Maybe it’s because Alex is not entirely straight.
Read on for EW’s chat with Johnson about the 10 years it took to make the film.
How was that process this time around withAlex Strangelove?
Netflix
CRAIG JOHNSON: Each film is still a challenge.
And it was challenging for different reasons.
This one was hard not because of the subject matter, but the cast was entirely kids.
Netflix
When we were first shopping it around, the traditional studios would say, “We love this.
Honest to God, I tried different versions of it, but those versions just didn’t hold water.
So it really came down to Netflix with their model of original films.
The financing is not based on any opening weekend, so they were like, “We love this.
Cast whoever you want” which we did!
How long did it take you from when you first started on this story to now?
Ten years, actually.
I would update as well to reflect the changing high school social landscapes.
All of this is part of the conversation in high school.Alex Strangelove, I wanted it to reflect that.
It was just the time being right for it.
This movie makes sense now.”
What was the kernel of the story that first got you writing about it?
It’s very personal.
I just thought, “Wow!
High school is a different place than it was when I was there.”
They feel like real kids.
That came from a very personal place.
If it weren’t for that pesky sex thing, hey, it might’ve all worked out differently.
I just thought that conflict, if treated sincerely, could sustain a story about high school kids.
Let’s talk about your two leads, Daniel and Madeline.
What were your first impressions of them?
Daniel is a sweet kid from Vancouver, B.C.
He just had everything we were looking for.
He had sort of a naivete to him, but also a real intelligence.
That was hard to find when we were auditioning kids.
Kids would come in and they would read.
And then Madeline we found in New York.
She was in an extraordinary movie calledBeach Rats.
I think you’re able to only tease out chemistry that’s already there between the actors.
Immediately, Madeline and Daniel just had an easygoing chemistry.
You see it in the room, and it doesn’t take long.
Within 30 to 40 seconds, it was like, “Okay.
It’s here between these two.”
So I’m sold.
I saw that Ben Stiller was an executive producer on this film.
How did he get involved with the project?
When Stiller became involved, did that help propel the project forward?
It did, absolutely.
It never hurts to have Ben Stiller involved with your project.
It legitimized things in a certain way.
I think it also legitimized the comedic pedigree of it.
How did you approach this material?
The heart and soul with this project started with the relationship.
So really the emotional stuff and the dramatic stuff, it always had a comedic sensibility to it.
I think there’s enough in the movie where [we should] be all-inclusive here.
“Hey, you gotta check out this movie.
Yeah, it’s a little gay, but it’s really funny and good!”
That’s my impression of a straight guy.
I mean, it sounds authentic to me.
How do you see the evolution of how easy or difficult it is to make LGBTQ films these days?
I would say it always helps if the film is good.
And good films start with characters that are compelling, and drama.
That’s the most important thing.
You gotta see to it just your storytelling is there.
I just believe the cream rises and they will find their audiences.
We’ve seen just a wave of that in the past couple years withMoonlightandCall Me By Your NameandLady Bird.
They’re all great movies.
Yeah, they have LGBTQ characters, but first and foremost they’re great movies.
