Please note: Some production notes may contain spoilers.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

Before transitioning in 2020, I spent 27 years in a state of gender limbo. Despite how others saw me, I always felt at odds with myself, and each step of my gender and sexuality evolution required a new coming out, filled with anxiety and emotional exhaustion. Thankfully, I had a support system to help me through it all: when I was five, in Atlanta, where I grew up, my best friend Lauren tirelessly defended my choice to dress up like Baby Spice to bullies on the playground. At 14, my friends Sadie and Kalli were there for me when I came out as gay and got my heart broken by a boy for the first time. At 21, my boyfriend, Peter, told me he loved that he was the first person I told I was nonbinary. At 27, my therapist, Steven, helped me navigate the tricky terrain of advocating for my use of she/her pronouns with family after beginning my medical, and subsequently very public, transition.

By the time I made I Wish You All the Best, I was 30 and proudly a trans woman, perhaps my final form in this lifetime. I had never been more comfortable in my skin, more confident in my body, and finally, I could breathe a sigh of relief. Back then, in 2023, I couldn’t foresee the complete and utter devastation and violence trans and queer people are facing today en masse, on a public stage. But, here we are, in the fall of 2025, and my film opens theatrically at the most terrifying tipping point for trans rights, not to mention a vehement resurgence of media censorship, in Trump’s America.

I Wish You All the Best was never intended to be a political film, beyond the fact that I, a trans woman, wrote, directed, and produced a commercial coming-of-age drama explicitly about a nonbinary teenager coming of age, which inherently is political or at least politicized. My approach was grounded in celebrating queerness, not highlighting all the constraints queer people face. This still feels viable, even if the landscape has shifted.

When I first read Mason's book, I knew that I had the unique ability to adapt and bring this story to life on screen, being trans and from the South, so much of the world Mason created felt familiar. The book also stood out as the first of its kind with a nonbinary protagonist, Benjamin DeBacker[CG3] , as its heroine—a book I desperately needed as a kid and the movie I had to make no matter what, a movie that didn't exist yet in the canon and needed to.

My goal in expanding on Mason Deaver’s novel into a cinematic universe was to examine how acts of love, compassion, and service towards family—chosen and blood—could either endanger a child or embolden them to flourish, to offer audiences a contained and simple character study on becoming.

It was important for me to tell this story authentically and not fall into the trap of dramatizing Ben’s gender or coming out too much. Viewing anybody solely through the lens of their gender or sexuality diminishes their vast and complex humanity. Although Ben’s coming-out experience is crucial and worth exploring, we’re offered three different generational responses to it in this film after all, and it is the obvious jumping-off point. What happens for them in the aftermath inspired me more.

I explored onward into more universal experiences: the discomfort of being seventeen, falling in love with a classmate, forming friendships, finding a voice through painting and self-expression, learning to love and be loved, navigating anxiety and depression, and coping with the pressures of growing up, Ben thrives beyond the limits of gender identity and representation.

It may be a portrait of a typical teenager in America, but we cannot overlook the harsh realities confronting queer youth in our world today and it would be a disservice to the community to disregard the limited and violent beliefs of the protagonist's parents that led to the utter destruction of Ben's life as they knew it before coming out.

With a focus on humanizing these characters, I made a conscious effort to anchor the positive and negative choices in love, offering audiences a chance to anchor themselves in both realities. Even when the characters are at their worst, it's crucial to showcase their best traits, and graciously wish them well. Maybe it's a southern tradition to passive-aggressively pray for someone you resent, but universally, this film serves as a tool for building empathy in our daily lives. Supporting this film and seeing it, sharing it with family and friends who are transphobic, is an act of love to the LGBTQ+ community right now and an act of resistance against the milieu of anti-trans legislation moving through our political systems today. So, while I wish the world was more evolved by now, I am grateful to offer Ben’s story to audiences who need it more than they might’ve just a few seasons ago.

FILMMAKER BIOGRAPHIES

TOMMY DORFMAN – WRITER, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER

Tommy Dorfman is an accomplished actress, writer, director, and producer whose work spans film, television, and theater. Best known for her breakout role in the hit Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” Dorfman has since gone on to build a dynamic career, while consistently shining a light on her experiences as a trans woman in Hollywood.

Dorfman recently launched her company Good Girl Productions, which produces new works across film, television, and theater while inspiring, investing in, and incubating stories that challenge, shift, and deepen the understanding of the human experience.

In May 2025, Dorfman released her debut memoir, MAYBE THIS WILL SAVE ME, with Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Structured through the cards of a tarot pull and touching on themes of self-discovery and resilience, Dorfman expertly traverses her journey through art, addiction, and ultimately, transformation. The book received critical praise and became an instant National Bestseller.

Last fall, Dorfman made her Broadway debut in Sam Gold’s adaptation of Romeo + Juliet, starring alongside Kit Conner and Rachel Zegler. The production marked Dorfman’s return to the New York stage and her first acting role since publicly coming out as transgender. In this fresh take on the classic, Dorfman took on dual roles as the Nurse and Tybalt.

Quickly following, Dorfman starred in Becoming Eve, a New York Theatre Workshop production based on Abby Chava Stein's memoir. The production opened April 7 to critical acclaim, with The New York Times praising it as “a welcome tonic, served in a Kiddush cup.” For her turn as the titular character, Chava, Dorfman earned her first nomination for a Drama League Award in the category of "Distinguished Performance." The show received two additional nominations in the categories of “Outstanding Production of a Play” and “Outstanding Direction of a Play.”

MATT KAPLAN - PRODUCER

Matt Kaplan has produced some of the most relevant millennial content in recent history, with eight #1 films on Netflix for eight consecutive years including Netflix’s runaway success To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before film franchise. His past releases include Love at First Sight with Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy, The Perfect Date, Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between, Time Cut starring Madison Bailey and Antonia Gentry, and Love in Taipei starring Ross Butler, Nico Hiraga, and Ashley Liao.

Upcoming releases include Jingle Bell Heist starring Olivia Holt and Connor Swindells on Netflix, and Season 3 of the hit show “XO, Kitty” in 2026. Kaplan’s additional past credits include features such as the critically acclaimed drama Before I Fall starring Zoey Deutch that premiered at Sundance and The Lazarus Effect with Olivia Wilde and Mark Duplass.

In 2023, Kaplan and his wife and business partner, Alex Cooper (“Call Her Daddy” podcast series), combined their companies to form the new media venue Trending. Trending launched Unwell later that year to empower and elevate the next generation of female voices. Unwell has already redefined the modern media company as its core businesses of a podcast network, film and television, live events, and consumer products (Unwell Hydration) benefit from built-in distribution through Unwell’s thriving community. Most recently, Unwell announced the launch of its in-house creative agency, The Unwell Agency, kicking off with a multiyear partnership with Google.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES

COREY FOGELMANIS (Ben)

Corey Fogelmanis’s breakout performance as Ben in I Wish You All the Best has already garnered glowing early reviews. He is also currently filming the sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, helmed by acclaimed director David Fincher, and additionally stars as Nathan Walter in Netflix’s hit series “My Life with the Walter Boys.”

Fogelmanis first rose to fame as the fan-favorite Farkle on the Primetime Emmy®-nominated Disney Channel series “Girl Meets World,” starring opposite Sabrina Carpenter. He later appeared alongside Academy Award® winner Octavia Spencer in Universal’s psychological thriller Ma, and most recently led the Hulu slasher Carved.

MILES GUTIERREZ-RILEY (Nathan)

Miles Gutierrez-Riley will next be seen starring opposite Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, and John Slattery in Untitled Celebrity Pass Movie, David Wain’s new comedy for Likely Story. He’ll also appear opposite Billie Lourd in the independent comedy That Friend (dirs. Will Sterling and Alex Wall). He made his feature debut in Paramount’s On the Come Up, directed by Sanaa Lathan (Angie Thomas’ follow-up to The Hate You Give). Additional films include Paramount’s Smile 2 (directed by Parker Finn), Sweethearts for HBO Max, and The Moon & Back, written and directed by Leah Bleich under the mentorship of Cathy Yan with Wayfarer Studios. TV projects include Amazon’s series “The Wilds,” “Agatha All Along” for Disney+ and Amazon’s upcoming series “Off Campus,” based on the best-selling book series by Elle Kennedy.

AMY LANDECKER (Cathy)

Amy Landecker is fresh off writing and starring in her directorial debut For Worse, which premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival to raucous audience acclaim. Her roots are in Chicago theater (Steppenwolf, Goodman, A Red Orchid). She just recently starred in Caroline Off-Broadway with Chloe Grace Moretz. Her film work includes Shell, Missing, I Love My Dad (SXSW 2023), and the SXSW Grand Jury Prize winner Shithouse, among others. She starred in the Golden Globe®- and Primetime Emmy®-winning series “Transparent.” She’s shared the screen with the likes of Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and has worked with acclaimed auteurs from the Coen Brothers (A Serious Man) to Miguel Arteta (Beatriz at Dinner).

LENA DUNHAM (Ms. Lions)

Lena Dunham is the ultimate multi-hyphenate — a tremendously skilled and award-winning actor, writer, director, producer, and philanthropist. In all her projects, Lena’s definitive voice and boldness allow her to convey a wide range of human experience. From humor and sexuality to pain and vulnerability, her work resonates across genres with her distinct and recognizable style.

Most recently, the Netflix romcom series “Too Much” premiered in July 2025 to critical acclaim, written and directed by Dunham. The series stars Megan Stalter as “Jessica,” a workaholic who uproots her life to London after a breakup, and Will Sharpe as Felix, her would-be Mr. Right. “Too Much” comes from Good Thing Going and Universal International Studios’ Working Title Television, and was co-created by Dunham’s husband, Luis Felber, who also provided original music.

Dunham also has wrapped production on the Netflix film Good Sex, starring Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Meg Ryan, Rashida Jones, Tramell Tillman and Tucker Pillsbury. The film follows Portman as Ally, a pragmatic couples’ therapist turning 40 who reluctantly reenters the New York dating scene—only to find herself caught between two men, one in his 20s and one in his 50s.

Upcoming, Dunham will make her Broadway creative team debut with 10 Things I Hate About You: The Broadway Musical, based on the revered 1999 film. She will co-write the book with Jessica Huang, with music and lyrics by Carly Rae Jepsen and Ethan Gruska.

Dunham’s next book, Famesick, will be published by Random House on April 14, 2026. Her first essay collection, Not That Kind of Girl (2014), was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Random House will also release her forthcoming short story collection.

Previously, Dunham starred in and produced, under her Good Thing Going banner, Treasure, a multigenerational drama about a New York music journalist (Dunham) who travels with her father (Stephen Fry) to explore their roots in 1990s Poland. Directed by Julia von Heinz, the film premiered at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival and was released theatrically in June 2024 by FilmNation Entertainment and Bleecker Street.

In 2022, Dunham wrote and directed Catherine Called Birdy, adapted from Karen Cushman’s Newbery Honor novel. Starring Bella Ramsey and Andrew Scott, the film follows spirited 14-year-old Catherine as she resists convention in 1290 England. Produced by Working Title in association with Good Thing Going, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and is currently streaming on Prime Video.

Also in 2022, Dunham released her first feature as writer-director in over a decade, Sharp Stick. Made through Good Thing Going, the production—led by nearly all-female department heads—premiered at Sundance.

Other recent projects include executive producing HBO Max’s “Generation,” created by 17-year-old Zelda Barnz, and directing the first episode of HBO’s “Industry.” Dunham is best known as creator, writer, director, and star of HBO’s hit series “Girls,” which ran for six acclaimed seasons. She earned eight Primetime Emmy® nominations and two Golden Globe® Awards, including Best Actress in a Comedy for her role as Hannah Horvath.

On screen, she appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as “Gypsy,” acted in “Scandal” and “American Horror Story,” and hosted “Saturday Night Live.”

An accomplished author, Dunham is a frequent contributor to The New Yorker, Vogue, Harper’s Magazine and The New York Times. She also co-hosts GTG’s podcast The C-Word with Alissa Bennett, exploring women labeled “crazy” by society with humor, empathy, and cultural insight.

In 2013, Dunham became the first woman to win the DGA Award for Best TV Comedy Director. In 2010, she won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay for Tiny Furniture, which she wrote, directed, and starred in. Both Tiny Furniture and her first film Creative Nonfiction are part of The Criterion Collection.

As a philanthropist, Dunham and GTG support women and queer people healing from trauma and addiction through their work with Friendly House, a women’s rehabilitation and sober-living facility in Los Angeles. She has long collaborated with Planned Parenthood, campaigned for reproductive and LGBTQ rights, and been a vocal advocate for those with chronic illness. She previously served on the board of the Endometriosis Foundation of America, has written extensively about her experience with the disease, and most recently joined FUTR (Families United for Trans Rights) as a “Face of FUTR.”

ALEXANDRA DADDARIO (Hannah)

Primetime Emmy®-nominated actress Alexandra Daddario has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most versatile and compelling performers, acclaimed for bringing depth and nuance to every role. Most recently, she starred in AMC’s “Mayfair Witches” as Rowan Mayfair, the heir to a dynasty of witches in Anne Rice’s beloved universe. The series, now renewed for a third season, has cemented her as a leading force in prestige television. Her upcoming feature films include Nora Kirkpatrick’s A Tree Fell in the Woods, opposite Josh Gad, Ashley Park, and Daveed Diggs; and Hershey, in which she portrays chocolate Hershey heiress Catherine Hershey in a biopic exploring her complex legacy and influence.

Daddario first captured attention with her breakout role as Annabeth Chase in the Percy Jackson franchise and earned widespread recognition in HBO’s “True Detective” opposite Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. She went on to star in the global box-office hit San Andreas with Dwayne Johnson and Baywatch opposite Zac Efron. Her acclaimed turn as Rachel Patton in Mike White’s Emmy-winning “The White Lotus” earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2022.

Additional credits include Wildflower, Die in a Gunfight (opposite Diego Boneta), Lost Girls and Love Hotels, Night Hunterwith Henry Cavill and Ben Kingsley, Michael Bay’s Songbird, and the romantic comedy Can You Keep a Secret?, which she also executive produced.

In 2023, Daddario became an ambassador for Dior’s women’s fashion and La Collection Privée fragrance, as well as Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer. Since May 2022, she has also partnered with the Kids Mental Health Foundation to champion children’s mental health.

COLE SPROUSE (Thomas)

Cole Sprouse can most recently be seen in Andrew Patterson’s independent feature The Rivals of Amziah King, starring Matthew McConaughey and Kurt Russell and produced by David Heyman, which premiered at SXSW 2025.

He recently wrapped production on David Drake’s independent feature Dead Letters opposite Margo Martindale, and this fall, Cole will begin production on Vintage Violence from filmmaker Eugene Kotlyarenko[CG4].

Additional credits include Lisa Frankenstein for Focus Features, written by Diablo Cody, as well as Moonshot for New Line.