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Summary
All That We Love, which premiered on June 8 atTribeca Film Festival, is a touching albeit fictionalized tribute to filmmaker Yen Tan’s own dearly departed dogs.Legendary comedian Margaret Chostars as Emma, whose empty nest syndrome grows more pronounced after the death of her dog, Tanner. To top it off, she is dealing poorly with her ex-husband Andy (Kenneth Choi) and the fact that her daughter Maggie (Alice Lee) will soon be moving to Australia.
At the same time, Emma’s best friend Stan (played byModern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson) experiences his own heart-wrenching loss. While the ways they each deal with their respective grief put their longstanding relationship to the test,All That We Loveteaches viewers to cultivate empathy and celebrate life however long one has it. The movie also stars Missi Pyle as Emma’s coworker, who decides to exchange her job for spirituality, in a move that may seem silly but comes across as sincere.
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While at Tribeca,Screen Rantinterviewed the cast and crew ofAll That We Loveabout the touching experience of making the heartwarming movie, as well as their expectations for other projects such as9-1-1season 8, the potential for a return ofGalaxy Quest, and the long-awaited yet surprisingModern Familyreunion.
Margaret Cho Feels A Personal Pet Connection To All That We Love
Screen Rant: Clearly, you love dogs. What can you tell us about the way that your character Emma deals with the loss of a beloved animal?
Margaret Cho: I think what happens is that, whenever an animal dies, it’s so life-altering. People don’t realize that pet grief can be really debilitating — almost more so than grieving over a person. It sounds trivial, but for me, that was the case. think for Emma, in this film, it really does change her life. She has to really go over all the things in her life that have meaning.
It’s a really amazing journey, and I loved being part of the film to explore that because I’ve experienced it.
The movie also comes from a personal place for Yen Tan. Can you talk about how your personal experiences influenced the work?
Margaret Cho: I think that Yen wrote such a beautiful script that, when I first read it, I was just so moved. I could really feel the truth in it. He’s been through so many things, and it’s so powerful that I think that truth really speaks on the screen. He’s also an incredible director and writer, so it was beautiful to give voice and image to that grief and that sadness.
You are already a legend in the industry, and you have plenty of projects coming up. Is there anything in particular that you’re most excited for people to see?
Margaret Cho: I’m excited because I have a film coming out later this month calledCora Bora with Megan Stalter. It’s my first full nude! At 54, I’m full nude. I’m really proud. [Laughs] You’ve got to watch it.
Source:Screen Rant Plus
All That We Love’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson Touches On Grief, Beloved Pets, And Modern Family
Screen Rant: I’m really fascinated by the premise ofAll That We Love. What was it that drew you to the story and to the character of Stan?
Jesse Tyler Ferguson: Well, I’ve been a fan of Yen Tan, who is the writer and director. I loved his past films, so the fact that he was asking me to do one of his pieces was an immediate yes for me.
I am a dog person. I’ve never experienced the loss of a pet, but I feel like I’m gearing up the that because I have an older dog. I just loved the exploration of loss and how it affects your loved ones, and grief, which is something that everyone works through differently. It’s a really interesting, beautiful, and quiet film.
Can you talk about your relationship with Margaret Cho’s Emma, and the sides of friendship that we see there?
Jesse Tyler Ferguson: Margaret and I play longtime friends who have a deep history together, and it sort of fractures a little bit with the way that she’s dealing with grief versus the way that I’ve dealt with grief. We collide a bit, and it makes for an interesting moment with us.
I love films that are written with these deep, complex relationships. And you have the challenge of then creating that and making that history happen, even though you’ve just met someone for a few days. She was very easy to do that with.
Speaking of complex relationships, you set the internet ablaze with yourModern Familytease. What more can you tell us about what’s coming?[Note:TheModern Familyreunionhas since occurred.]
Jesse Tyler Ferguson: Honestly, you’re going to be so disappointed; I have no new information. I’ve told people that something is coming. And something IS coming, but it’s not a reboot. It’s something that I had a lot of fun doing.
Something better than a reboot?
Jesse Tyler Ferguson: Well, I hesitate to say that. [Laughs]
Finally, you mentioned your dog, and this movie is about the animals we love. Do you have a cherished memory you would like to share with us?
Jesse Tyler Ferguson: A cherished memory of a pet? Oh, my gosh. I adopted my first dog with my now husband when we were newly dating. It was probably too early to adopt a dog, but it definitely brought us together because we had this other thing to focus on that wasn’t just a new relationship. It was also kind of a flex to get a new dog with someone that you just met. But, look, I’ve been married now almost 11 years, so it worked out!
All That We Love’s Kenneth Choi Is Proud To Have Worked Alongside His Hero Margaret Cho
Screen Rant: What made you excited to work onAll That We Love?
Kenneth Choi: The script Yen Tan — our fearless leader, our director and writer — wrote the most beautiful script with his writing partner, Clay Liford. As soon as I put it down, I wanted to do it. Not just for the tone, not just for the storyline of redemption, but because the character is wonderful. I’ve never been able to play someone like this in my entire career.
You act opposite Margaret Cho, and you two have a lot of rich history in the story. Can you talk about that dynamic, and getting to have her as a partner?
Kenneth Choi: She kind of was my hero. I don’t even know if I told her this, but she was my hero growing up. I came from a very traditional Korean background, and they were very traditional.
I sort of had an irreverent sense of humor, and then we heard about this Margaret Cho talking about her family and her Korean heritage, and kind of making fun of it. My parents saw her and were like, “We don’t like her!” And I immediately went, “That’s my favorite new comic.” She kind of became my secret hero because I was not allowed to watch her, but I did.
She was one of those faces. When you are Asian in the ’80s, you don’t see a lot of representation of you. So, she was everywhere, and she was kind of like a hero. I actually don’t think I told her that. “You’re my hero, Margaret!”
Do you have your own cherished memories of a pet or animal?
Kenneth Choi: Yeah, I had this cat called Iceman. I’m allergic to cats, and this cat chose me. I feel that sometimes pets choose you. So, he chose me, and I took him. One reason why I didn’t like cats is I’m allergic to them, and I got so allergic after five years that I had to give him away. But I gave him to a vet tech with a really wonderful family. Every now and then, I miss him.
You are also highlycherished on9-1-1. What can we expect for season 8?
Kenneth Choi: I don’t know! They just started the writers’ room, so we have no idea what’s going to happen. Probably a lot of turmoil, a lot of trauma, and disasters. We really have no idea. They just started the writer’s room, I think, last Monday. We start in July.
Alice Lee Praises All That We Love’s Script & Talks Lois Lane
Screen Rant: What drew you toAll That We Loveand to your character?
Alice Lee: I thought the story was super beautiful. It deals with a lot of relatable topics, like grief, family, loss, and how we all kind of navigate that in different ways.
And I love my character because she’s feisty, she’s very independent, she does her own thing, and she’s not perfect. She’s also figuring out how to deal with her s–t, and I just thought the cast was also going to be incredible. Yeah, I was just very excited to be a part of it.
Speaking of the cast, you get to be feisty opposite Margaret Cho, which must be the dream. Can you talk about working with her?
Alice Lee: I mean, she’s a legend! I grew up watching her, and she paved the way for so many Asian American actors and comedians. Yeah, I learned so much from her just being on acting with her. She’s such a genuine, amazing human being, so just as a human, I’m learning so much from her. I think she deserves the world.
When I saw your name on this list, I got excited because I wanted to tell you that you’re amazing as Lois Lane inMy Adventures With Superman. Do you have any advice for James Gun or Rachel Brosnahan on bringing Lois tolive action inSuperman?
Alice Lee: Well, I don’t know if I have any advice! I don’t know if I’m in that position. I think whatever they’re going to do is going to be [chef’s kiss motion], and it’s just an honor to be a part of that universe. I’m very excited to see what they cook up.
Finally, this movie is about the animals that we love. Do you have a cherished animal you would like to shout out?
Alice Lee: I had a snail when I was younger in elementary school. That was the closest thing to a pet I had, but I really loved that snail. But I would love to get a dog at some point!
Missi Pyle Talks All That We Love’s Sincerity & A Possible Return For Galaxy Quest
Screen Rant: What was it that drew you to the story and to your character?
Missi Pyle: Well, for me, it was Margaret. I’ve always been such a big fan of hers.
And then I love that this character leaves her job to pursue a relationship with the Lord, which is usually kind of corny. I remember reading it and thinking, “Oh, is it going to be sort of cheesy?” But it’s very pure, and she’s just like, “I have this little bit of time left, and I want to do it how I want to do it.” I like that.
I know this is a very personal story for Yen Tan as well. How did collaborating with him open up your mindset to the character?
Missi Pyle: Because my character does something that you can do in an SNL sketch, it was like, “Where is this in you? Where is this person?” He just made it more personal and more relatable, and I think we brought out all the sweetness of it.
There’s a moment where I spoon Margaret, and it’s totally platonic and sweet. It’s just about healing for everybody, and it’s just sweet. It’s just a sweet story.
Recently, rumors have been swirling about thepossibility ofGalaxy Questreturning. Would you want to do that? What are your thoughts?
Missi Pyle: Of course! Of course. That was really the beginning of my career. It’s a really iconic movie, and a real coup to get. I kind of couldn’t believe I was there! I was sort of pinching myself the whole time, like, “Is this my peak?” I can peak and then re-peak.
All That We Love Filmmaker Yen Tan On Giving Margaret Cho More Dramatic Material
Screen Rant: I know this is a very personal story for you. Can you talk about developing it over 10 years?
Yen Tan: Yeah, I think developing it over 10 years wasn’t quite a choice. But I think it’s interesting in the sense that, when the story was written 10 years ago, it was inspired by the death of my dog at that time. And then by the time we were shooting the film, I was putting down my second dog before I went into making the film. The whole thing came around full circle in a very interesting way that I think I’m still reflecting on.
You have an amazing cast, especially Margaret Cho, of course. How did working with her evolve the character of Emma?
Yen Tan: Yeah, Margaret is someone I’ve admired for many years, and I think there was always a part of me that wanted to see how she would tackle more dramatic material for this film.
I think she brought a lot of herself to the film, and I’m really excited for people to see it because it’s definitely a side of her that most of us haven’t seen before.
I know your own pet partially inspired the story, but do you have any favorite memory that made its way into the movie?
Yen Tan: One of the specific elements of the film — other than the fact that I named the dog who passed away Tanner, after my actual dog — is that Margaret’s character Emma sings a song to the dog. It’s a really silly song, and that was very much slipped in from my own experience because I think we say very unguarded, weird things to our animals when nobody’s watching. But I’m glad to put that into the film.
All That We Lovepremiered June 8 at Tribeca Film Festival and is currently seeking distribution.
All That We Love
Cast
All That We Love, released in 2024, explores themes of grief and renewal as Emma faces a midlife awakening after the loss of her family dog. Her journey impacts her friend Stan, daughter Maggie, and is further complicated by the return of her estranged ex-husband Andy.
