Netflix’s ‘Voicemails for Isabelle’ Has Dark Inspiration Behind Its Romance
Netflix’s new romance film ‘Voicemails for Isabelle’ may appear to be a straightforward love story, but its origins stem from a much darker and more unusual concept. The film’s creator, Leah McKendrick, shared that the inspiration for the narrative came from a joke she encountered during a stand-up comedy performance.
The plot centers around Wes, portrayed by Nick Robinson, who unexpectedly connects with Jill, played by Zoey Deutch, after receiving a phone number that previously belonged to her. Wes starts receiving emotional voicemails from Jill, meant for her late sister Isabelle. As he listens to Jill’s intimate thoughts and memories, a unique bond begins to develop.
Although ‘Voicemails for Isabelle’ is not based on a true story, McKendrick explained in an interview with People that the idea originated from a comedian’s dark joke about a family member who could no longer make calls.
McKendrick recalled a moment when another comedian took the stage and mentioned her father not calling her anymore. The audience anticipated an emotional tale, but the punchline took an unexpected turn.
“Then the next comedian gets on stage, and she goes, ‘It’s so nice that your dad calls you. My dad hasn’t called me in three years.’ And everyone’s kind of like, ‘Ooh,’” McKendrick told People. “And then she’s like, ‘He’s dead.’ I was the only one that laughed.”
That surprising joke lingered in McKendrick’s mind, prompting her to contemplate the emotional weight behind it. She began to envision what it would be like to wait for a call from someone who could never respond.
“It really got the wheels turning, and I thought to myself, it’s so funny, this idea of a girl who keeps waiting for her dad to call her back,” she explained.
From there, the filmmaker began to transform the concept into something more personal. She pondered what kind of loss would compel someone to keep reaching out, even when they understood they would never receive a reply.
“And then I thought, if my sister died, I’d be waiting for her to call me back. And then I thought, no, if my sister died, I would just keep calling her,” McKendrick said.
The director also drew from her own experiences with lengthy phone messages as an additional source of inspiration. She shared that she often sent long, heartfelt voicemails to her sister, discussing everything from dating troubles to work anxieties.
These personal experiences significantly influenced the emotional depth of ‘Voicemails for Isabelle’. McKendrick noted the intriguing notion of someone hearing another person’s most honest and unfiltered thoughts.
“I would just let it all hang out,” she said. “And what a horror story it could be if somebody were to ever hear my most unfiltered self. But you would know that if somebody fell in love with that unfiltered self, it would be real.”
The film intertwines themes of romance, grief, and personal connection through a simple yet profound idea: what occurs when someone accidentally hears the most private aspects of another person’s life? While the story may have originated from a dark comedic moment, McKendrick skillfully transformed that concept into a poignant narrative about love, loss, and discovering someone who truly understands you.