In 2007, Jonah Hill and Michael Cera starred in Superbad, the story of two high school besties determined to have an epic night out. In 2019, Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever are starring in Booksmart, the story of two high school besties determined to have an epic night out. Although the films are very different in many ways, there are clearly several points of comparison, the biggest of which being that both are stories about friendship. And considering that Hill is Feldstein’s brother, he had some advice for her when she started filming Booksmart.
“We were talking about about Superbad being such a great example of true friendship,” director Olivia Wilde tells EW, remembering a conversation she had with Feldstein and Dever. “Beanie shared that Jonah said that he and Michael had spent just tons of time together [during Superbad].”
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Dever motions to Feldstein and adds, “I remember you said that Jonah gave you that advice before you started — to spend as much time as you can with me.” That’s part of the reason why Feldstein and Dever decided to live together during filming. “We knew that it was essential for these girls because that’s what this movie lives on, their chemistry,” Dever says.
But there is a catch to playing believable besties on screen. As Wilde points out to her two stars, “The crazy thing is, like Jonah and Michael, anytime you guys hang out together in public for the rest of your lives, people are going to freak out.”
And it seems like Hill has some advice — or rather life experience — for that part of the gig too. “After Superbad, Michael and Jonah had to meet up at, like, 3 in the morning and takes walks because they couldn’t be seen together,” Feldstein says. “They were like the Bachelor.”
Booksmart hits theaters May 24.
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