By Joy Evangelica Agoylo
The wait is almost over. Regretting You, the highly anticipated adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, hits Philippine cinemas on October 22.
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
Starring Mckenna Grace as Clara Grant and Allison Williams as her mother, Morgan, the film is directed by Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) and dives deep into a story of love, loss, and rediscovery after a devastating tragedy.
At the heart of the story is Clara, feisty, flawed, and fascinating. “Mckenna brings so much life to Clara,” says Williams. “She’s an extraordinary actress.”
So who exactly is Clara Grant, and who is the 19-year-old powerhouse bringing her to life? Here are 12 things you need to know about Mckenna Grace and her unforgettable new role.
1. She’s been acting for nearly her whole life
At just five years old, Mckenna Grace was already performing. Fast forward to 19, and she’s starred in Captain Marvel, The Handmaid’s Tale (earning an Emmy nomination), and now, Regretting You. “Clara has been such a special role for me,” she says. “She’s so complicated, mature and immature all at once.”
2. Her on-screen boyfriend is her real-life best friend
Clara’s love interest, Miller, is played by Mason Thames, who also happens to be Mckenna’s real-life best friend. “We already knew each other so well,” Grace says. “We’d been goofing off for a year, and then suddenly we were working together, having a blast!”
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
3. The first week of filming was on Miller’s house
Their first scenes were shot at Miller’s place, complete with goats and horses. “I especially loved that first week,” Grace recalls. She even brought along her pet Yorkshire Terrier, Gizmo, to keep her company on set.
4. Clara’s rebellion hits close to home
When Miller accuses Clara of using him to “piss off” her mom, Grace admits there might be some truth to that. “Sometimes she knows she’s doing it, and sometimes she doesn’t,” Grace laughs. “But she definitely does it anyway.”
5. The couple’s shared passion? Movies
Clara dreams of becoming an actor. Miller wants to direct. “Miller’s a filmmaker, so he’s very creative,” says Thames. It’s a love story born from cinema itself.
6. Miller’s a secret romantic
He’s obsessed with love stories, especially Elizabethtown by Cameron Crowe, one of director Josh Boone’s favorite filmmakers (and yes, there’s a poster of it in Miller’s room).
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
7. Clara’s first kiss moment is one for the books
Clara’s funny, sarcastic, and captivating, especially if you’re Miller. “Whoever Miller’s first kiss was with, it wasn’t like his first kiss with Clara. That’s the kind of moment everyone looks for,” says Thames.
8. From straight-A student to rule-breaker
Before tragedy strikes, Clara’s a model student. After? She spirals. Rebelling, grieving, and making mistakes. “She’s just trying to figure herself out,” Grace explains. “It’s what makes her so human.”
9. A director who knows heartbreak
Regretting You is helmed by Josh Boone, who also directed The Fault in Our Stars. No wonder this film already feels like another tearjerker classic in the making.
10. Music is in the film’s DNA
Boone, a former record store employee, built the film’s soundtrack before shooting even began. “Music is my starting point,” he says. “It’s important to Clara, too.”
11. Like Clara, Mckenna’s good at keeping secrets
“I don’t have a lot of secrets myself,” she says, “but I’m a vault for other people’s. I’m a really, really good secret-keeper.”
12. She’s also a rising musician
Mckenna has released over 30 songs since her 2021 debut single “Haunted House.” “Music writing is my therapy,” she says. A fitting echo of Clara’s emotional depth.
Regretting You, from Paramount Pictures, opens in Philippine cinemas on October 22.
Watch the trailer here.
#RegrettingYouMovie
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Jasmine Curtis-Smith is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine right now, as she shares her thoughts on good storytelling in films, as she’s set to star in upcoming movies Open Night, a 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival sapphic film entry; and Manila’s Finest, an upcoming 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) crime drama movie.
Read the Stylish Magazine September-October 2025 cover story here.
Watch out for a new #StylishPodcast episode featuring our cover girl Jasmine Curtis-Smith, dropping soon on Facebook and YouTube.
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