Romance Author Emily Henry’s Take on the Newly Announced Cast

In recent months, Emily Henry has been making headlines with exciting news. Her books Happy Place and Funny Story are set to become movies, and there was a major casting announcement for her best-selling novel, People We Meet on Vacation, which has sold over 2 million copies in the U.S. Readers now know who will bring the beloved characters Poppy and Alex to life. Keep reading to find out more!

On Friday, August 2, 2024, Emily Henry revealed that Tom Blyth and Emily Bader have been cast as Alex and Poppy, respectively. Blyth is well-known for his role as young President Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, while Bader is most recognized for her work in My Lady Jane.

Henry shared her enthusiasm, saying, “When I watched these two people meet, fall in love, and fall apart, I was covered in chills. I laughed aloud within two minutes of seeing them on screen together. I cried by the end. I had no idea what to expect from these two actors, and I fell completely in love with them.”

Henry continued, “Actually since watching their chemistry read AND meeting them, my and Brett’s text thread is basically just the word ‘irresistible’ over and over again. It’s the only word I can use to describe each of their respective performances and more importantly, the magic of them together.”

Henry expressed her excitement about the upcoming film, stating, “I wish I could just show you now, but the good news is, we are MOVING, so you will get to fall in love with them very soon. I hope you are even a fraction as excited as I am right now for this film. I know how terrifying it is to loosen our grips on this story enough to let new people into the mix. My top priority for every ounce of involvement I’m granted in every one of these adaptations is honoring you. I feel so grateful to be able to honestly tell you that I think this script and this cast does that.”

She also confirmed that their script is “mostly” final and it’s “hilarious.” Locations have been scouted and chosen as well.

Henry added, “Get ready for a very sexy, sultry summer in Barcelona. If all goes well, I’ll be making it out to set to see some of the shoot there, and I promise to share anything they let me with you about that process,” hinting at a possible destination for Poppy and Alex’s adventures.

People We Meet on Vacation is a wildly funny and tender rom-com set in sunny Palm Springs. It follows wild-child Poppy and straight-laced Alex, who initially didn’t click when they met in college. However, after sharing a summer break car share, they became best friends. Years later, Poppy works in New York City, while Alex remains in their hometown as a schoolteacher. Despite their different paths, they have taken a vacation together every summer for a decade, until a fallout two years ago severed their bond. When Poppy gets a work travel assignment and asks Alex to join her, he agrees. As they reconnect, they realize just how much they need each other and discover that friendship and feelings aren’t as straightforward as they once thought.

Whether the film will follow this exact plot remains to be seen, but it’s certain that the People We Meet on Vacation movie will be infused with Emily Henry’s signature charm, wit, and chemistry.

Emily Henry has become known for her New York Times bestselling romance novels, including Book Lovers, Happy Place, and Funny Story.

Source: Devyn Glista St. Blanc Studios/ Berkley