Director Reveals the Inspiration Behind Netflix's Voicemails for Isabelle
WHO:
SFGATE - Director Leah McKendrick was born in San Francisco, raised in the Inner Richmond, and attended Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory high school.
Screen Rant - The director of Netflix's movie Voicemails for Isabelle shared insights about the film's inspiration.
Reddit Movies - Nick Offerman is cast as the chef in the movie, and Zoey Deutch plays the lead role.
WHAT:
SFGATE - McKendrick's film "Voicemails for Isabelle" was initially set in both New York and Los Angeles but was changed to San Francisco due to the abundance of recent projects in those cities.
SFGATE - Netflix hired McKendrick to direct "Voicemails for Isabelle," a spec script she sold in 2019, which spent several years in development until May 2025.
Screen Rant - The movie Voicemails for Isabelle is described as a hit romance film on Netflix.
Reddit Movies - The reviewer described the movie as an emotional roller coaster, mentioning that they cried and laughed multiple times.
Reddit Movies - The reviewer stated that the script can be formulaic but still considers it an excellent movie, calling it "probably the romance movie of 2026."
WHERE:
SFGATE - Filming locations in San Francisco included Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, Lombard Street, the Haight, Ghirardelli Square, Chinatown, and the Palace of Fine Arts.
WHEN:
SFGATE - The premiere of "Voicemails for Isabelle" took place in Los Angeles on June 16, 2026.
WHY:
SFGATE - McKendrick aimed to celebrate San Francisco's rich diversity in her film, reflecting her upbringing surrounded by immigrants and LGBTQ members.
HOW:
SFGATE - McKendrick expressed that filming in San Francisco was challenging due to high costs, stating, "It’s so expensive to live there and shoot there."
Reddit Movies - The pacing of the movie is noted to be good, with no dragging points throughout the film.
(UPDATED June 21, 2026 04:18 UTC)
Director Leah McKendrick, who was born in San Francisco and raised in the Inner Richmond, has premiered her film "Voicemails for Isabelle" in Los Angeles on June 16, 2026. Originally set in New York and Los Angeles, the film was relocated to San Francisco to highlight the city's rich diversity, a reflection of McKendrick's own upbringing among immigrants and LGBTQ communities. Despite the challenges of high costs associated with filming in the city, McKendrick embraced locations like Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown to bring her vision to life.
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(UPDATED June 20, 2026 23:23 UTC)
The director of Netflix's upcoming movie "Voicemails for Isabelle" has shared insights about the film's inspiration, which is being described as a hit romance. Nick Offerman is set to play the chef, while Zoey Deutch takes on the lead role, and early reviews highlight the film as an emotional roller coaster that evokes both laughter and tears. Although the script may be seen as formulaic, it has been praised for its good pacing and is already being called "probably the romance movie of 2026."