Yahoo News Rachel McAdams Says 'Privilege' of Motherhood Helped Her Film 'It's Me, Margaret' (Exclusive)
The actress spoke to PEOPLE about playing the mother of the title character from Judy Blume's classic 1970 novel
Rachel McAdams is drawing on her experiences as a mom in her latest film project.
Speaking to PEOPLE at the Los Angeles premiere of Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, the actress opened up about how her being a parent has helped her play the mother of the title character from Judy Blume's classic coming-of-age novel.
"She's such a great mom. She's imperfect, but that makes her perfect," McAdams, 44, tells PEOPLE on Sunday of her role as Barbara Simon opposite Abby Ryder Fortson, who plays the 11-year-old lead. Kathy Bates also stars as Margaret's grandmother Sylvia.
"As a mom, it's not too, too hard to find the messiness, the privilege of getting to watch a child grow up and be their parent," adds McAdams, who has a son and daughter with partner Jamie Linden.
"I think that's a really lucky place, a spot to be in, and I think Barb feels that," she adds about the movie, which centers around the changing life of Margaret Simon after her family moves from New York City to the New Jersey suburbs — while also "going through the messy and tumultuous throes of puberty with new friends in a new school," according to a synopsis.
Related:Judy Blume on Her Joyful Life at 85: 'Keep Dancing! Keep Doing Whatever You Can Do' (Exclusive)
Lionsgate released a trailer for the film in January, which showed Margaret and her peers learning about puberty, purchasing bras and feminine hygiene products for the first time, experiencing their first kisses, and daydreaming about life at 19, with a montage of clips set to George Harrison's iconic 1970 song "What is Life."
"I think she's still getting over having parents that didn't support her. So she wants to be incredibly supportive of her daughter, almost to a fault," McAdams adds about her character's role in the movie.
"I don't think she's a smothering mother at all," adds the Midnight in Paris star, who wore an elegant red cutout gown with red strappy heels to the premiere, "but she's almost too hands-off in some ways, certainly when it comes to the religion. She's got her own shadows there, and I think it takes her a minute to realize Margaret can handle it."
Related:Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Trailer Show Iconic Judy Blume Book Brought to Life
McAdams recently told PEOPLE she was thrilled to have the novel's author Blume on set during the making of the film.
"Watching her watch her book come to life and to be a part of that was just so surreal," she said. "She's the loveliest lady and I felt very honored to be part of this for that reason. That she waited so, so long to do this until she felt really good about giving it over. I just wanted to do right by her and give her the best Barb I could."
Speaking to PEOPLE on April 12, Blume, 85, revealed that watching the movie being made after 50 years was "the experience of a lifetime!"
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Along with Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, the best-selling author (who is honored as a "living legend" by the Library of Congress) is also featured in the upcoming Prime Video documentary Judy Blume Forever (due to begin streaming on April 21)
"I don't know what 85 means," Blume told people. "But I feel that there's a lot more that I want to do. I love doing this."
"I'm an intuitive writer," she added about her 29 books for children and adults (with 90 million copies sold). "I don't analyze a lot and the story just comes."
As for the experiences she has drawn on in her own, she added: "Keep moving. Keep dancing! Keep doing whatever you can do."
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is in theaters from April 28.
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