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Consider this your crash course on the 15-year-old actress—and what it's really like to bring an iconic YA novel like Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. to life on screen.

Girls' Life: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. is obviously a very classic book, and literally generations of readers have felt so connected to it. What made you want to take on the challenge of playing Margaret?

Abby Ryder Fortson: I love the book so much. I connected to it immediately, especially with Margaret trying to figure herself out. It's something we all go through, and I just wanted to, like, wrap Margaret up in a sweater and cuddle her up! I love that the story is really about her just finding the strength inside to be herself.

GL: Describe Margaret in three words—especially for someone who has never read the book.

Abby: Caring, brave and awkward. She doesn't really fit into her skin. She's figuring things out, and it's OK that she's awkward because she's just herself. She doesn't care what people think—she learns that at the end of her journey. It takes a while to get there, but she learns to appreciate herself for who she is.

GL: That's a very relatable life journey that most of us deal with at some point. Did you have an awkward phase before you found your own confidence?

Abby: Oh yeah. I definitely went through that—pretty much for most of elementary and middle school, I was the awkward kid. I would read in the corners of rooms. I was like a little, tiny gremlin just sitting with a book. And honestly, shooting this movie is when I found my confidence. Through exploring Margaret's character and really bringing her to life on the screen, I realized that I'm OK with being who I am and not caring what other people think of me.

GL: Love the visual of you as an awkward book gremlin! Since you're clearly an avid reader IRL, can you share your summer reading recommendations?

Abby: The Good Girl's Guide to Murder series is so good! It's so beautifully written and interesting. I've been trying to convince my brother to read the Percy Jackson series forever—I still read it all the time. And I can't *not* recommend Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., obviously.

GL: We have to talk about Margaret's wardrobe, since the movie takes place during the 1970s. How did you feel about the vintage aesthetic?

Abby: I'm completely in love with it. I love vintage clothing. I thrift most of my own wardrobe, and it was so fun to really dive in and be transported to a different decade.

GL: What styles and decades are you drawn to when you go thrifting?

Abby: I'm kind of all over. I've been getting more into the '90s vibe. I thrift all of my Docs. I also like pieces from the '70s with all of those cool, funky patterns. And I love thrifting jackets—they're my favorite thing in the whole world. I swear, sometimes I have more jackets than I do T-shirts. It's become a bit of a problem.

Catch Abby Ryder Fortson in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., in theaters now!

Images: Eric Charbonneau for Lionsgate.
Parts of this interview have been edited and condensed for clarity. 

by Kayleigh Roberts | 4/28/2023