Interview: Rita Wilson on storytelling through song with “Til You’re Home” from ‘A Man Called Otto’ [VIDEO]

Rita Wilson is a textbook multi-hyphenate; her warmth and humor are displayed across 85 acting credits, including Runaway Bride, Sleepless in Seattle, and Jingle All the Way.  As a producer, she has championed projects— monster hits like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Mamma Mia!—that bring immigrant stories and universal stories to the forefront. It’s that same quest for connection that led Wilson to produce A Man Called Otto, the English adaptation of the Oscar-nominated Swedish film A Man Called Ove.

In addition to acting and producing, Wilson is also an accomplished singer and songwriter, having released her fourth studio album, “Now & Forever: Duets” in September. With A Man Called Otto, Wilson combines her movie-making prowess with her musical abilities co-writing the end title track “Til Your Home,” a sweet ballad she performs alongside Sebastián Yatra.

We discuss all things Otto, including why Wilson wanted to make the film with her Oscar-winning husband Tom Hanks in the lead role, the pressures of adapting Fredrick Backman’s beloved source material, and bringing the film’s themes of found family and love to “Til Your Home,” a song brimming with tenderness and emotion. “Til Your Home” is rooted in deeply personal experiences, and in our wide-ranging video interview, Wilson is refreshingly candid about putting her heart on the page.

Through her words and beaming smile, Wilson makes it clear that she’s abundantly grateful for this moment in her career— for this film and for the joy that comes with creating music, a long-time passion that has come to fruition with great success.

A Man Called Otto is in select theaters now from Sony Pictures, with an expanded release set for December 30.

The interview:

The video for “Til You’re Home”