The Best of Me: James Marsden & Michelle Monaghan on Living “Vicariously” Through Nicholas Sparks

For the stars of The Best of Me, James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan, having Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato play their younger selves was a blessing, and for Marsden a bit of a curse!

“It was great to see Luke go in there and sweep her off her feet. He set the bar a little high for me,” Marsden said in our exclusive video interview, as he and Monaghan laughed. “In the gym, too!”

Bracey and Liberato play Dawson and Amanda as young sweethearts who are basking in the glow of first love.

As is teased in The Best of Me trailer, a few things happen that separate the two and when they have to return to their hometown for a funeral, they reunite (with Marsden and Monaghan playing the older Dawson and Amanda) and maybe, just maybe, sparks will fly again.

And we use the word “sparks” on purpose, clearly, because this is the latest film to land on the big screen from the man who gave us those The Notebook quotes, Nicholas Sparks.

We also ask Marsden and Monaghan what they think it is about the Sparks novel that makes for great cinema and why his movies are all so resonant.

“I’m an emotional person, and even having read the script, I was struck at the end. It’s guttural,” Monaghan said. “If you can feel that in two hours – even living vicariously through two characters – I think that’s a nice escape to be able to share.”

Share one of those right now, watch The Notebook online, and get ready to find The Best of Me in theaters October 17.

Source: MovieFanatic