*contains potential spoilers*
The newest romantic drama adapted from a Nicholas Sparks novel hits theaters today. With “Dear John,” the author of “The Notebook” and “Nights in Rodanthe” makes another foray into familiar territory: a five-hanky story of star-crossed lovers who find and lose each other along a Southern coast. This time, the action takes place under a Sullivan’s Island moon.Lasse Hallstrom (“Chocolat”) directs Channing Tatum (“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”) and Amanda Seyfried (“Mamma Mia!”) as John and Savannah. We chatted with the two young actors about the challenges of capturing young love.
Q: The South is like a character in this film. Did shooting in Charleston affect the way you embodied these roles?
Seyfried: The whole place is a bit slower. And it’s more romantic than anywhere else. Savannah’s a slow-paced girl who grew up around horses.
Tatum: Charleston was basically in my backyard when I was growing up [in Alabama and Florida]. This was the first time in my career that I did a movie in the South. The Southern swing of things is slower, and people are different. I miss it immensely. It’s such a romantic movie, and the city is gorgeous and adds to the romance so much. John is a good Southern boy.
Q: In “Mean Girls” and on “Big Love,” you’ve mostly played teenagers. What were the challenges of playing a young girl who becomes a stepmother and endures grief?
In Time
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