really exciting projects, especially a few more book-to-screen adaptations. I have such a passion for reading, and I love finding those hidden gems, the lesser-known novels or authors whose stories deserve a wider audience. I’m really excited about bringing these under-the-radar stories to life and watching them transcend onto the big screen.

Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of the work you do?

A) I guess that I know it can sometimes feel like your dream of making a film will never come to fruition, especially when it takes years to bring it to life. But when you truly believe in the heart of a story, and keep pushing forward despite the “no’s,” self-doubt, or setbacks, it’s all worth it. Being able to sit in a movie theater, watch a story that I love come to life, and know I was a big part of that journey…Well, it’s the best feeling in the world.