The After books became a worldwide phenomenon thanks to Wattpad readers tuning into Anna Todd’s weekly drop of each chapter on the website/app back in 2013. As the story, which began as a Harry Styles-inspired fanfiction, grew its audience, Todd became a bestselling author, and After has since become a movie franchise starring Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin, who are now at the center of the series as they portray its intense love story. With their third film, After We Fell, now out in the world, their relationship with the fandom has been building for the past two years.
CinemaBlend spoke to Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin ahead of After We Fell’s digital release about their relationship to fandom these days, and they’re deeply grateful for every connection they get to make with the people who are invested in Tessa and Hardin’s story. As Langford shared:
I really wish that we got to have more one-on-one interactions. It’s kind of odd starting a series and then having a pandemic take up a majority of the series because we haven’t been able to really see people one on one or a press tour or premieres like we did on the first movie, but I would love to get back to that and to kind of interact in person because I’m not really online.
Josephine Langford pointed out that their specific experience with After has been skewed because both After We Collided and After We Fell have been released during the COVID-19 pandemic, in circumstances that don’t translate well to getting together with droves of fans around the world. The actress behind Tessa continued with these words:
I think fans make movies. If you don’t have people who love them and want to watch them, then you don’t have a job, but also there’s nothing to make. I just think it’s really exciting whenever someone’s really passionate about something. I always think that’s something to respect and admire because we need more passion in the world.
Hero Fiennes Tiffin echoed his co-star's statements and also shared his own experiences with fans even amidst COVID-19 putting a damper on some things. In his words:
You know what, I’m really lucky, I actually did a thing called Fanmio recently, which a portion of the proceeds are going to charity and it’s just a great thing for everyone involved and I got to do a bunch of one-on-one meet and greets with fans, so perfect timing for that question. It was then when I realized how few opportunities we get to have one-on-one interactions. A lot of times when you meet fans it’s via a press tour or even on the street, it’s often you don’t have time to have a conversation with too many people. So getting people’s feedback and saying ‘what did you think, what did you like, what did you not like’ is equally interesting. So I was so lucky to have those opportunities and like Jo said, because of these people we can do what we do, so I’m eternally grateful and surprised even about how much I enjoyed doing those one-on-one meet and greets.
Hero Fiennes Tiffin got to have some time with fans during a virtual meet and greet, which additionally raised money for two of his favorite charities Steel Warriors and Homeless World Cup Foundation in late August. The actor shared that he really enjoyed getting some feedback from the fandom and connecting with them on a deeper level. The After films will conclude next year with the release of After We Happy, which wrapped production in December 2020. After We Happy will complete Tessa and Hardin’s story and open up the door for the upcoming After spinoffs on the way.
Although much of the After movies have fallen under COVID times, Josephine Langford is hopeful they will be able to finish up the franchise strong when After We Happy comes out next year.
[The pandemic] didn’t personally change the experience of making the movies, and I still have hope that next year things with COVID will change and we’ll be able to have a premiere and do more one-on-one stuff.
After We Fell is now available to rent or buy on Amazon. While you’re here, you can check out more of CinemaBlend’s interview with Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin, who also discussed with us their picks for older versions of Tessa and Hardin.
