In My Oxford Year, Sofia Carson Gets Schooled

Ever thought, maybe I should go to grad school? Imagine yourself on a European campus with a stack of books in hand, en route to a study date at the library? Sofia Carson, star and executive producer of My Oxford Year, gets it. “I feel like that all the time,” Carson tells Bustle.

In the Netflix film (out Aug. 1), the 32-year-old actor plays Anna, a literature lover who defers a job on Wall Street to fulfill her childhood dream of studying English at Oxford University. The idyllic campus, old books, and a fling with a handsome teaching assistant named Jamie (Corey Mylchreest) make the first half of the movie pure wish fulfillment. And while the second half gets into some heart-achingly real territory, the film is ultimately a hopeful one.

Carson is no stranger to heartwarming films. My Oxford Year marks her sixth movie with Netflix and her second time serving as executive producer since Purple Hearts, a romantic drama about an aspiring singer’s relationship with a Marine, which debuted to record-breaking success in 2022. Her 2024 airport thriller, Carry-On, remains the No. 2 most-watched Netflix movie in the world. And My Oxford Year comes on the heels of The Life List, another film that beautifully blends love and loss.

All this to say, Carson is on a hot streak — and takes none of it for granted. “It’s such a privilege and joy that the films that I’m telling and the stories that I’m sharing with the world are making an impact or helping people either feel seen, or bringing joy or escapism for a moment in time,” she says. “I feel so grateful, and so honored.”

Below, Carson opens up about My Oxford Year’s bittersweet ending, her Disney Channel days, and what she’s looking forward to next. Spoilers ahead.

As an executive producer, are there ways you tried to subvert the trope of romance doomed by terminal illness?

Part of the beauty of our film is how laughter is woven into it. It was really important for [producer] Marty Bowen to bring in Iain Morris, who created one of the most iconic British comedies, The Inbetweeners, as our director. In one scene, you can fall in love or have your heart broken, and then laugh in the same breath. Iain does such a beautiful job at doing that, not only with Anna and Jamie, but especially with the supporting cast like Harry [Trevaldwyn] and Esmé [Kingdom]. All those characters are so colorful and bring such grounded laughter.

Absolutely. Like at the birthday dinner, where Charlie (Trevaldwyn) says he hopes Jamie won’t drop Anna in six months — not knowing about his illness — and Jamie’s family tenses up, then bursts out laughing.

Yeah, or the moment in the classroom where Jamie’s talking about Tennyson’s “Crossing the Bar,” and Harry goes on this monologue about how he wants to die in a bar. That was completely improvised.

No!

Literally, Iain was like, “Why don’t you improvise?” And he just went on for — I kid you not — 30 minutes.

In addition to the “traditional” romantic beats, there’s so much intimacy in Anna and Jamie simply sharing a bed when he’s not doing well, like at the very end. What was it like filming those moments?

Oh, that scene, I was a mess. I was sobbing the entire time. It was probably one of the most emotional scenes I’ve ever had to shoot. Lying in bed with the love of your life as he’s slipping away, and you know the reality is that he’s going to pass, is unbearable — combined with how deeply they loved each other, and how Anna was so committed to being there every step of the way and respected his decision to stop treatment. Those moments are always really precious and sacred on set.

Are there any versions of the ending that were different from what we saw?

Yes. [For] the grand tour, which was so beautiful that we actually got to visit all of these [places], we shot all of these scenes with Corey and myself, and then all of them just Anna. We weren’t sure at the moment if the edit would end up being maybe just Anna alone the entire time [or] both of them the entire time. But the middle ground is so powerful, where it begins with the two of them together, then suddenly he disappears, and that implication that he’s gone and she did this in memory of him.

I was also curious to see a less literal ending. There was a conversation [about whether] we should leave the audience in suspense without knowing exactly what happens to Anna afterward. But it became very clear and important to us that we had to end this movie with hope, seeing life after loss.

After Jamie’s passing, Anna becomes a professor at Oxford herself. The movie does such a good job of establishing her passion for English and this new life — I wondered if she would have stayed in Oxford and made that pivot, even without this tragic romance upending her life?

I’m so happy you felt that was clear. That was crucial to me — that no one ever thought that Anna was stepping into Jamie’s shoes, but she was stepping into her own. She lives and breathes this. So this love only changed her into becoming closer to embracing who she is entirely, because life is too short not to live it in fulfillment. I do believe that Anna would have made this decision on her own, but I just don’t think that would have happened this early in her life.

To take it back a bit... I loved your Disney Channel movie, Adventures in Babysitting, and it’s so fun to see both you and Sabrina Carpenter thriving right now. Do you have a special memory from that shoot?

Oh, my gosh. I think Adventures in Babysitting was the second movie I ever made. So we’re talking a decade ago, and Sabrina was 15. She was a baby, and yet she was already a star. We just really connected, which you wouldn’t picture, because I was almost a decade older than her. But she always had an old soul, and she was a hard worker. I beam with pride and joy seeing the star that she’s become, and more so, seeing the world understand the caliber of her talent.

We check in every once in a while and send each other congratulations. I haven’t seen her live in a while, so hopefully, I can go see one of her shows soon.

Many of your most recent films have been adapted from books. Is there a title or genre that you’d love to adapt in the future?

I am really interested in reading mystery thriller books. Also, I’m dying to do a period piece.

You’ve also been able to integrate music into several of your projects. Do you have future plans in that area?

I’m really looking forward to the next time I get to do that. I have always wanted to be able to tell stories, whether through film, music, or producing — I want to be like Cher and Barbra Streisand. So we’re actively working on that. I had an incredible experience with Diane Warren, releasing a song that was nominated for an Oscar. To be able to do that was extraordinary.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.