Emily Henry Responds to ‘Beach Read’ Casting Backlash: “Trust the Vision”
Emily Henry is addressing the criticism of the casting for the film adaptation of her novel, Beach Read.
While appearing on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle on Tuesday, the bestselling author reflected on the fan reactions to the casting of her 2020 romance novel’s upcoming film adaptation starring Phoebe Dynevor and Patrick Schwarzenegger as the romantic leads.
After it was announced that Schwarzenegger will star as Gus Everett, the online fan discourse was divided with many noting that the actor was the wrong choice for the character. Despite the mixed response, Henry hasn’t spoken out about it — until now.
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“I also have to sit back and let it unfold,” Henry said of the mixed fan reactions. ”It is our baby — the readers’ and my baby — but it’s also the filmmakers’ baby and the studio’s baby, and I’m along for the ride with the readers, and we just have to trust the vision.”
Henry then expressed her support for the film’s writer-director Yulin Kuang, saying, “Yulin Kuang, our writer-director, is so brilliant and I know she’s gonna do an amazing job.” Kuang previously co-wrote the screenplay for the Netflix adaptation of Henry’s novel People We Meet on Vacation.
The casting has been highly anticipated, with fans eager to see how the EmHen universe love stories will translate onscreen — even going so far as to share dream casting choices. Henry teased that other castings have been made that she’s excited about.
“I also just keep getting emails about everyone else that they’re locking in, which is not public news yet, so I can’t share, but I’m getting really excited,” the author said of the film. “They’re starting shooting very soon.”
Beach Read follows romance writer January Andrews, who no longer believes in love, and Augustus Everett, a literary writer enduring severe writer’s block. When the polar opposites find themselves living in neighboring beach houses in Michigan, they eventually devise a plan to help each other get out of a creative rut. Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. Despite writing their next book, they may just find love in the process.
“‘Patrick is a slow burn,’ is what I wrote in my notes after meeting him for the first time,” Kuang shared on social media of Schwarzenegger’s casting. “There was something about the way he talked about his feelings on love and romance that I couldn’t forget. But I was unconvinced we’d found our Gus, because I knew we had to be exhaustive in our efforts, given how important this character is to readers.
“We saw a lot of men for this role. We reviewed a lot of tapes, sent a lot of avails checks and took a lot of meetings over a six-month period. I have always maintained that we are not casting a character, but a relationship. Once we knew Phoebe would be our January, my efforts became more focused and specific — not on who would play the best Gus according to the text but who would play the best Gus opposite our specific January. That meant in-person director sessions and chemistry reads with Phoebe. The moment Patrick sat across from her, there was something electric in the room with us.”
She added, “‘There’s magic to chase here,’ I wrote in my notes afterwards. I checked in with Phoebe after the reads and she said, ‘It’s obviously Patrick, isn’t it?’ and I thought to myself, ‘So she feels it too.’”
Of joining the EmHen universe, Schwarzenegger said to Henry, “I will do everything possible to make the fans happy & proud and bring your brilliant writing to life. PS- my wife is obsessed with you!”
Beach Read is the latest book from Henry, dubbed the queen of rom-coms, to get the adaptation treatment. Three of her other novels (Book Lovers, Funny Story and Happy Place) are also in development to become films. People We Meet on Vacation, starring Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, began streaming on Netflix in January.
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