Stefania Owen Discusses the Authenticity of ‘All We Had’ and Starring Alongside Katie Holmes

In her directorial debut “All We Had,” actress Katie Holmes tells the story of a struggling single mother, Rita Carmichael, who is determined to break her pattern of shacking up with unworthy men. After her latest relationship disaster, she heads to Boston for a new life. Along for the ride is her teen daughter, Ruthie (Stefania Owen). What is meant to be a pit stop in a small town has staying power when Rita and Ruthie take jobs at the diner run by a large-hearted owner, Marty (Richard Kind). He and his niece Pam (Eve Lindley), show the mother and daughter the first kindness they have experienced in many miles.

As an indication of the chaos of the Carmichaels’ lives, one of the first scenes shows Ruthie helping her mother remove a chipped tooth in a public restroom. It’s not the last of such moments in the story, because even though Rita makes an effort to make a new life for her and her daughter, there’s no stopping the troubles that threaten to put them out of their jobs and their new home, sold to them by Vic (Mark Consuelos), a slick realtor.

In an interview with Entertainment Voice, Owen explained that it was the authenticity of the screenplay that attracted her to “All We Had.” “I thought it was a really honest depiction of what a mother and daughter relationship looks like, and I loved Ruthie as a character. She’s very charismatic, but she’s also a go-getter and she doesn’t let people mess her around, and so I loved her strength throughout the script.”

Holmes got her big break playing a teen with a troubled home life on “Dawson’s Creek.” Although Owen is too young to have watched the groundbreaking drama series, she was thrilled at the prospect of working with the illustrious actress and felt an instant connection during their first Skype meeting. “I just kind of fell in love with her and her personality, and she’s just so sweet and gentle. She’s an actor’s director and she knows how actors think. I learned so much from her and I also learned so much from myself with the help of her directing.”

A subplot of the film involves Ruthie navigating her way through high school, dealing with mean girls and crushes. She faces challenges as her desire to be cool threatens her academic success. Throughout all of this, her relationship with her mother evolves, and Ruthie begins to realize that she is more like Rita than she thought.

“I think everyone can relate to her and the pressures that come with being a teenager,” Owen said. “I really did relate to Ruthie in so many ways. The relationship between a mother and daughter is so complex. One minute you love each other, the next minute you are at each other’s throats… That I could really relate to.”

For all her faults, Rita wants what’s best for her daughter. And vice versa: With the help of her daughter and others she not only begins to thaw but also gives up her drinking problem. It’s at an AA meeting that she meets widowed dentist Lee (Luke Wilson). Considering her dental problems, Rita’s new beau’s profession seems a little too convenient. However, he proves his worth by being there for her and her daughter when it counts.

But not everybody is this idyllic little town is nice. Pam, who is transgender, experiences taunting, cruelty and eventually violence. Lindley and Owen have great chemistry together on screen, so it’s no surprise that the two bonded off screen as well. “Eve and I are really, really great friends,” she said. “We became extremely close during filming. I was able to get to these darker places because of our relationship on and off set.”

“All We Had” was shot all across New York State, which suited Owen just fine. Although she grew up in New Zealand, she’s an Empire State girl now. “I like the New York energy and the vibe and how you can do a million things in one day,” she said “I love how you don’t even have to be working to feel you’re a part of something.”

Owen is now starring as Hugh Laurie’s daughter on the Hulu series “Chance,” which she’s been enjoying as well. “It was something so different and I also learned a lot working alongside Hugh. It was also a challenge because that was the first job that I had where I was classified as an adult, so I didn’t have my parents on set. It was definitely a big learning experience for me.”

All We Had” opens Dec. 9 in select theaters and VOD.