Coming-of-age stories will never grow old, and that's something SXSW 2026's Chasing Summer proves in spades. The film follows Jamie, who retreats to her small Texas hometown after losing both her job and her boyfriend, leading to an unforgettable summer filled with friends, flings, and plenty of drama.
The Direct spoke with the cast of Chasing Summer at the red carpet premiere of the film at SXSW in Austin, TX, including Garrett Wareing, Aimee Garcia, director and writer Iliza Shlesinger, and producer Ray Maiello. Chasing Summer does not have a release date.
For more coverage of SXSW 2026, be sure to check out The Direct's interviews with the cast of the festival's big road trip movie Seekers of Infinite Love, which includes stars from hit shows Fallout and Hacks.
Garrett Wareing on Going From The Long Walk To Chasing Summer
"It Encapsulates the Duality of Man..."
- The Direct: "Can you just talk about what it's been like going from a Stephen King thriller to now you're here doing some Texas romance. Can you talk about that?"
Garrett Wareing: I think it encapsulates the duality of man and the ability of an actor to go from a villain like Stebbins in 'The Long Walk' to the kind of heartthrob of 'Chasing Summer.' It excites me as an actor to be able to do things that are kind of abnormal to my own self. 'The Long Walk,' that character isn't at all on this screen, and so to find the transformation, [and] collaborate with both my directors on these projects, it's a fun challenge that I look forward to every time I get a new script.
The Direct then asked Wareing if he learned anything from watching his co-stars around him on set and working in those dynamics, while potentially thinking about how he might apply what he's learned to his next project.
Garrett Wareing: I think specifically, like even Iliza [Shlesinger], when you're the number one on a film, you kind of set the tone for the other actors on the set and the crew, and she would show up and say hi to everybody. She would host pickleball tournaments for us on the weekends.
Another example of that is Josh Duhamel. He's a complete gentleman on set. He says hi to everybody. He's a great host. And they set the tone as our number ones on these shows. And I've learned a lot from them.
And then again, with, like, Francis Lawrence from 'The Long Walk,' giving us the freedom as actors to make choices with our characters and collaborate with them. No idea is a bad idea. Let's talk about it, and let's find out why you're feeling this. And I think the ability to listen to the people that you're working with is a trade I really respect in Francis as well.
Iliza Shlesinger on Bringing Chasing Summer to Life
"I Wrote This Movie As a Love Letter to My Upbringing In Texas..."
Director and writer Iliza Shlesinger spoke about finally bringing her movie to life:
Iliza Shlesinger: I mean, I wrote this movie as a love letter to my upbringing in Texas, to Texas, to millennial nostalgia. But I think even if you are younger, you still get this, you know, and it is a suburban movie. But I think even if you're from somewhere rural or somewhere urban, you get it, because we all know the weirdness that is coming home.
And I really wanted to play it in that space... of that last summer, right after high school, before you go to college, or maybe right after college, before you go out in the world where you're still tethered to your parents, you're not a full person yet. Maybe the person you're dating is like, not forever, and it's this weird liminal space. And I wanted to write a love letter to that upbringing.
You're always allowed to be proud of where you're from. Everybody has political opinions. Lord knows I do, but I had such a nice time in my upbringing, and it's such a warm feeling, because the world is so crazy, so to have those summers where you are still safe at home, and the fact that my character gets to kind of go back to that is, I think, something we all wish we could do...
Shelsinger then elaborated on the people she chose to work with for Chasing Summer, with her goal being to work with those she "know[s] [are] better than [her]:"
Iliza Shlesinger: The goal is to always work with people who know better than you, and to work with people who are better at things that you are hoping to be better at. We were lucky to get these actors, you know, Garrett [Wareing], Aimee [Garcia], Cassidy [Freeman], and Tom [Welling], who have been acting longer than me, really understand the craft. Everybody really wanted to be there. We were all there to serve the story that we were all in love with.
Eric Branco, our DP, is a magician. Josephine Decker is an auteur, and we were all very protective, and we all totally got it. Nobody was there for a paycheck. I mean, eventually we will be. So I think the key is we all really respected and loved each other and had fun doing it, because we all felt an ownership over it. And I think that makes a difference.
Every interview with the talent behind Chasing Summer is available below:
