Emily Henry breaks silence on Patrick Schwarzenegger’s beach read role

Emily Henry said the novelist didn’t wade into the discourse after it was confirmed that Phoebe Dynevor and Patrick Schwarzenegger would play leading love birds, January Andrews and Augustus Everett, in the film adaptation of her 2020 hit Beach Read.

However, now she is officially giving her two cents on the casting that caused a decidedly mixed response. On May 19, during an interview on Today, ”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.”

Specifically, she emphasized, “Yulin Kuang, our writer-director, is so brilliant and I know she’s gonna do an amazing job.” Even amid the criticism, the 35-year-old noted that getting production off the ground for the project feels “so surreal.”

“I also just keep getting emails about everyone else that they’re locking in, which is not public news yet,” Emily, whose book People We Meet on Vacation was recently adapted into a Netflix movie, penned by Yulin, continued. “So, I can’t share, but I’m getting really excited. They’re starting to shoot very soon.”

Back in April, Patrick shared he’d be starring in Beach Read alongside the Bridgerton alum.

Taking to her Instagram handle, on April 14, “I’m so excited for this!!!. First – let me say thank you to @emilyhenrywrites for the opportunity! I will do everything possible to make the fans happy & proud and bring your brilliant writing to life”.