Say hello to your Augustus “Gus” Everett!
Patrick Schwarzenegger has been cast as the leading man in the film adaptation of Emily Henry’s book “Beach Read.”
The actor confirmed the news April 14 on Instagram, sharing Deadline’s article about his casting.
“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,” he wrote, adding that his wife, Abby Champion, “is obsessed” with the author.
He also sent a message to co-star Phoebe Dynevor, who will be portraying leading lady January Andrews.
“I can’t wait to bring these characters to life with you. It was a pleasure working opposite you through these chemistry reads,” he continued. “And to @yulin.kuang for your direction & conversations about these characters and their stories. I can’t wait to embark on this journey with you.”
Dynevor replied to her on-screen love interest, writing, “I’m SO unbelievably excited!”
“Beach Read” follows romance novelist January Andrews who is suffering from writer’s block following the death of her father. While spending the summer at her family’s beach house, she discovers that acclaimed literary fiction author Gus Everett, who also happened to be her college rival, is living next door. Stuck on their latest projects, the two decide to challenge each other by swapping genres.
Director Yulin Kuang also commented on Schwarzenegger’s casting, sharing on her Instagram the notes she wrote after her first meeting with the actor.
“Patrick is a slow burn,” she wrote, elaborating, “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.”
Kuang shared that they auditioned many actors, reviewed a lot of tapes and took many meetings over a six month period.
“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,” she continued, noting the in-person sessions and chemistry reads.
She described Schwarzenegger and Dynevor’s time together as “electric.”
“‘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,’” the director wrote.
No release date has been announced.
The casting comes after the release of “People We Meet on Vacation,” another Henry book-to-film adaptation. The Emily Bader and Tom Blyth-starring movie came out Jan. 9 on Netflix.
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