I had been following Charlie Harper for nearly two years before I finally saw it at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. What stayed with me afterward was how honestly it captured a relationship changing over time. Charlie and Harper love each other, but love alone cannot keep them from growing in different directions. Nick Robinson and Emilia Jones make every stage of that journey feel lived in, from the easy intimacy to the arguments that leave both people hurting.
I recently spoke with Robinson and Jones about the festivals that helped shape their careers, how they built their chemistry, and what they did to unwind after filming one of the movie’s toughest scenes.
Scott Menzel: What role have film festivals played in shaping your careers?
Nick Robinson: One of the first films I ever did went to Sundance. I was 18, and it was such a special experience. It solidified my love for film. I remember thinking, “I want to do this.” I was meeting interesting people and having all these new experiences. That first Sundance really impacted my life and career.
Scott: I was at that Sundance. I remember when The Kings of Summer was still called Toy’s House.
Nick: Yes! That was a fun year. I had such a good time.
Emilia Jones: I did this tiny indie film that went to Sundance, and it became this crazy experience. CODA won awards there, Apple picked it up, and suddenly we were on this incredible journey.
We had been worried no one would see the film. We worked so hard on it, but it was during COVID, and cinemas weren’t opening. Then Sundance held the festival virtually. If CODA hadn’t gone there, who knows who would have seen it?
Scott: A love story depends so much on the connection between the two people at its center. Did that chemistry come naturally, or did you spend time building it before filming?
Nick: It took a lot of work, Scott. It was hard. [Laughs.] No, Emilia is the best. She’s so smart and talented, and it felt seamless right from the start. I think this project found us at the right time in both our lives. We could bring our own experiences to it.
Tom Dean and Mac Eldridge encouraged us to rehearse, get to know each other, and spend as much time together as we could before filming. From there, it took care of itself.
Scott: It feels incredibly natural on screen. I wanted to ask you both something a little more personal: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done for love?
Emilia: Flown across the world. When you have only two days off, traveling that far to see someone can feel pretty crazy. I’ve done a lot of that for love.
Scott: With your schedule, I believe it.
Nick: She works too much, Scott. I’ve been telling her to take a break.
Emilia: I feel amazing! Nick works a lot, too.
Scott: You both work too much.
Scott: There are some emotionally difficult scenes in Charlie Harper. How did you decompress afterward?
Emilia: After our ten-page fight scene, we watched We’re the Millers.
Nick: We did. We were staying at the same hotel in New Orleans, so after long days we’d sometimes rehearse or spend time together. We were both sick at one point, and I made Emilia chicken soup.
Emilia: Nick’s a great cook.
Nick: After that fight scene, I got really sick. I also try to find a spa wherever I’m filming and spend some time in a steam room or sauna.
Emilia: I love a sauna. And I watch feel-good movies.
