I think that a character like this is going to make a lot of kids feel less alone, but also make a lot of people root for him. And I was discovering about my identity - I was like, “I bet I grow up and I become gay.” So, I wanted to thread that into this film, in order to bring a character like that to life, and what I ultimately feel like is that the film is sort of one in a long line of coming of age films about any kid from a small town who wants to get out, whether they want to play hockey or go to the Olympics, that is relatable. My dream was to be a cat in “Cats” on Broadway. And so at 13, my favorite food was macaroni and cheese. It was always about going back to what was authentic for me at 13.

What conversations did you have about how you wanted to tackle Nate’s sexuality in the movie and for this audience? There are more themes of sexuality in the book, while Nate’s own sexuality is presented as undecided. It’s a lovely story about friendship, about family it’s also about this young boy addressing and discovering his sexuality. To this day, they’re best friends and it’s the coolest. Then, when he and Aria Brooks did their Zoom chemistry read for Libby and Nate, it was undeniable that these two would become best friends. There was a spark there he really inhabited this role in an unapologetic way. He sang a song from “Wicked,” and he was so unapologetic about that. We saw hundreds of boys - many really polished kids who’ve done all these TV shows, Rueby came in on Zoom. What was it about his audition that stood out to you? Let’s talk about your lead actor - you’ve discovered true talent in Rueby Wood. And I thought it was time, and I was really excited for audiences to meet a character like Nate leading a movie like this. I know - because I have this series on Disney plus - that you reach a big audience. But what I hadn’t seen is that unapologetic theater kid at the center of it. When I was growing up in the ’80s, and ’90s, I loved movies like “Ferris Bueller” and “Adventures in Babysitting” - these family movie nights. What were you most excited about when it came to bringing your popular book to life?

You’ve described this movie as a love letter to kids, and to theater kids in particular.

Better nate than ever book series