{"id":435711,"date":"2026-05-19T22:34:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T22:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/435711\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T22:34:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T22:34:08","slug":"emily-henry-responds-to-beach-read-casting-backlash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/435711\/","title":{"rendered":"Emily Henry Responds to \u2018Beach Read\u2019 Casting Backlash"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tEmily Henry<\/a> is addressing the criticism of the casting for the film adaptation of her novel, Beach Read. <\/p>\n

\n\tWhile appearing on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle<\/a> on Tuesday, the bestselling author reflected on the fan reactions to the casting of her\u00a02020 romance novel\u2019s upcoming film adaptation starring Phoebe Dynevor<\/a> and Patrick Schwarzenegger<\/a> as the romantic leads. <\/p>\n

\n\tAfter 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\u2019t spoken out about it \u2014 until now. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI also have to sit back and let it unfold,\u201d Henry said of the mixed fan reactions. \u201dIt is our baby \u2014 the readers\u2019 and my baby \u2014 but it\u2019s also the filmmakers\u2019 baby and the studio\u2019s baby, and I\u2019m along for the ride with the readers, and we just have to trust the vision.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHenry then expressed her support for the film\u2019s writer-director Yulin Kuang, saying, \u201cYulin Kuang, our writer-director, is so brilliant and I know she\u2019s gonna do an amazing job.\u201d Kuang previously co-wrote the screenplay for the\u00a0Netflix adaptation\u00a0of Henry\u2019s novel\u00a0People We Meet on Vacation.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tThe casting has been highly anticipated, with fans eager to see how the\u00a0EmHen universe<\/a>\u00a0love stories will translate onscreen \u2014 even going so far as to share dream casting choices. Henry teased that other castings have been made that she\u2019s excited about. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI also just keep getting emails about everyone else that they\u2019re locking in, which is not public news yet, so I can\u2019t share, but I\u2019m getting really excited,\u201d the author said of the film. \u201cThey\u2019re starting shooting very soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBeach Read\u00a0follows romance writer January Andrews, who no longer believes in love, and Augustus Everett, a literary writer enduring severe writer\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201c\u2018Patrick is a slow burn,\u2019 is what I wrote in my notes after meeting him for the first time,\u201d\u00a0Kuang shared on social media <\/a>of Schwarzenegger\u2019s casting.<\/a>\u00a0\u201cThere was something about the way he talked about his feelings on love and romance that I couldn\u2019t forget. But I was unconvinced we\u2019d found our Gus, because I knew we had to be exhaustive in our efforts, given how important this character is to readers.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe 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 \u2014 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tShe added, \u201c\u2018There\u2019s magic to chase here,\u2019 I wrote in my notes afterwards. I checked in with Phoebe after the reads and she said, \u2018It\u2019s obviously Patrick, isn\u2019t it?\u2019 and I thought to myself, \u2018So she feels it too.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tOf joining the EmHen universe, Schwarzenegger said to Henry, \u201cI will do everything possible to make the fans happy & proud and bring your brilliant writing to life. PS- my wife is obsessed with you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBeach Read\u00a0is the latest book from Henry, dubbed the queen of rom-coms, to\u00a0get the adaptation treatment.\u00a0<\/a>Three of her other novels\u00a0(Book Lovers<\/a>,\u00a0Funny Story<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Happy Place) are also in development to become films.\u00a0People We Meet on Vacation<\/a>, starring Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, began streaming on\u00a0Netflix<\/a>\u00a0in January.<\/p>\n