The cast for Emily Henry’s Beach Read has been revealed and readers are not happy

Emily Henry fans are disappointed by the Beach Read casting

After the film adaptation of People We Meet On Vacation, I couldn't wait to see more of the author's books come to life on the big screen.

Casting such beloved characters is a task I wouldn't like to have, especially with a fanbase as passionate as Emily Henry's.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Phoebe Dynevor would play January Andrews, a casting decision warmly welcomed by readers.

However, there was a lot more pressure when it came to Augustus 'Gus' Everett, who is likely the most loved male protagonist in the Emily Henry universe.

And the decision to cast Patrick Schwarzenegger as Gus has been hit with a wave of backlash so bad that readers are actually calling for the role to be recast.

One wrote, "They don’t know Augustus Everett like we do because there is no way they thought that man should be cast."

One reader said, "I don’t trust one person who made this horrifying decision, that is not Gus."

Another added, "It’s giving casting Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff all over again."

Beach Read director Yulin Kuang opened up about why they chose Patrick Schwarzenegger to play Gus.

“Patrick is a slow burn,” is what I wrote in my notes after meeting him for the first time. 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. “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.’"

What is Beach Read about?

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They’re polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighbouring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another, and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book, and no one will fall in love. Really.

What do you think of the Beach Read casting? Are you worried about the Emily Henry adaptation?