Netflix’s new film Voicemails for Isabelle was initially developed with a different star taking on Zoey Deutch’s role as Jill.
The new release from the streaming giant stars Deutch as an aspiring pastry chef who has just suffered the devastating loss of her sister, Isabelle (played by Ciara Bravo).
When she starts leaving cathartic voicemails to her old number, she doesn’t realise the connection has been reassigned to real estate agent Wes (Nick Robinson), who gradually begins to fall for the captivating voice at the end of the line.
The pair eventually meet in San Francisco, but Wes struggles to admit the secret that could tear their fledgling relationship apart.
While both leads are rom-com royalty, with Deutch known for Set It Up co-starring Glen Powell and Robinson breaking out with the queer high school hit Love, Simon, the film originally looked very different.
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Netflix’s latest rom-com was originally announced back in 2019(Image: NETFLIX)
It was originally announced way back in 2019 and was to be directed by Sharon Maguire, who helmed the first Bridget Jones’s Diary and its 2016 sequel, Bridget Jones’s Baby.
A-list star Hailee Steinfeld was initially cast in the lead role, who at the time had just starred in the 2018 Transformers spin-off Bumblebee and voiced Gwen Stacy / Spider-Gwen in the acclaimed animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
She also has a successful career as a pop star, lending her vocal talents to the second and third films in the Pitch Perfect franchise.
However, Voicemails for Isabelle soon became one of many film projects that was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Hollywood writers’ strikes.
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Hailee Steinfeld welcomed her first child back in April this year(Image: GETTY)
Steinfeld’s reasons for dropping out of the project haven’t been made apparent, but her schedule has certainly filled up since it was originally announced.
Since then, director Maguire also dropped out, leaving directing duties to the film’s screenwriter Leah McKendrick, who also stars as Breeda.
It was also initially produced by Sony Pictures and believed to have been intended for a cinema release before Netflix took over distribution.
In subsequent years, Steinfeld’s career has gone from strength to strength, including adding another Marvel superhero to her roster when she portrayed Kate Bishop in Disney+ series Hawkeye opposite Jeremy Renner.
She also starred in last year’s horror blockbuster Sinners from Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, which was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
Voicemails for Isabelle is available to stream on Netflix.