All About 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?' Star Abby Ryder Fortson (2024)

Abby Ryder Fortson is Hollywood's newest rising star.

With big projects like Ant-Man and Transparent already under her belt, the 15-year-old's first lead role will be in the 2023 film adaptation of Judy Blume's infamous 1970 novel Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

The news of the long-awaited movie was released in February 2021, and Fortson was thrilled about the role, which stars opposite Rachel McAdams as her mom, Barbara Simon, and Kathy Bates as grandmother Sylvia Simon.

"So honored and excited to bring Margaret to life with such an amazing team," Fortson wrote on Instagram when she was announced as the star of the adaptation.

"Abby is the kind of extraordinarily rare talent that comes along once a generation," writer and director Kelly Fremon Craig said in a statement, per The Wrap. "The minute she walked in the room, she knocked us off our feet with her humor, vitality and instantly lovable presence. We knew we'd found Margaret."

Read on for everything to know about Abby Ryder Fortson.

She has famous parents

All About 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?' Star Abby Ryder Fortson (1)

Fortson was born in Burbank, California, on March 14, 2008, to parents Christie Lynn Smith and John Fortson. Smith is an actress known for her many guest-starring roles in hit shows like Bones, Malcolm in the Middle, General Hospital and more.

Meanwhile, Fortson's dad is an award-winning writer, director and actor. In fact, his directorial debut, the 2016 film Rated, stars him, his wife, his son and his daughter!

Smith is so proud of her daughter for following in her acting footsteps and was often seen alongside Fortson on her press tour for Are You There God?. Alongside a photo from an event in March, she wrote, "Me and my girl Abby ❤️ I'll always be here for you! Proudest mom ever!"

Her brother is her bestie

All About 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?' Star Abby Ryder Fortson (2)

Fortson is an older sister to brother Joshua Taylor Fortson, who was born on Dec. 22, 2012.

"Abby keeps saying, 'He's so cute,' " Smith told SheKnows at the time. "She's so sweet and gentle with him. She even gives him skin to skin tummy time in the morning in our bed. She is always looking for some way to help out. It is still a big change for her."

These days, Fortson and Joshua are still best friends. "Love my brother! He's hilarious!" Fortson wrote alongside a silly photo from lunch together in April 2022. He's equally fond of his sister, and especially her latest role. "My big sister Abby!" he wrote beside the poster of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret in February 2023. "I'm so proud of you!"

Her acting career started at 5 years old

All About 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?' Star Abby Ryder Fortson (3)

Fortson has been acting since she was just 5 years old. "I did The Whispers, that I starred in with Lily Rabe when I was 5," she told Inside the Magic in 2018. "That was my first TV show, and it was [produced by] Steven Spielberg."

Since then, she's taken on many TV and film projects, including Transparent, Togetherness, Trolls: The Beat Goes On, Duck Tales, and, most famously, two Ant-Man films.

"Meeting new people and reading scripts — that's my favorite part of acting," she told Entertainment Weekly in 2019. "I really like to pretend I'm a different character. I get to feel emotions that another person wouldn't feel because they're not that character."

Her impressive work even earned her the Rising Star award at CinemaCon in May 2022. "THANK YOU so much @cinemacon for the incredible honor of this award," she wrote on Instagram beside a photo of her holding the award. "I am so grateful to everyone that made this dream come true!!!"

Her Marvel role was recast

All About 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?' Star Abby Ryder Fortson (4)

One of Fortson's most notable roles to date is her portrayal of the young Cassie Lang in the first and second Ant-Man films — Ant-Man in 2015 and Ant-Man and the Wasp in 2018.

"I auditioned in my hallway and then I went in for the callback," she recalled to Inside the Magic. "My first audition is actually on YouTube. It was really fun to audition for it, and I really wanted to get the role, but I have no idea why casting chose me, or how they chose me, or anything inside of that."

Fortson was particularly excited about the role because she felt like she had "so much in common" with the superhero daughter character. "We both like soccer, we're both independent, we both really want to be superheroes, we're both strong, we're both kind, we're both sweet, we're both funny, and we both love our dads," she explained.

The character actually goes on to become a superhero herself in the comic book series, and Fortson wanted to keep the role until that point. "I really hope that I get to play Stature," she said. "I think it would be so cool to have the suit and just become a superhero … fight bad guys!"

Unfortunately, because of a time jump in the plotline, the character of Cassie Lang was recast for the Avengers: Endgame and Ant-Man 3 films. However, the spirit she brought to the character will live on thanks to her successor Kathryn Newton.

"Abby was so cute and joyful and just magical in both movies," Newton told Looper. "So we thought about her a lot … She still has that same spark of energy, that joy, that love and a big, big heart."

She's an amateur baker

All About 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?' Star Abby Ryder Fortson (5)

Fortson may be killing it in the acting world, but she has another passion: baking! The actress loves making vegan goodies in her downtime.

"My dream is to bake on the @britishbakeoff," she wrote in April 2021 beside an Instagram photo holding a vegan orange cake with Italian meringue buttercream and marzipan roses.

"I know it's a little messy, but I did the best I could without a piping bag," she wrote. Fortson said the cake was inspired by Great British Baking Show contestant Kim-Joy, and the star actually commented her approval: "Looks tasty!"

She's crazy about her dog

All About 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?' Star Abby Ryder Fortson (6)

When she's not acting, baking, or spending time with her family, Fortson loves hanging out with her dog, Thomas. The family adopted the lab mix from the Mae Day Los Angeles Dog Rescue, and he quickly became an important member of the family.

For Christmas in 2020, Fortson's mom commissioned a custom pair of Vans with her dog painted on each one. "One side is him as a puppy and the other side is him as a 2 year old!" she wrote on Instagram. "Best Christmas present ever from my MOM."

All About 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret?' Star Abby Ryder Fortson (2024)

FAQs

Are you there God, it's me Margaret summary? ›

It's Me, Margaret, a preteen novel told from the perspective of Margaret Simon, an 11-year-old girl whose family has moved to a new town. Margaret, who has a Christian mother and a Jewish father, struggles to understand her developing body and her relationship with religion.

Is Are You There God It's Me Margaret appropriate for 11 year olds? ›

It's Me, Margaret has some scenes that could scare or disturb children aged 8-13 years. For example: Margaret, being separated from her grandmother, is sad and they both cry. Margaret feels inadequate for not being as physically developed as her friends.

How old was Abby in Are You There God It's Me Margaret? ›

Abby Ryder Fortson was "11-turning-12" when she auditioned to play the titular Margaret in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. She was 13 when they filmed, and is now 15 years old for film's premiere.

Why did Judy Blume write Are you there God, it's me Margaret? ›

Blume said that she felt a connection with the character Margaret, which allowed the story to come "pouring out." Blume wrote that while the story was not autobiographical, "the character of Margaret, both physically and emotionally, is pretty close to the girl I was." Growing up, Blume said while her family was very ...

Why is Are You There God It's Me Margaret banned? ›

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret has been banned a number of times because of the way that it deals frankly with religion and sexuality. During the 1980s the book was removed from a number of school libraries.

What is the theme of Are You There God It's Me Margaret? ›

Judy Blume's novel, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret was first published in 1970. The novel's themes focus on growing up, friendship, and religion, centering around an eleven-year-old Margaret Simon's sixth-grade year of school.

Is Abby a girl let me in? ›

Abby is the female lead of the American-British film version titled Let Me In. The character she is partially based upon is Eli, one of the main characters from the original novel and the subsequent Swedish film of the same name.

How did Are You There God It's Me Margaret end? ›

At the end of the school year, Margaret decides to befriend Laura and dance with her at a school event, with Janie joining them as well. Margaret also tells Mr. Benedict that he's a great teacher. She also makes plans to spend time with Moose, as he is now cutting their lawn.

How old is Abby Park? ›

Appearance. Abby is a short, heavyset, Korean-Canadian, 13-year-old teenage girl with fair skin, brown eyes, and a round face.

Did Judy Blume write wifey? ›

Wifey is a 1978 American novel written by Judy Blume.

Is Judy Blume a real person? ›

Blume was born Judith Sussman on February 12, 1938, and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the daughter of homemaker Esther Sussman (née Rosenfeld) and dentist Rudolph Sussman. She has a brother, David, who is five years older. Her family is Jewish. Blume witnessed hardships and death throughout her childhood.

Is Judy Blume making a movie? ›

For over fifty years, Judy Blume's classic and groundbreaking novel Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. has impacted generations with its timeless coming of age story, insightful humor, and candid exploration of life's biggest questions. On April 28, 2023, Lionsgate opened this beloved icon on the big screen.

What is the conflict in Are you there God, it's me Margaret? ›

Religion is a major subplot of the book and movie as Margaret struggles to figure out her faith, given that her mom was raised Christian and her dad is Jewish.

What is the falling action of Are you there God, it's me Margaret? ›

Falling Action

So Margaret can't go to Florida and has to make nice with her two old, frumpy, judgmental, and not-particularly-nice grandparents from Ohio. It doesn't go well (shocking, we know) and after a family blowup, Margaret severs her most reliable relationship: "I was never going to talk to God again" (21.67).

How does the book Are You There God It's Me Margaret end? ›

Margaret goes through a massive personal transformation in Are You There God?, which ends with her learning to become her own person, make her own judgments, and accept the timeline of her personal development unencumbered by the influence of others as she comes of age.

Are you there God It's Me Margaret book reading level? ›

The Lexile has determined that Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is generally suited for grades 8–12. The book has a Lexile of 570, which means that students whose Lexile range includes 570 should be able to read this book without too much of a challenge in terms of sentence structure and word recognition.

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