Writer, director, actress, and now Netflix’s latest breakout filmmaker, Leah McKendrick is having a major moment. Her latest film, Voicemails for Isabelle, has quickly become a global sensation, climbing to the No. 1 spot on Netflix and resonating with audiences around the world.
Starring Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson, the film follows Jill (Deutch), a grieving young woman who continues leaving voicemails for her late sister, unaware that the phone number now belongs to a stranger named Wes (Robinson). What unfolds is a deeply moving story about loss, healing, connection, and love.
During our conversation, McKendrick opened up about balancing romance, comedy, and grief within the film, collaborating with her talented cast, the power of streaming on Netflix, and why she hopes the romantic comedy genre receives the respect it deserves once again.
Jeff Conway: As you were crafting Voicemails for Isabelle, in what ways did you navigate the line between romance, comedy, and grief? Mixing those effectively in one feature film isn’t easy. How did you make sure they all fit together in an authentic way?
Leah McKendrick: Thank you. The North Star is always Izzy. Izzy is the North Star. If you think about any intimate relationship, there’s heartbreak, humor, and intimacy. Even before I started directing my own scripts, people would ask me, “What is the tone of this?” They’d say I was a little messy tonally. But that’s because I’m all over the place as a human being, and life is all over the place.
Life is genre-bending. So I don’t worry too much about that. Music, the score, and the needle drops help guide how I’m hoping audiences feel in each moment. Hopefully you’re in her head and in her heart. There are definitely moments of emotional whiplash, but I love that because that’s life. You’re crying and then something weird happens and suddenly you’re laughing.
I always run the risk of people thinking I’m a mess, but I don’t worry about it. I just want to include all of the human moments—embarrassment, humiliation, loneliness, longing, yearning, pride, failure. I throw it all in because that’s what life feels like.
Jeff Conway: Voicemails for Isabelle could have gone to theaters, but instead it’s become the No. 1 movie on Netflix. What has been the biggest benefit of having the film debut on a streaming platform with that kind of reach?
Leah McKendrick: I’m amazed by how many people have already seen it. We came out on Friday and it’s only Tuesday. Millions of people have watched it and have been messaging me about it.
The global reach is unmatched when you’re a Netflix girl. I grew up going to theaters. I grew up going to Blockbuster and bringing home VHS tapes and DVDs with my family. I absolutely believe that in theaters we get to dream together.
But the most important thing to me is that people get to see our work. Hundreds of people came together to make this film. It’s not just me or Zoey or the studio. It’s every artist, every designer, every crew member, every song, every prop, every piece of artwork on the wall. So for me, it’s important that as many people as possible get to experience what we created.
Jeff Conway: When it came to casting Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson as Jill and Wes, what was it about them as actors and as people that made you feel they were the right fit?
Leah McKendrick: Zoey shares a lot of DNA with Jill. She has a real-life older sister. She’s hilarious, unfiltered, and wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s one of the most soulful humans I’ve ever met. There was never anybody else for me but Zoey.
With Nick, Zoey actually had a crush on him in high school. They already had a genuine bond and trust that you simply can’t fake. Nick is incredibly sincere, kind, loving, and gentle. To me, the most attractive quality in a man is gentleness. A man who can be soft and protect your heart. That’s Nick as a human being, and that’s Wes as a character.
Jeff Conway: What does it mean to you to see “Written and Directed by Leah McKendrick” attached to the No. 1 movie on Netflix? What do you hope this success says to other female filmmakers and to studios moving forward?
Leah McKendrick: The last few days have really affirmed something for me: nobody knows girlhood like a girl.
If you want to connect with that audience, let women tell those stories. What’s been really beautiful is seeing how many men are connecting to the movie too. Husbands are crying. Gay besties are crying. Everybody is connecting to it.
Women have spent generations watching stories told through a male perspective. This proves that men can be equally invested in stories told through a female perspective.
I also think the romantic comedy genre has unfairly become a bit of a dirty word. I always think about filmmakers like Nora Ephron, Nancy Meyers, and Cameron Crowe. We don’t think of their work as lesser. Some of the greatest movies ever made and some of the most quoted lines in film history came from those movies.
I would love to see the genre respected again. I want to see Tom Cruise come back and do a rom-com. I want to see Meryl Streep do a rom-com. Let’s bring the genre back and let’s win some awards doing it.
Jeff Conway: The soundtrack is incredible, but for me, Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own” takes on an entirely new meaning after watching this film. If you could say something directly to Robyn about what her music meant to this movie, what would you tell her?
Leah McKendrick: Robyn, my queen, my icon, my legend.
“Dancing on My Own” is one of the greatest songs ever written. It reminds me what it means to yearn and to search for love. It also reminds me that love began with my little sister. She taught me what true love is.
The song reminds me that we’re never really dancing on our own. Even when we’re heartbroken and feel completely alone, we’re far more connected than we realize.
I actually wrote this movie to “Dancing on My Own,” so having Robyn not only allow us to use that song but also “Show Me Love” was the ultimate full-circle moment for me as a girl, a filmmaker, and an artist. I’m so grateful to her.
Jeff Conway: If you could speak directly to Brita, Jill, and Wes after everything they’ve experienced in this story, what would you say to them?
Leah McKendrick: To Brita, I’d say congratulations on your wedding. I’m a newlywed too, and it feels really good to let your crazy out and know they can’t leave you. They’re stuck with us.
To Jill, I’d say that Izzy will always be with you. Keep dancing. Keep your heart open to all forms of love. And as Izzy told her, “You’re the most lovable person I’ve ever known.”
And to Wes, I’d say I’m so proud of you. I’m proud of you for opening your heart, for embracing your grief, and for allowing yourself to be vulnerable. We’re all hurting. But it’s a little easier when we hold each other through it.
Voicemails for Isabelle is now streaming on Netflix and continues to resonate with audiences worldwide through its heartfelt exploration of grief, healing, and the unexpected connections that can change our lives.
Watch our full interview below:
