The stars, as well as director Vanessa Caswill and author and co-screenwriter Colleen Hoover, dig deep into Kenna’s long-awaited reunion with her and Scotty’s daughter.

Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers reflect on *Reminders of Him *reunion: ‘Such a human moment’

The stars, as well as director Vanessa Caswill and author and co-screenwriter Colleen Hoover, dig deep into Kenna's long-awaited reunion with her and Scotty's daughter.

By Emlyn Travis

Emlyn Travis

Emlyn Travis is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2022. Her work has previously appeared on MTV News, Teen Vogue, and NME.

EW's editorial guidelines

March 15, 2026 2:11 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Diem Landry (Zoe Kosovic) and Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) in 'Reminders of Him'. Credit:

Universal Pictures

**This article contains spoilers for the ending of *Reminders of Him*.**

After all of the heartbreak and hardships that Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) experiences in *Reminders of Him*, there was one rainbow right at the end: her long-awaited reunion with daughter Diem (Zoe Kosovic). **

Throughout the film, based on Colleen Hoover's 2022 novel of the same name, Kenna fights tooth and nail to rebuild her life so that she can reconnect with her daughter, whom she gave birth to while in prison for the accidental death of her boyfriend, Scotty Landry (Rudy Pankow). To call it an uphill battle would be an understatement, but it's all worth it when she finally gets to meet her and Scotty's child. **

The pair is introduced by Ledger (Tyriq Withers), Scotty's best friend and Kenna's current partner, before he gives the mother and daughter space to get to know each other. "I think he breaks the ice in a beautiful way," Withers tells **. "He's there for support and letting Kenna know everything's gonna be okay, and then he allows them the time and space to really connect."

Ledger Ward (Tyriq Withers), Diem Landry (Zoe Kosovic) and Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) in 'Reminders of Him'.

Michelle Faye/Universal Pictures

He also praises Monroe's performance in the scene, especially when Kenna tearfully tells Diem that she's her mother while they play in Scotty's old play structure. "For Maika to really stay locked in on the emotion, honestly, think it's one of the most profound performances I've got to witness on and off set," Withers says. "It's such a human moment. I think anybody can watch that scene and just feel for Kenna a little bit more." **

Monroe tells EW that she "really tried to tap into that [feeling] of meeting this person who's not only part of me, but a part of this person that I love so much," adding, "And seeing their eyes and their face, their nose, everything that close, what that would feel like and what that would mean."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.*****

For their reunion, director Vanessa Caswill reveals that she used an in-camera rainbow lens to give the scene a dreamy, magical quality. **

"It creates this beautiful prism of a rainbow when the light catches it, so it felt heightened but grounded as well, because it's an in-camera trick," she says. "It's not something we added afterwards, and then we used other lenses to make the flashbacks feel different." (This particular lens, Caswill shares, was also used in the scene in which Kenna and Scotty meet for the very first time.)

Ledger Ward (Tyriq Withers) and Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) in 'Reminders of Him'.

Michelle Faye/Universal Pictures

A reader's guide to Colleen Hoover's books in order

Maika Monroe returns to horror roots in 'Resident Evil Requiem' live-action trailer

Author and co-screenwriter Colleen Hoover says it's one of the scenes she's most excited for readers and audiences to see, "especially because having a child in that scene, it's so unpredictable." She continues, "Zoe was just so amazing. And I think that's a challenge also for Maika to get those emotions across while also interacting with a child. I just think they did such a great job."**

Another moment she's excited to bring from the page to the big screen is the scene in which Scotty's mom, Grace (Lauren Graham), forgives Kenna for her role in her son's death, and the pair begin to pave a pathway forward as a family. **

"I think, throughout her journey, [Kenna's] focus was meeting her daughter. I don't know that she ever expected forgiveness from Grace," Hoover says. "And so when that's given to her, it's just such a beautiful moment — and I think it allows her to forgive herself in that moment." **

Monroe agrees that reconciling with Scotty's family was always a dream for Kenna, but maybe not one that she thought would ever come to fruition.

"I think she understood very deeply the pain that she felt of losing her partner. I think she, with that pain, could understand to a degree what two parents would feel like losing their son," she says. "And I think a big part of her felt like, 'How could they ever forgive me for taking away their child?' So I don't think she expected that from Grace in particular." **

But Caswill notes it's a key step in both of their respective healing journeys. "I think it's a really beautiful gift that Grace gives her and also gives herself," she points out. "Because I think Grace is so tightly held in blame [that] she's not really able to connect with her grief. And I think, actually, in the moment that she forgives Kenna, she is able to feel and express her grief, which actually needs to be released."

*Reminders of Him* is in theaters now.

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Drama”