Interview with Michelle Monaghan, cast The Family Plan 2

I am so excited to be back in London. We were just—we started production here about nine months ago, and I was stunned by the beauty of this city. Um, it's such a festive, festive city. It really knows how to show off and highlight all the beautiful aspects of of Christmas and the holidays here, and I'm thrilled to be back here to premiere Family Plan 2.

Oh, I'm so excited. I mean, we've got kind of all of the lovely family dynamics that you enjoy kind of from the first one. Uh, but we have now heightened it. There are some really big high-octane um action sequences that are just so much fun. Um, and, you know, we've got all of the family uh milestones that you experience as you kind of grow and evolve and all of your challenges. And we see all of them kind of rise to the occasion and use their respective skills to um, to kind of um, to to kind of get over their their um all the challenges that they experience.

You know, listen, we had so much fun sincerely making the first film. Um, we have such a great creative team, but I mean this cast, we all really gelled together. And we sincerely like being together. So when we found out we were going to get to do a sequel, we were so excited. Uh, and then to hear that we were getting to get to do it in Europe was just like a dream come true. And, uh, we didn't feel like we were working. I mean, we got to shoot at these incredible landmarks throughout Paris and London, and it was just beautiful.

Oh my gosh. I love that they utilized Jessica Morgan and her um, and her decathlete skills. Uh, we saw like the high, this time I got to do the long jump. And uh and also a shot put you see her attempt. Uh, and it was a lot of fun. Those are things that I love.

It does make it really special because it's always about family, right? And so, um, the holidays are about family, it's about us enjoying the time together, and, uh, you know, it's it's it's everybody kind of just coming together and being able to have a Christmas meal and then sitting down and enjoying like a great popcorn movie together.

Oh, he was such a wonderful addition to the cast. He's such a dynamite actor and also just such a lovely person. Uh, and he adds just a complexity to the film and a depth to the film as we kind of introduce him into our world, and it was really special for him to join.

Oh my gosh, mine is very chill compared to theirs, yeah. I I generally am sitting on a couch eating a lot of things that I've baked and I'm chilling with the kids. Um, I I don't have a lot of action sequences.

I really like Jessica a lot. I think she's really spirited. Uh, she's high energy, uh, which I can kind of connect to personally. And, uh, she's like a regular mom. Um, and sometimes she does not so regular things, which is really awesome. Uh, and she's a former decathlete and a local track coach and, of course, is married to the love of her life, Dan, um, Dan Morgan, and is a devoted mom.

And Family Plan 2, we go on a, a Dan has decided to plan our Christmas vacation in Europe this year. Uh, but unfortunately Dan's past, uh, catches up with him once again.

This was a movie that when I found out that we were getting to do a sequel for it, I was overjoyed because we had so much fun, um, in Family Plan 1, of course. Uh, we just have a really tight-knit, um, uh, just familial, uh, relationship, all of us together as a family. We all get along really well. And so I was so excited to get to reunite, basically. It felt like a little bit of a reunion of sorts. And the fact that we got to reunite in Europe was, you know, basically a dream come true.

Shooting in Europe has been a, a bit of a dream come true. The job actually hasn't felt uh, like work. Um, mostly because we have utilized a number of different landmarks throughout London and Paris. Uh, for example, in London, we were shooting in Piccadilly Circus, uh, Whitehall, uh, just all sorts of beautiful, iconic locations. Uh, so it was incredibly special. Especially getting to do it around Christmas time, because I don't think I've ever seen a city that is that that makes Christmas look as beautiful as London does. And so, of course, we took full advantage of that. Um, this, this film really embraces the holiday spirit. Uh, and so it really got us frankly in the mood for the holidays, because we, we, you know, we shot it in real time. Uh, so it was really, really special. And then, um, you know, sort of checking all the boxes of the places we wanted to go in Europe, then we got to continue on and go to Paris, which is one of the most beautiful uh, cities in the world. And once again, we're shooting with the backdrop of say the L'Arc de Triomphe, um, we're in the Île Saint-Louis, uh, next to the Seine. We're shooting on the top of, uh, rooftops and and Montmartre. Uh, it's just been extraordinary. It's just been absolutely beautiful and just a dream gig. And just to see the Morgans um, having this adventure together is, is just really fun.

I think why we all love The Family Plan is just that special dynamic that I think that that Dan and Jessica and uh, Nina, of course, and um, and Kyle and Max all share. And we see them all kind of going through as a family, the same things that every family goes through, universally. Uh, you know, whether it's um, you know, just trying to kind of, um, kind of keeping that those relationships alive, you know, strengthening the bonds, you know, empty nesting, like all, all of those things that we all, um, as families sort of, um, endure and enjoy. Uh, we see this family going through. And then on top of that we add, you know, all this action, you know, and we, we all get to witness each of the family members sort of rise to the occasion in their own specific way and we root for them. And uh, and that's really exciting. And at the heart of it, you've got a family that just really loves each other and and it's their fun. They're fun family to watch, they have a wonderful banter and uh, I think that, you know, it's just it's just a family that's very relatable.

This is the third movie that Mark and I have made together. Uh, there's always just been such, uh, an ease with him. I really respect Mark so much. He's so disciplined, he's so focused. He is not only a great actor, but he's a wonderful producer and I think it's important to note that because um, he's, he's wholly invested, uh, in the quality and uh, the film and and and so he's conscious of of what everyone's bringing to the table and he's really, um, you know, it's it's nice to see that he cares about every kind of character in the film. You know, he really wants everyone to shine, um, and and bring their best. And and on just on that's just professionally speaking and personally speaking, I just, I respect him, I consider him a friend, and I hope that we get to make four, five, and six films together.

I think audiences have so much to look forward to with Family Plan 2. You are going to be able to experience those great dynamics and the laughter and the fun and the banter and the action that everyone enjoyed in Family Plan 1, but now we're doing it in Europe. We are, we are actually experiencing Europe at Christmas time and it's absolutely stunning and beautiful and it's just a beautiful Morgan family adventure once again.