The Big Picture

Collider’s Isabella Soares interviews the cast of ‘Sweethearts’, which follows two college freshmen as they navigate breakups amid Thanksgiving chaos.
The film stars Kiernan Shipka, as she transitions from dramatic roles to being a rom-com lead, alongside comedy veterans Nico Hiraga and Caleb Hearon.
The actors reflect on the buddy comedy elements of their film, improv opportunities, and the gratitude for working together.

The holiday spirit is in the air, and although Christmas movies may be on trend, there is space to squeeze in a Thanksgiving watch. Sweethearts, arriving on Max this week, follows best friends Ben (Nico Hiraga) and Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) as they head home for Thanksgiving break with a goal in mind: split up from their high school sweethearts. Determined to make the most of the college experience without clinging to the past, they come up with a break-up pact. With some help from their friend, Palmer (Caleb Hearon), the duo go through a hectic night out, trying to get a hold of their significant others on Thanksgiving Eve.

After a busy year starring in movies like Longlegs and Red One, Shipka is ready to go from a “drama girly” to a romantic lead in Sweethearts. Venturing into lighthearted territory, the actress was accompanied by two people who know a thing or two about having fun on the job. Hiraga has starred in several coming-of-age comedies, like Booksmart and Moxie, and Hearon is a seasoned stand-up comedian.

Ahead of the project’s streaming release, I spoke with Shipka, Hiraga, and Hearon. During our conversation, they shared how Jamie and Ben’s crazy journey has Superbad undertones, why Shipka was drawn to this buddy comedy, working with Jordan Weiss on her feature directorial debut, having room to improvise, and what they are most grateful for about working together.

‘Superbad’ Was a Buddy Comedy the Cast Revisited While Filming ‘Sweethearts’
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

COLLIDER: To start things off. What I enjoyed about this film is that it’s, in its essence, a buddy comedy. Are there any of your favorite buddy comedies that you revisited while you were working on this film?

KIERNAN SHIPKA: I think during the film or before, Superbad is probably one of my ultimate. Hot Fuzz is one of my favorite buddy comedies ever. I love a Hot Fuzz moment, but I actually saw it for the first time after this movie. It did not make its way into this performance, but just a shout-out to a buddy comedy that I think is pretty perfect.

CALEB HEARON: It’s a great one! Superbad was big on my mind while reading the script. I mean, it really was. It felt like this night of misadventure. Y’all’s friendship in the movie has this classic buddy comedy thing. In all these scripts, the good ones, there’s a fundamental flaw in the friendship that needs to be addressed. I was just reading it and thinking so much about that for you guys, and how it was going to be beautiful to see these characters resolve this because they’re going to end up together in some way. Buddies, romantic, or whatever it may be.

NICO HIRAGA: Definitely a big one. Pineapple Express is great!

HEARON: Uhum, so funny!

Kiernan Shipka Might Be More of a ‘Drama Girly’, But She Loves a Rom-Com
“I love a rom-com, and it felt like a really fun and different world that I wanted to play in.”
Image via Max

For sure! Well, Kiernan, one thing I wanted to ask you about is that you’ve had a particularly great year, starring in films within different genres. When the script for Sweethearts came your way, what about this story appealed to you?

SHIPKA: My gosh, so much! It was a really smart script. That’s what I really loved about it upon first read, was that these characters were fully fleshed out, and real people struggling with real things. On top of that, it was so funny. Yeah, it was just meeting with Jordan and then Dan and just everyone involved was amazing. There was not a moment when I had to go, oh, do I want to do this? It was always that I wanted to do this. I love a rom-com, and it felt like a really fun and different world that I wanted to play in. I also love comedy. I love improv. I grew up doing improv. I know I’m more of a drama girly, maybe in an association sort of way. I do a lot of drama and horror, so to do something that felt like proper comedy with incredible actors and also incredible comedians was so exciting for me. So, yeah, it was. It was pretty much just an all around, yes!

HEARON: One thing about Kiernan Shipka. When she books a job, we say thank you.

SHIPKA: [LAUGHS] Thank you.

HEARON: God bless! Thank God she is on that screen.

SHIPKA: I gotta do it.

That is so sweet! Nico, you’ve worked with several first-time directors. I wanted to hear from you. What was it like working with Jordan in her feature directorial debut?

HIRAGA: I think it goes for all of us that it was so good. I mean, she’s a force of nature. She’s a beast. She seems like a veteran at it. You know, seems like she’s been doing it for forever. That didn’t feel like a debut for me. She knew what she was doing. She was dialed in, but made you feel safe and at home every time you pulled up to set. Yeah, I’ve definitely worked with a lot of first times [directors]. Like many of them, she was very successful and just made you feel at ease. I think when you go on set, and you do this job, that’s one of the most important things when you clock in. So yeah, she’s great!

Let’s talk about the movie itself. There is a scene that takes place on the bus where both of your characters, Kiernan and Nico, are rehearsing how they’re going to do the breakup. It’s so hilarious to watch! In talking with Jordan, she shared how she was very open to improv. I was wondering if you guys did a bit of improv in that scene, or if you broke off into laughter while shooting it?

SHIPKA: Stavros [Halkias] was very funny.

HIRAGA: Stavros did a lot of improv.

SHIPKA: Stav was [im]proving. I think he was doing more improv in that scene than we were. I think there might have been a few alts that Jordan gave me.

HIRAGA: There were a couple of looks on the face that were a little different, you know. I mean, yeah, there were a couple of alts, but we went pretty true to the script for that one and Stav just kind of swooped in.

SHIPKA: Yeah, we were straight men, and he just went for it.

Related Kiernan Shipka and Nico Hiraga Make a Breakup Pact in ‘Sweethearts’ Trailer The comedy is the latest to come from ‘Dollface’ creator, Jordan Weiss.

Caleb Hearon Found It Easy to Play Ben and Jamie’s BFF
“There couldn’t be two easier people to fall in love with and to be friends than these two.”
Image via Max

I will talk to you Caleb, right now. I know I’ve waited a little bit to ask you a question, but you play Palmer, who’s also really close to Jamie and Ben, but you guys don’t have a lot of scenes together in person. How did you make sure that the relationship that the characters had on screen would still transpire, even if you didn’t have as many scenes together?

HEARON: Something nice about the role, I mean, sad for us in practice because we weren’t together as much. So jealous! When you guys were shooting the other stuff, I was like, I want to be with them. But the friendship is long-distance, right? That screen-mediated friendship is such a huge thing that everyone’s experiencing now. The first time that we actually get to talk to each other in the film is through FaceTime. Yeah, that element of it felt really true. In terms of making the friendship feel authentic, there couldn’t be two easier people to fall in love with and to be friends than these two. It was just an immediate, very real friendship. Sometimes you have to really work at your job to make it seem like you’re liking people because you don’t know them so well, or maybe there’s a little bit more of a barrier. But this job, it was like, man, I really do love these people. It was so easy, so we really dove right in.

Nico Hiraga and Kiernan Shipka Felt that ‘Sweethearts’ Ending Was “A Pleasant Surprise”
“This whole movie is very clever, and I felt like it was a very clever ending.”

What I like about Sweethearts is that, normally, when you think about buddy comedies or romantic comedies within the coming-of-age phase, it’s usually set in high school, and this is, you know, during college and Palmer is taking a gap year. It’s just a formative moment for all the characters. What is one thing that you think audiences will resonate with your characters’ trajectories in the film?

HIRAGA: Something that might resonate with them from the characters is maybe, you know, standing up for oneself a little bit. Speaking up about true feelings, but also being easy at the hands of the ones that they love. Or it’s okay to be sensitive, or it’s okay to be delicate.

SHIPKA: Love that. Beautiful.

For sure! I guess one thing that I would like to ask you about is the ending. I was surprised as an audience member.

SHIPKA: Yay!

Nico, Kiernan, were you surprised where your characters were headed?

HIRAGA: [To Shipka] Reading the script for the first time, did you feel all the YouTube comments?

SHIPKA: I was probably 50/50. I read the script so quickly. I was so immersed in it, that I don’t really remember thinking what way it was gonna go. But I do remember filming the scene where we kind of have the talk that we probably shouldn’t be together, and this works better as a friendship – if spoilers are okay.

HIRAGA: At the tree house?

SHIPKA: No, after. When you come over.

HIRAGA: Oh, yeah!

SHIPKA: I remember that feeling amazing. This actually is the right way to go about it. I think it’s such a pleasant surprise. It really sort of is. This whole movie is very clever, and I felt like it was a very clever ending.

HIRAGA: Absolutely.

I agree. Caleb, one of the key moments for Palmer, takes place in a fire truck. You’re so funny in all the things that you work on. Did you have room to improv and play around with that scene?

HEARON: Yeah, I improvised a ton in the movie, which was a real credit to Jordan. Obviously, as a woman director – well, first and foremost, just a brilliant director. But, you know, breaking into that space as a first time director and as a woman, I think sometimes we, as people who have marginalized identities, there’s a propensity towards approaching with ego. I’m going to be just like these old, straight, white guys, and I’m going to show up and take up. Jordan doesn’t have that ego. Jordan let us improvise, and wasn’t so precious about the script, and Dan too.

I think the nice thing is, as a comedic actor, when you just get to come in and be funny, that’s a f—ing dream. I mean, I can’t think of anything cooler. When the script is actually good, you don’t feel when you’re improvising that you’re putting on the Superman cape and saving the movie. No, I’m just adding where it’s fun, and I get to stick to the script elsewhere. The fire truck stuff was so fun. We got to work with real firefighters from the Jersey area that came and helped us and rigged us up. When you’re writing a movie like this, you think of those big set pieces, and you think, what’s going to make it a studio comedy. It’s the thing that sets it apart from an indie or more lo-fi comedies is just the big set pieces. It’s the fire at the lake house. It’s all that kind of stuff, you know. And I thought the thorough line of the fire truck and Joel’s character with Tramell [Tillman] was just a lot of fun. I had a blast.

SHIPKA: What I love about your character so much is that you have these incredibly hilarious moments, but then you also have these beautiful, amazing, tender moments. It’s just such a gorgeous thing.

HEARON: As a comedian, if I get to show up and be funny, that’s amazing. If I also get an opportunity to be a little sweet, a little serious, it’s that I got lucky.

HIRAGA: When you show up on Thanksgiving.

SHIPKA: Oh, I love that.

HIRAGA: The Thanksgiving scene, when you just come in with your little thing.

HEARON: Cute, huh? Dan and Jordan are brilliant writers. I always shout-out Dan too, because he was on set on the fly, throwing new lines at us all the time, being like, hey, try this, and then it would murder. Yeah, the two of them, they’re in lockstep.

The ‘Sweethearts’ Cast Is Grateful for Their Friendship On and Off the Screen

I love that you guys had such a great time on set. I have one more question. Can you share something that you are really grateful for about your co-stars? This movie is set on Thanksgiving, so I think it’s fitting to talk about that.

HIRAGA: I’m thankful for these two. [To Shipka] Thankful for her wisdom, the beauty and grace that she carries herself. I mean, I said it a lot earlier, working with you was an absolute pleasure. Both of you, God damn. You guys make me feel at home. You guys made me feel safe. It’s not an easy task. I get anxiety. You guys help me out, so that’s good stuff. Caleb, you are in my heart, bro. I appreciate you.

SHIPKA: I love you guys so much.

HEARON: I’m so grateful for you guys. When I was going to bed, I almost sent the gayest text ever. I said, “Wait, let’s do the press and also the gay text later.”

SHIPKA: Send the gay text. If you take one thing out of this interview, it’s send that gay text.

HEARON: But yeah, there’s so much to be grateful for this movie. It’s such a fun movie to be a part of, for all of us to get to enter our little contribution into the rom-com cannon and our own roles in it. I do think the number one thing I’m grateful for about this movie is your guys’ friendship, getting to meet and be friends with you guys. Genuinely, I don’t want the cycle to end, because I want to hang out outside of this.

SHIPKA: Yeah, it’s over after this. We’re done. It’s cooked. It’s all PR. [LAUGHS] No, I’m so grateful for both these boys. I mean, Nico has such a beautiful openness and just such a welcoming energy. I could be around you all the time. You’re my comfort person, and I’m so thankful for that, especially when you’re working together. That’s so valuable and in friendship, it’s even more so. It is so in a different way. It’s so cool to have people who are so fun to work with and also so fun to hang out with. Caleb, you are a genius. I’m so thankful for your wit, for your integrity, for everything that you say. It is so smart, and you’re so embodied. It’s so gorgeous to watch, because everything that comes out of your mouth is so confident, sharp, it’s smart, it’s funny. You are a dream. You are a dream human. I just cannot believe that I get to sit next to you guys. I’m so lucky. True gems, absolute f—ing gems.

HEARON: Can I get access to this recording? I want to play it on a bad day.

SHIPKA: I will say it again in a voice memo.

Sweethearts is now streaming on Max.

Sweethearts Sweethearts is a comedy directed by Jordan Weiss, centering on two college freshmen who face the challenge of ending their high school relationships during a chaotic Thanksgiving Eve. The film explores themes of friendship and growing up as the characters navigate the pressure of breakups and newfound independence.Release Date November 28, 2024 Director Jordan Weiss Cast Kiernan Shipka , Nico Hiraga , Caleb Hearon , Tramell Tillman , Christine Taylor , Zach Zucker , Subho Basu , Aja Hinds , Charlie Hall , Jake Bongiovi , Sophie Zucker Main Genre Comedy Writers Jordan Weiss , Dan Brier

Watch on Max