Lucy Dacus recently declared that Forever Is A Feeling, but it’s also a new series adaptation of Judy Blume’s young adult classic premiering May 8 on Netflix. In the Forever trailer, forever is actually a lot of feelings—exciting, excruciating, beautiful, confusing, all the things we associate with first love. It’s also a promise our young lovers (played by Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr.) make to each other, to always be there for each other.
The groundbreaking 1975 novel Forever… is “reimagined” by Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends) as “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.” Akil told Netflix’s Tudum that the author was initially skeptical that a modernized version of the book could work because of how cultural attitudes towards sex have changed since it was written, but Akil pitched a perspective that “resonated” with both of them.
“I’ve always credited Judy Blume as part of the seasoning of my voice as a writer. She was one of the first writers I read that dared to be honest about the human condition in young people and you can see traces of her writing style within my own,” Akil said in a statement, adding that she is “honored” to take on the adaptation. For her part, Blume said, “I’m thrilled that Mara has chosen to tell this story through her own lens. It is gratifying to know that, 50 years after its release, the love story at the core of Forever is still resonating with audiences.”
In the Forever trailer, Keisha (Simone) and Justin (Cooper Jr.) are a classic case of two kids from very different class backgrounds who can’t help but feel drawn to each other. Their sweet love story actually began when they knew each other as kids, but meeting again as teens ignites a new spark. Parents on both sides of the equation have concerns as the young couple fall for each other hard—and Justin’s parents “are navigating parenting during a time of heightened awareness around the lack of safety for Black boys in America,” per the Netflix description. But the time capsule moment in L.A. isn’t just about the socio-political climate. “What better metaphor for this love story than what LA represents, for not only me, but for a lot of people,” Akil observed. “You’re looking for a place to follow your dreams, and love is a part of that.”
