‘People We Met on Vacation’ Author Reveals the One Scene He Wanted to Make it to the Final Cut
Over the past five years, if you asked romance readers what book they would like to see turned into a film, nine times out of 10, the answer would be an Emily Henry novel. With each book release, the internet falls more and more in love with its complex characters, advanced banter, and happily ever afters that will have you simultaneously wiping away tears and giggling into your pillow. So it’s not surprising that fans are counting down the seconds before the release of the first film adaptation, People We Met on Vacation. By now, I believe that all of its most dedicated readers have binge-watched the film, watching as many edits as they could find on TikTok and Reels (especially from That dancing scene), and yearn for more Poppy and Alex in their lives. So, to give you PWMOV the inside info you crave, I spoke with the best-selling author, the film’s co-screenwriter, and the co-writer and director of the upcoming film Reading Beach adaptation, Yulin Kuang, to peek behind the curtain.
If you’re wondering how Kuang was able to make a film that all the romantic girls are obsessed with, it’s because he really is one of us. Even as a child, he watched A Few Good Men and rewrote the script in his head so that Demi Moore and Tom Cruise would kiss. With a healthy media diet of Disney movies and musicals (esp Anastasia), a sweetheart girl was born. As a fan, she knows that despite what the internet would like to claim about the golden age of rom-coms being left behind in the 90s or early 2000s, rom-coms are not “back” because they have always been here. Rather than looking backwards, he believes we need to tell stories that make sense in the modern age.
“I think to pass on the torch, we have to find stories that make sense in our current times,” Kuang said. “That’s what made me so attracted to Emily Henry’s writing. It felt like it had the DNA of the 90s Nora Ephron rom-coms that I really loved, but it also felt so contemporary and current.”
When working on a script like People We Met on VacationKuang was well aware of fans’ expectations when he tackled the project. Furthermore, it was important for him to create a satisfying adaptation for Em Hen stans (I mean, he himself is one), while also providing a riveting romance for people watching the film completely blind. His first approach to any adaptation was to always write it in the most accurate way possible. Every time there was a decision between cutting something or keeping it, he was wrong about keeping it. “What happened was I got a script that couldn’t be filmed,” Kuang said of the process.
“I hope [viewers] take this as a sign they will ruin the friendship if they wait.”
Next, he printed out the manuscript and read it as if he had never heard of the book. Holding his Sharpie and cutting through the text, he cut out anything that didn’t make sense. The process of seeing it through both lenses helps it pay homage to fans of the work that came before it while still creating a top-notch film. “At least it feels like my way of honoring the purity of the book within me,” he explains. “Because I know what it’s like to go see a movie, and you think, why did they change it? And why did they change it? And oh my God, they missed this important thing. The reality is you can never keep it all in. So I like to start from a place where I at least tried, and of course the journey will change.”
One scene in particular that Kuang book lovers will find hard to separate from the novel People We Meet on Vacation is the scene where Poppy and Alex scroll through his Tinder profile. He tried working on it at some point, but eventually the screenwriter in him had to accept that there was no room for it. And sometimes, script changes like these go beyond the writers’ room. For example, Kuang told me that while moving the wedding location from Palm Springs to Barcelona did make it a fun and more luxurious place to get married (and a wonderful place for the cast and crew to work), the reason behind it was much simpler than a creative decision: tax credits.
Of course, there will be differences between each book and film adaptation. However, the central theme of the story remains the same. For Kuang, People We Met on Vacation is a call to action from friends to lovers. “I hope [viewers] take this as a sign they will ruin the friendship if they wait,” Kuang says, joking that it could save the other characters a lot of trouble (poor Sarah). But the lesson goes beyond romantic relationships. Kuang urged people to make 2026 the year they can say what they want and make it happen. In his life, that means realizing his dream of becoming a director. Following the announcement that he would write and direct Reading Beach adaptation, it could be said that the dream came true. Speaking of which, he can reveal that the film is officially casting, but for further updates, we’ll have to bear with it. Until then, I’ll take that advice and go after what I want—by sitting on the couch and rewatching PWMOV in a circle.
Lauren Blue, Assistant Editor
As Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideas and writes content for every aspect of our readers’ lives. Her articles cover the topics of must-read books, movies, home tours, travel plans—and everything in between. When she’s not testing the latest TikTok trends, she can be found browsing Goodreads for new releases to feature on the site.
The post ‘People We Met on Vacation’ Author Reveals the One Scene He Wished Had Made the Final Cut appeared first on The Everygirl.
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