Key Takeaways
- “Voicemails for Isabelle” follows pastry‑chef Jill (Zoey Deutch) who copes with her sister’s death by leaving voicemails on a reassigned number, sparking an unexpected romance with Wes (Nick Robinson).
- Writer‑director Leah McKendrick, a San Francisco native, fought to set the film in her hometown to showcase its diversity, iconic sights, and personal significance.
- Production was split between Vancouver and a brief three‑day shoot in San Francisco, capturing locations from Fisherman’s Wharf to the Palace of Fine Arts and featuring McKendrick’s family as extras.
- McKendrick’s early dream of becoming a pop star pivoted to filmmaking after a failed record deal; her work on web series, shorts, and the acclaimed “Scrambled” led Netflix to trust her with this project.
- The film highlights a largely female‑driven creative team and reflects McKendrick’s desire to explore varied genres, including music‑driven stories and horror, moving forward.
Leah McKendrick’s latest Netflix release, Voicemails for Isabelle, centers on Jill, a talented pastry chef portrayed by Zoey Deutch, whose life unravels after the sudden death of her sister Isabelle (Ciara Bravo). Unable to process her grief, Jill begins leaving heartfelt voicemails on Isabelle’s old phone number, unaware that the line has been reassigned to Wes, played by Nick Robinson. When Wes listens to these private messages, he becomes captivated by Jill’s vulnerability and seeks her out. Their first meeting unfolds on a bench overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge—a setting McKendrick chose deliberately to symbolize Jill’s liminal space between loss and the continuing pulse of life.
The bridge scene holds particular resonance for McKendrick, who was born and raised in San Francisco’s Inner Richmond district and attended Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in Cathedral Hill. She describes the city as a crossroads where moments of joy, commuting, and exercise coexist, making it the perfect backdrop for Jill’s contemplative state. Filming those sequences proved emotionally charged for the director, who wanted Jill to gaze upon the “beautiful, iconic sparkling city” while feeling suspended between heaven and earth.
Although the story’s heart is rooted in San Francisco, logistical realities forced most of the production to Vancouver. McKendrick secured only three days on location in California, yet the crew maximized that time, shooting at Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, Lombard Street, the Haight, Ghirardelli Square, Chinatown, and the Palace of Fine Arts. Adding a personal touch, she filmed a couple of blocks from her parents’ home, with her mother, father, and sister appearing as extras on a tour bus—a moment she calls “a dream.”
McKendrick’s motivation for anchoring the film in San Francisco extends beyond nostalgia; she wanted to celebrate the city’s cultural mosaic that shaped her worldview. Growing up amid immigrants, LGBTQ+ communities, and a cornucopia of cuisines gave her a “wild taste in art, music, and film” that she sought to embed in the narrative. She recalls feeling both a “fish out of water” yearning for Los Angeles sunshine and, paradoxically, longing to return to the fog‑kissed streets she calls “my heart…my everything.”
Before discovering her passion for directing, McKendrick aspired to be a pop star, even aiming to emulate Britney Spears. She wrote music, performed, and resisted college, only to be persuaded by her parents to pursue higher education. At Chapman University she channeled her creative energy into writing, producing, directing, and acting in short films and stage plays. A brief record deal that collapsed redirected her focus to filmmaking, leading to early recognition with the web series Destroy the Alpha Gammas and her feature debut M.F.A. The 2023 comedy‑drama Scrambled—based on her own egg‑retrieval experience—cemented her reputation as a distinctive voice, ultimately prompting Netflix to entrust her with Voicemails for Isabelle.
Initially conceived for New York and Los Angeles, the script’s setting shifted after McKendrick argued that those cities had been overused in recent productions. She advocated for San Francisco, believing its specificity would deepen the film’s romantic and emotional impact, despite acknowledging the city’s high production costs. Her determination paid off, allowing her to weave authentic local texture into the story while honoring her personal connection to the place.
On set, McKendrick praised Zoey Deutch’s portrayal of Jill, describing her as “hilarious, sweet, vulnerable, open‑hearted, and emotional.” The collaboration proved fluid, with both continually refining scenes to serve the film’s best version. Deutch’s performance, coupled with Nick Robinson’s nuanced Wes, creates a tender exploration of grief, serendipity, and the possibility of love emerging from unexpected communication.
With Voicemails for Isabelle now streaming, McKendrick looks ahead. She is set to write and direct Shania, a biopic of Canadian icon Shania Twain, while also expressing eagerness to tackle horror and other genre‑bending projects. Her overarching ambition remains clear: to champion diverse voices, take creative risks across genres, and continue telling stories that reflect the rich, multifaceted world she grew up loving.