Exclusive Interview: Madelaine Petsch and Madison Bailey Talk ‘Maintenance Required’

Rom-coms may have taken us down this road before, but never quite like this. In Maintenance Required, audiences are in for a ride that’s equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, powered by a female-led team both in front of and behind the camera. The film stars Madelaine Petsch as Charlie, a fiercely independent mechanic who’s more focused on fixing cars than finding love—until an anonymous online connection threatens to steer her off course.

When a flashy corporate competitor parks across the street, Charlie leans on her trusted crew—Izzy (Madison Bailey) and Alex (Katy O’Brian)—as she fights to keep her business and her sense of self intact. Together, the trio keeps the shop running like a well-oiled machine, balancing humor, heart, and hustle while navigating friendship, ambition, and the challenges of life in the fast lane.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to sit down with Madelaine Petsch and Madison Bailey to chat about their dynamic on and off screen, how Maintenance Required flips a familiar trope on its head, and why this story—centered on women charting their own course—feels like a much-needed tune-up for the rom-com genre.

PC: Madelaine, your character’s journey is about carving her own path and embracing risk, and that really connects with the work you’ve been doing as a producer—championing stories we don’t often hear. Was that parallel what drew you to this character? And how were you able to put your own creative touch as a producer on this film?
Madelaine: That’s such a thoughtful question, thank you. I feel like it was a happy coincidence that there’s a through line across all of my producing projects, including this one. What drew me to the story was Charlie’s tenacity, yes, but even more than that, I love a character who presents themselves one way but has so much going on beneath the surface. Charlie uses cars as a defense mechanism—to hide from the real world and from her own feelings and emotions. This story is really about her journey toward being okay with vulnerability when she’s away from the car, and I love that. I love being able to play within tight confines as an actor, where I can’t show anyone what’s happening beneath the surface. That’s really what drew me to this project.

PC: Madison, your character’s art and style feel like such an extension of her voice. How did connecting those outward expressions with her inner world not only help you understand her but also shape the way you portrayed her on screen?
Madison: Absolutely. So much of Izzy’s style comes from her being unapologetically herself. She’s in this all-female space where she’s embraced for who she is, and she gets to play, be creative, and be silly.

PC: Madelaine, I’m such a fan of the quiet moments in the film. We see your character working toward a specific goal, and when she finally achieves it, there’s one person she immediately wants to share it with. In your own life, when something great happens, who’s the first person you call?
Madelaine: There are two people I call—my mom and my best friend, Andy.

PC: Madison, same question for you.
Madison: I call my dad—and then all six of my siblings, one at a time. [laugh]

PC: What I also loved about this film is how it takes this trope and flips it on its head, while still giving you the freedom to improvise and react to your scene partner. The chemistry between all the characters is so palpable. For each of you, was there a moment in the final cut that came from improvisation that you’re excited for audiences to see?
Madelaine: I’m going to speak for Madison. In every scene, she has the most amazing improv lines that are so funny—and almost all of them made it into the final cut.

Madison: That’s so nice.

Madelaine: You and Katy really brought those scenes to life with your improv.

Madison: I was going to say the scene where we’re setting up your dating profile and Katy’s just eating pickles.

Madelaine: And I had the worst sinus infection known to man. You guys were like, “Let’s not make her talk too much.”

Madison: I was also fighting for my life trying to eat noodles with chopsticks and my long nails. I was like, “I’m not going to eat it.” That was funny.

Make sure to follow Madelaine (Instagram) and Madison (Instagram). Stream Maintenance Required on Prime Video today.