Patrick Schwarzenegger Cast in Beach Read Adaptation

Patrick Schwarzenegger has been cast as Gus Everett in the upcoming film adaptation of Emily Henry's bestselling 2020 novel Beach Read, opposite Phoebe Dynevor as January Andrews, the studio announced this week.

The romantic comedy, produced by 20th Century Studios, follows two rival writers grappling with creative blocks during a summer in neighboring Michigan beach houses. January, a romance novelist reeling from her father's death and family secrets, reconnects with Gus, a dark fiction author from her college days. They strike a deal to swap genres: January tackles literary fiction, while Gus attempts a happy story. What begins as a professional challenge evolves into an unexpected romance.

Director Yulin Kuang, who co-wrote the Netflix adaptation of Henry's People We Meet on Vacation, led an extensive six-month casting search for Gus. "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," Kuang shared on Instagram. She described Schwarzenegger as a "slow burn" candidate, noting his thoughtful discussions on love and romance. During chemistry reads with Dynevor, the connection solidified. "The moment Patrick...