What happens when a kid from the Netherlands grows up to write the origin story of America's first president?

In this episode, screenwriter Diederik Hoogstraten joins Ben to talk about Young Washington — the Wonder Project film releasing July 3rd to mark America's 250th — and why an immigrant might be uniquely positioned to remind us what this country actually is.

We get into:

- Growing up progressive in 1980s Holland and how Family Ties (yes, really) planted the seeds
- Becoming a U.S. citizen in 2019 and what most Americans miss about their own country
- The Wonder Project, House of David, and building a studio for the audience Hollywood forgot
- Writing George Washington from age 11 to 22 — the failures, the loss, the overbearing mother
- Why failure shaped Washington's character (and what that means for the rest of us)
- A Native American chief, a battlefield, and the moment Washington's purpose became clear

A conversation about country, craft, and the kind of leader formed in the quiet years.

Young Washington hits theaters July 3rd.

CHAPTERS:
00:48 Welcome & guest intro
02:18 Why an immigrant celebrates America 250
03:51 Family Ties and discovering America
06:28 World Cup as a unifying moment
12:48 What the Wonder Project is
17:15 Faith-based or family-friendly?
22:19 The loneliness of screenwriting
27:10 Why focus on young Washington
30:34 Balancing history with creative license
36:36 How failure shapes leaders
43:05 What viewers should take away
48:09 How the project changed him

What happens when a kid from the Netherlands grows up to write the origin story of America's first president?
In this episode, screenwriter Diederik Hoogstraten joins Ben to talk about Young Washington &mdash; the Wonder Project film releasing July 3rd to mark America's 250th &mdash; and why an immigrant might be uniquely positioned to remind us what this country actually is.
We get into:
- Growing up progressive in 1980s Holland and how Family Ties (yes, really) planted the seeds - Becoming a U.S. citizen in 2019 and what most Americans miss about their own country - The Wonder Project, House of David, and building a studio for the audience Hollywood forgot - Writing George Washington from age 11 to 22 &mdash; the failures, the loss, the overbearing mother - Why failure shaped Washington's character (and what that means for the rest of us) - A Native American chief, a battlefield, and the moment Washington's purpose became clear
A conversation about country, craft, and the kind of leader formed in the quiet years.
Young Washington hits theaters July 3rd.
CHAPTERS: 00:48 Welcome &amp; guest intro 02:18 Why an immigrant celebrates America 250 03:51 Family Ties and discovering America 06:28 World Cup as a unifying moment 12:48 What the Wonder Project is 17:15 Faith-based or family-friendly? 22:19 The loneliness of screenwriting 27:10 Why focus on young Washington 30:34 Balancing history with creative license 36:36 How failure shapes leaders 43:05 What viewers should take away 48:09 How the project changed him

We’re all looking for something.

 

In If You Can Hear Me, Ben Higgins sits down with people from all walks of life—celebrities, thinkers, everyday folks—to talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope.

 

These are honest conversations about the big stuff: identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out.

 

If you’ve ever felt like there must be more to the story—this show is for you.

We&rsquo;re all looking for something.
&nbsp;
In If You Can Hear Me, Ben Higgins sits down with people from all walks of life&mdash;celebrities, thinkers, everyday folks&mdash;to talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope.
&nbsp;
These are honest conversations about the big stuff: identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out.
&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;ve ever felt like there must be more to the story&mdash;this show is for you.

If You Can Hear Me

Young Washington: The Origin Story of the Original American, with Diederik Hoogstraten

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/96f16a67-03b3-4328-9c1e-b46f01205597/transcript