Meet Clara Grant: 12 Fun Facts You’ll Love

“Mckenna brings so much life to Clara,” says Allison Williams, who plays Morgan Grant, mom to Mckenna Grace’s Clara in the upcoming tragic romance Regretting You. “She’s an extraordinary actress.” 

In Regretting You — adapted from Colleen Hoover’s hit novel — Allison Williams and Mckenna Grace portray Morgan and Clara Grant, mother and daughter pushed apart by tragedy. When a shocking betrayal emerges after a devastating accident, they must unearth buried secrets, redefine love, and stand by each other again. The luminous ensemble includes Dave Franco, Mason Thames, Sam Morelos, Scott Eastwood, Willa Fitzgerald, and Clancy Brown. Directed by Josh Boone (of The Fault in Our Stars fame). 

Watch the Official Trailer Here:

After the trailer’s August release, fans were immediately smitten. One admirer wrote:

“OMG, Mckenna is perfect as Clara.”

Ready to fall deeper into Clara’s world? Here are 12 fun facts that make her—and the actress behind her—truly unforgettable.

1. Starting young, soaring high

At 19, Mckenna Grace began acting at age 5. Her credits span Captain Marvel to The Handmaid’s Tale, for which she earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

“Clara has been such a special role for me,” says Grace. “She’s so complicated, mature and immature all at once.”

2. On‑screen love, real‑life friendship

Clara’s boyfriend Miller is played by Mason Thames — who, in real life, is one of Grace’s best friends.

“We already knew each other so well because we’ve been goofing off for the past year, doing all these stupid things,” Grace says of Thames. “And then, all of a sudden, we were working together, running around, having a blast!”

3. The first week was wild

The earliest scenes took place in Miller’s home, where the set included goats, horses, and more. Grace recalls this first week as her favorite. And yes, she traveled with her beloved Yorkie, Gizmo.

4. Sometimes, Clara stirs the pot

In one climactic scene, Miller accuses Clara of using him just to “piss off” her mom. Grace admits:

“Clara does some things that she knows will piss off her mama,” Grace laughs. “The interesting thing is that sometimes I don’t think she knows there’s a part of her that’s doing it to piss her off. Sometimes she definitely does, though, and does it anyways!”

5. Their shared passion: films

Clara dreams of acting; Miller wants to direct. Movies are one of their deepest bonds.

“Miller is a filmmaker, so he’s very creative,” notes Thames.

6. Guilty‑pleasure romance flicks

Miller apparently loves Elizabethtown (a Cameron Crowe film), a nod to director Josh Boone’s own inspirations.

7. Sharp wit, hidden pain

Though grief weighs on her, Clara still brings humor and sarcasm. As Thames teases:

“Whoever his first kiss was with, I bet it was nothing like his first kiss with Clara,” says Thames of when Miller and Clara’s romance first blooms. “That is a moment that everybody is looking for. And once you find it, it’s pretty special.”

8. Top student turned rebel

Before the tragedy, Clara was a straight‑A pupil. Afterwards, she spirals, rebelling and pushing away her mother through bad choices. Grace notes:

“There are a lot of bad decisions that Clara makes within her grief, just trying to figure herself out. Which I think makes her very human,” says Grace. “This film is about her and her mom trying to find each other again.”

9. A director steeped in adaptation

Josh Boone, who previously brought The Fault in Our Stars to film, now brings Regretting You to life. 

10. Music is Clara’s compass

Music drives the film’s tone (you’ll notice an R.E.M. logo on Boone’s hoodie in set pics). He says he builds a movie’s identity around its soundtrack:

“Music is almost the starting point for me to even know whether to make a movie or not,” Boone says. “I worked at a record store for many years before I made movies, so the first thing I do is build a soundtrack. Music is important to Clara, too.”

11. A confidante in real life

Grace says she doesn’t carry many secrets but becomes “a vault” for others.

“I don’t have a lot of secrets of my own, but I am a vault for other people’s,” says Grace. “I’m somebody people tell a lot of secrets to. I never tell. I am a really, really good secret-keeper.”

12. Grace’s own musical heart

Offscreen, she’s a musician, having released 30+ songs since debuting her single “Haunted House” in 2021. She calls songwriting “is my therapy.”

Mark Your Calendars

Regretting You, from Paramount Pictures, opens in Philippine cinemas October 22. #RegrettingYouMovie 

Whether you’re a Colleen Hoover superfan or just love a story that’ll make you cry, laugh, and maybe call your mom — this is one fall movie you won’t want to miss.