The Black List Interview: Ximena García Lecuona on ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE
Today, we talk with Ximena García Lecuona about her first feature as a screenwriter, the 2020 annual Black List and 2019 GLAAD List script ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE (fka WHAT IF?) Ximena tells us about the script’s journey from page to screen, what it was like working with Billy Porter on his directorial debut, and much more!
What was the genesis of ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE?
Ximena García Lecuona: ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE started out with a Reddit post that I saw. Basically, it was this kid saying that he liked a trans girl, didn’t know what to do, didn’t want to be insensitive, didn’t want to be judged.
The Internet responded with, “Don’t be stupid. Ask her out.” Obviously like, “Who cares?” Very short post, but that inspired me immediately. Being at that point in my life, I was desperately looking for stories where trans people were loved, were happy, successful in life, and satisfied…
There was immediate inspiration — “I’ve got to write this.” This story, it started building from there — I thought of the characters, the drama, and I just started writing immediately. It was a, “Where’s the pen? I’ve got to write this down” kind of thing. Yeah, I wrote it really, really fast. I was very inspired.
I had no idea that you pulled this from an actual Reddit thread! A lot of writers talk about they have a really hard time infusing digital elements into a script, but this film does it so seamlessly. Whether it’s the Reddit posts or the videos that Kelsa (Eva Reign) is making for YouTube, how did you approach that on the page? Was that just sort of baked into the process all along the way?
It’s baked into everything. I write because I am on my phone a lot — I’m on the Internet a lot, I have a lot of my real-world interactions on there. It would feel almost less realistic to not have technology in this story. When I was thinking how to visually create this world…I don’t know, it just came naturally. I would write the technology as I experienced it. I’m on Reddit and see the comments — I almost picture who is behind the keyboard, wherever they are in the world. I wanted to represent that, how it’s a very diverse community of people that all come together to chat with strangers and give each other love and advice on Reddit and YouTube.
Given that you said you wrote this script very quickly, I’m wondering how placing on the annual Black List and the very first GLAAD List changed the trajectory of ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE?
It just put the script in a place that was ready to make. Like I said, I wrote it out of pure inspiration. It sat there for a couple years and then it got some attention on blcklst.com, then was put on the GLAAD List. I think that just gave it some legitimacy — “Okay, this story is ready to be told, it has potential.”
It just made it my little script that I wrote mainly to process things for me, and make me heal and feel better into a thing that could become a movie.
It’s been very exciting to watch this script from the sidelines — we were very happy when we heard that Billy Porter had become attached as the director in his directorial debut too. What was the creative process like once Billy came onto the project, and then what was your collaboration like during the making of the film?
Billy was amazing. When they told me they were thinking about him for the movie, I was like, “Yes, that’s so exciting.” I met him, and we immediately had at creative synergy, we work very well together. We had great conversations about the material.
He connected with it in a way that was a little different than me — he really complimented the story in a lot of ways. He brought more of his hometown into it, more Pittsburgh, which I loved. The process was really just Billy giving me the space and control to write the script, really.
He had ideas for scenes, he had some notes, but it was really, “You’re the final say on the script.” It was a 50/50 collaboration, which was amazing. He has such a creative intensity to him. Every idea he has comes from just inspiration, artistry, and love. It was really fun to work with him.
That’s always such a good vibe, when you’re getting along with your director! Did you get to be on set at all while filming what’s happening? I know it’s tough with COVID restrictions…
I wasn’t there for the whole time, just for a few days, but it was really cool, I got to do some work there — things were shifting, scenes were being rewritten. I got to work with some of the actors, writing new lines, and I was on call the whole time.
The two leads in this film (Eva Reign and Abubakr Ali) are so lovely. What was it like being on set, watching the script come alive and seeing your words come to life by actors?
It’s a crazy feeling. It’s like stepping into your own imagination, but better because all the actors are their own creative people with ideas and sensibilities. They make the characters even more complex and interesting. It’s cool to see how my story is building along with all this collaboration. It’s also amazing to see so many people working, this whole crew and people with jobs, just because of an idea that I had. It is a really, really beautiful feeling.
One of my favorite things about this movie is that it not only explores personal choices for teens when it comes to their personal lives, but for some huge life decisions, particularly going to college. I love that you infuse some subtle class commentary there around going to the four-year university versus going to a technical college, and that you present that as an option for teen audiences. I’m just wondering where some of that class conflict came from when you were writing the script?
That appeared in later drafts. That was an idea from Orion. They mentioned, “Oh, we’re seeing teens exploring other options.” I loved that. I was like, “Oh my god. Yes. Why isn’t there representation for other options?” Every movie is, “Oh my god, I’m going to go to Harvard or whatever.”
There’s other things to do — there shouldn’t be any shame in seeking another option! There shouldn’t be any shame in staying at home with your parents, that’s very normal here in Mexico. People live with their parents through their twenties. In the US, it’s “Oh, you’re going up to college. You’re an adult now.” [laughs] “No, you’re not.” People are still figuring out what they want to do, what kind of life they want to live. In a movie that celebrates difference in diversity, I was like, “Oh, that’s so cool to represent a kid that doesn’t want to do what is expected.”
I also loved the really palpable sense of trans joy and the joy of a first romance that’s built into this film, it’s such an effervescent and a positive story. As this film reaches all sorts of audiences on Amazon Prime, including the young queer audience, what do you hope that they take away from the movie, especially from the central relationship in the film?
The most important message for me to share is the idea of trans joy. Before I transitioned, I had this idea from what I saw in society and in representation in media, that the trans lives are very tragic and sad — “It’s going to be a hard life. Nobody loves you.” That’s straight up not real. It’s not true.
You can be trans and be loved profoundly, and you can live an amazing life. It even gives you a sensibility that makes life more enjoyable, is what I’ve learned. That’s what I wanted to impart to young trans girls, especially, but also anybody who doesn’t quite fit the mold, or feels a little different — that joy is around the corner, that you’re going to be loved and be happy.
When people see this movie, their next question is going to be what’s next for you, because this is such an exciting debut film as a screenwriter…so, what’s next for you?
I have a few things on deck. I wrote a movie called THE KISS LIST based on a book by Sara Jo Cluff — it’s a similar vibe to ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE, teens in love, queer kids. It’s all about self-love while looking for romance, and learning to love yourself in the process. That’s in post‑production right now — look out for it soon.
I’m also working on a musical called QUINCEAÑERX, about gender-fluid twin teens who wants to do their Quinceañera, but they’re not out to their parents yet. They plan the Quinceañera in secret, and start this whole family drama in the process. It’s a musical. I’m also working on developing something for TV to have a project in LA, and I have something here in Mexico, more horror stuff, which I’m also into.
Just one more question before we wrap up. If you could tell yourself one thing at the beginning of this process — let’s say the first day you started writing the script — knowing what now, what would you go back and tell yourself at the beginning of that writing process?
Wow. I don’t know. That was so long ago. I was a different person. I don’t know. I would just give her a glimpse of what’s to come. This movie is going to get made. You really, really hope it will. You’re trans, you’re going to transition — I would let her know that anything is possible.
You can dream up a movie that helps people and makes people feel a little less lonely and it can happen. Same for me. My life has gotten a lot better, a lot more peaceful since I began the process of realizing I’m trans and transitioning. I owe so much of this movie to the Black List, honestly. I don’t think it would’ve happened in this way without you guys.
ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE streams on Amazon Prime starting on July 22nd. Congratulations to Ximena and the entire cast and crew!
