Writers Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein came up with the premise of NEVER BEEN KISSED while attending the Master’s Program at the USC School of Cinema-Television. "We thought the idea of someone returning to high school as an adult had inherent humor," says Silverstein.

Silverstein relates how, early on, he and Kohn came to think of Barrymore as Josie. "Around the time we were halfway through writing the first draft, we saw Drew at a clothing store. I was surprised at how youthful she looked. After that we always saw her in the role."

Kohn and Silverstein, who attended high school in the ’80s, were influenced by the John Hughes movies of that period. "Hughes did not talk down to high schoolers in his films," says Silverstein. "He took their problems seriously. Instead of focusing solely on the jokes, he delved into what high schoolers are really like and are really into. We aimed for a similar mix of the comic and serious."

Isaac, formerly an executive at Fox 2000 Pictures, first heard the pitch for NEVER BEEN KISSED shortly after he became an independent producer. "I just loved the story because it was much more than a teen movie," Isaac recalls. He hopes the film will actually reinvent the teen film genre. "It goes a step further," he explains, "because it tells both sides of the story — the teens and adults collide in a way to give them both importance, yet also pokes fun of them both."

Barrymore explains that the film is a kind of bridge between the often disparate worlds of teens and adults. "NEVER BEEN KISSED is not just a high school movie," she says. "There’s something in it for everyone. And most of all it’s funny; there’s lots we can laugh about, whether it’s laughing at someone else, or laughing at ourselves."

"As an executive producer, I saw so much potential in the material," she continues. "It appealed to me on every level, and I saw Josie as a great character to play. Audiences will get to watch her journey through the good, the bad, and the awkward."

Barrymore’s partner in the production company Flower Films, Nancy Juvonen, agrees. "I loved the story because it wasn’t just for children, or for teenagers," she remarks. "It is for anybody who ever had an awkward stage in life. That seems to be a near-universal experience."

Juvonen also felt NEVER BEEN KISSED presented an opportunity for Barrymore to showcase her quirky side. When Juvonen read the script she knew it would take Barrymore in new directions, where she could bring many different looks, not just physically, but emotionally. "I knew the material and the character of Josie would show a whole new side to Drew," she comments.

Helping bring out this new side is director Raja Gosnell, who made his directorial debut on 1997’s "Home Alone 3" following a long career as a distinguished film editor.

Barrymore says that Gosnell displayed a keen understanding of the material. "He really gets these characters’ experiences," she says. Gosnell, in turn, says Barrymore was a great partner. "Drew’s very creative and brought a lot to the process. She’s lived with this story for so long that she knew it inside and out."