Top 10 Behind the Scenes Secrets About A Walk to Remember

Top 10 Behind the Scenes Secrets About A Walk to Remember

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Behind the Scenes Secrets About A Walk to Remember.

For this list, we’ll be looking at little known facts about the making of this coming-of-age romantic drama. As such, we will be touching on various plot points, so a spoiler alert is in effect!

Do you know any other fun facts about the film? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

#10: A First Time Protagonist

Prior to playing Jamie Sullivan, Mandy Moore had limited acting experience. She played mean girl Lana Thomas in “The Princess Diaries”, but “A Walk to Remember” was her first time tackling a lead role. In interviews since, she’s described lacking experience when it came to things like hitting her marks. While that definitely sounds intimidating, she was in good hands. According to the actress, her co-star Shane West guided her through the learning curve she faced. Of course, Moore is now an established actress who brings Rebecca Pearson to life weekly on the critically acclaimed drama “This Is Us”!

#9: From Blonde to Brunette

Before this role, pretty much everybody knew Mandy Moore as a blonde. As a pop starlet, her golden locks were a staple of her aesthetic. But that changed after this movie. She had to dye her hair for the part of Jamie. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Moore described the change as extremely special on a personal level, saying “As silly as it sounds, there was a real significance in the way that people saw me, but also in the way that I carried myself and that I saw myself". What’s more, the star has largely remained a brunette in the years since the film. It’s now part of her signature look!

#8: Keeping a Distance

The director of the movie, Adam Shankman, gave Shane West and Mandy Moore a rather odd directive prior to filming: don’t spend too much time together. It seems counterintuitive at first glance. Why wouldn’t you want your two lead actors to bond as much as possible before shooting begins? Well, Shankman’s reasoning actually makes a lot of sense. Landon and Jamie don’t start off as friends in the movie. In fact, they’re from opposite worlds, and that creates a rather icy distance between them at first. In many ways, West and Moore were also quite different from one another. So having them limit their interactions helped make the initial divide between their characters more believable.

#7: Crushing on Each Other

When watching “A Walk to Remember”, it’s nearly impossible not to find yourself rooting for Landon and Jamie’s love story. A big part of why fans love their relationship to this day is the acting. The on-screen chemistry between Mandy Moore and Shane West is undeniable. It turns out they felt it too! Both actors have talked about how, throughout filming, they actually fell for one another a little bit. It’s certainly understandable, given the material they were creating. While nothing serious came of this - in 2021 Moore had a baby boy with husband Taylor Goldsmith - the two remain friends. The incredibly sweet speech West gave when she got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is proof of that!

#6: A Different Jamie

Mandy Moore's portrayal of Jamie in “A Walk to Remember” is so memorable, it’s hard to imagine anybody else ever doing the role justice. But of course, like with any film, there were other actors in contention for the part. According to director Adam Shankman, one such star was Jessica Simpson. As he describes it though, once he heard Moore’s music on the radio and saw her record, he had no doubt that she was the perfect girl for the part. Interestingly, without naming any names, Shane West once recalled how there was another person being considered for the role of Jamie, who was simply wrong for the part. We’d say the final casting was absolutely perfect!

#5: On-Set Restrictions

We’re used to seeing teen movies and tv shows with actors that are years older than the characters they play. While that was the case for much of the cast of “A Walk to Remember”, Mandy Moore proved to be the exception. The star was only 16 when filming started, and turned 17 during the shoot. That made her a minor, which meant there were rules production had to follow in accordance with SAG standards. Namely, there was a limit to the number of hours she was allowed to work per day. And since the actress was a high schooler, she also had a tutor and was required to complete 15 hours of schooling per week!

#4: The Dawson’s Creek Connection

“A Walk to Remember” and “Dawson’s Creek” both center around teenagers, but that’s not all they have in common. They were both shot in the small town of Wilmington, North Carolina. As such, they made use of some of the same sets when filming. Notably, the lake from the opening of the movie is the same as the one that’s often seen in the teen drama series. In fact, Shane West described that scene as one of his most memorable, specifically because it was kind of frightening to shoot. There were apparently eels in the water, so the cast was understandably a little apprehensive about jumping in!

#3: Jamie’s Look

From the start of the film, Jamie doesn’t place too much value in her appearance, and gets made fun of for it. Of course, there’s an added significance when you consider that she is battling cancer. But this is initially kept under wraps, which meant that the hair and makeup departments had to strike a balance. Jamie couldn’t look too healthy, nor could she seem too sick. Naturally, some trial and error was involved. Recalling the start of the process, Moore said “They made me so ghostly white that it was just a little uncalled for — I’m not dead yet!” In the end though, they figured out how to create the perfect look for Jamie.

#2: A Pivotal Last Minute Decision

One of the most intense scenes of the movie is undoubtedly the one where Jamie tells Landon she has leukemia. From the way he doesn’t initially understand, to the devastating moment where she reveals her terminal diagnosis, everything about this moment is heartbreaking. And according to Mandy Moore, they originally weren’t sure how much information Jamie would reveal here. Would she specify that she had leukemia, or would it be more vague? Therefore, the actors shot multiple different versions of the scene, and the final decision was made later. It definitely feels like the right version was chosen in the end!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Eric & Landon’s Famous Handshake
Actor Al Thompson Invented the Boys’ Signature Move

Shane West’s Memento
He Purchased His Character’s Camaro

Director Adam Shankman’s Cameo
Pay Close Attention to the Man Wheeling Jamie Out of Her Hospital Room

Mandy Moore’s Most Memorable Scene
Jamie Singing “Only Hope” at the School Play Was Unforgettable

#1: Nicholas Sparks’ Inspiration

While all of Nicholas Sparks’ stories are deeply emotional, “A Walk to Remember” often stands out as a fan-favorite. Well, it might be because it truly came from his heart. The author has been quite open about how his sister was his inspiration for the story. He describes her as very similar to Jamie in a multitude of ways, from her faith, to her demeanor, to her style. She was also diagnosed with cancer, but found love and fulfilled her dream of getting married before passing away. There’s no doubt that the novel - and its subsequent movie - are a beautiful tribute to Sparks’ sister and her husband.