The Cast Of Are You There God? It's Me Margaret Honors The Book Beautifully

It’s safe to say that the casting choice that would be most closely watched for Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret is Margaret herself. After all, she has represented prepubescent girls who are growing into their own skin, their own way of looking at the world, since the book was first published in 1970. Watching Abby Ryder Fortson wrinkle her brow and grimace and act all mortified while bra shopping felt like reading the book again for the first time. The 14-year-old actress, who played Paul Rudd’s daughter Cassie in 2015’s Ant-Man, is the child of two actors, John Fortson and Christie Lynn Smith, so it’s perhaps not terribly surprising that she knows what she’s doing. Beyond simply being a good performer, however, Ryder Fortson seems to embody the essence of Margaret. A preteen girl who just wants to get her period.

Rachel McAdams plays Margaret’s loving, complicated mom Barbara, who is struggling with the fact that her own Christian parents don’t support her marriage to her Jewish husband. McAdams is a mom of two herself, a son and daughter with husband Jamie Linden, and she admitted to People that her role as mom helped her understand Barbara better. “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,” the Mean Girls actress said, adding that Barbara is a “a great mom. She’s imperfect, but that makes her perfect.” And McAdams is perfect at playing the imperfect mom.

Grandma Sylvia was always a fan favorite in Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret. She had style, she wore bright colors, had loads of energy and, as the only one of Margaret’s grandparents who really spends any time with her. Plus, she was sassy and not afraid to speak her mind. In other words, Kathy Bates was the perfect choice to tackle the role of Grandma Sylvia Simon. Bates, who is best known for her role as Annie in Misery but has definitely played warmer roles since, looks like exactly the kind of grandmother you want and want to be someday. Fun, engaging, wearing caftans on the regular. We’re into it.

Margaret’s dad Herb is the one who instigates their move to the suburbs, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for him. He wants to make his wife and daughter happy, he wants to nurture Margaret’s natural feisty nature, and he wants to find his own way as well. Will Benny Safdie, half of the legendary Safdie brother directing duo, be able to pull it off? Early glimpses at Margaret and Barbara engaging with solid, trustworthy Herb tell us yes. Plus we already know him from Uncut Gems and Licorice Pizza so I think we can trust him.

Nancy Wheeler. Anyone who read Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret knows all about Nancy Wheeler. A privileged girl with a pool of her own who knows how to make a new girl like Margaret feel a bit worthless. Plus she reportedly has that older boyfriend who everyone is meant to find impressive. Young Elle Graham (Stranger Things, Secrets of Sulphur Springs, The Walking Dead) has her work cut out for her if she hopes to get us to like Nancy Wheeler. It’s been 50 years and it hasn’t happened yet.

Who among us has not identified with Janie, the last member of the Pre-Teen Sensations to get her period? Sure, now that we all know what getting your period entails we know that she was pretty lucky. But back then... things were difficult for the Janies of the world. Amari Alexis Price has the lucky role of Janie, Margaret’s new best friend and one of the most relatable characters in literature. And she’s a newcomer, which is extra impressive.

Katherine Mallen Kupferer first got her start on stage, in the Chicago Shakespeare Theater's acclaimed production of Gypsy. Since then she has gone on to enjoy parts in movies like Widows and Fools, but no part has yet been like Gretchen Potter in Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret. Gretchen holds the illustrious position of being the first in the Pre-Teen Sensations to get her period, which gives her the chance to show Nancy up apparently.

Nancy Wheeler’s mom Jan doesn’t make much of an entrance in the book version of Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret. We can only assume that she didn’t really know what her crabby daughter was up to at school. But the fact that a recognizable actress like Kate MacCluggage (Madam Secretary, The First Lady) has been tapped to play Jan Wheeler seems to point to a bigger role. Personally, I’m hoping she and Barbara become friends.