Judy Blume’s beloved 1970 coming-of-age novel, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, is getting the movie treatment. The groundbreaking book tells the story of Margaret Simon, a sixth-grade girl with lots of questions about bras, boys, and other early-adolescent anxieties. It’s still relatable today but, at the time of its publication, the groundbreaking novel was considered controversial for its frankness.
Variety is giving us our first look at some of the cast in Lionsgate’s upcoming film adaptation. Margaret is played by Abby Ryder Fortson. The movie also stars Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie, and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates.
According to IMDb, much of the movie was filmed in North Carolina (Charlotte, Concord) during the spring and summer of 2021. The Foxcroft home of some friends of mine was used as the Simon family’s suburban New Jersey house. It had just the right mid-century modern look. The McCelvey Center, originally Yorkville Female College, in York, South Carolina, served as Margaret’s school.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret was written for the screen and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen). Judy Blume, herself, is one of the producers. The film is due in theaters April 28th.