People We Meet on Vacation will likely become your new favorite rom-com obsession when it hits Netflix.
The film, based on the Emily Henry novel of the same name, will star Emily Bader as Poppy Wright and Tom Blyth as Alex Nilsen in an alluring friends-to-lovers tale. After the cast was announced, Henry teased what fans can expect from the film adaptation and the talented stars tapped to portray the beloved book characters.
“I’ve been kind of an anxious wreck about who would play these characters,” Henry told Netflix in July 2025. “I truly could not feel more confident that my readers and then so many more people who don’t even know about the book are going to completely fall in love with Poppy and Alex.”
She added of Bader and Blyth: “I watched their chemistry read four times in 12 hours, and I loved it more every single time. The very first time I was laughing out loud, and I got so emotional by the end.”
Scroll below to learn more about People We Meet on Vacation.
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What Is ‘People We Meet on Vacation’ About?
People We Meet on Vacation tells the story of Poppy and Alex, friends who met in college and vacation together every summer. Unfortunately, their friendship came to a halt after a drunken hookup during a Croatian vacation, leaving Poppy desperate to gett their relationship back on track.
In the book, readers get several timeline shifts to trips the pair had been on together in the past and relationships they entered into with other partners. In the present day, Poppy attempts to reconnect with Alex during a last-ditch vacation to Palm Springs, where everything seems to go terribly wrong, from the shoddy hotel to the lack of air conditioning in the blazing desert sun. With tension in the air, Poppy and Alex finally address what happened in Croatia and decide if their harbored chemistry can morph into something more.
Who Is in the ‘People We Meet on Vacation’ Cast?
In addition to Bader and Blyth cast as leads Poppy and Alex, respectively, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Lucien Laviscount, Lukas Gage, Miles Heizer, Alice Lee, Tommy Do, Alan Ruck, Molly Shannon and Michael A. Newcomer were also added to the cast. Brett Haley is directing the project.
Haley gushed over Bader’s portrayal of vibrant travel writer Poppy.
“She wears her emotions so openly, and Emily Bader captures all of that so fully,” Haley told Netflix. “Her comedic timing is razor sharp, but she also has the range to land dramatic and romantic moments with real depth.”
He added, “She’ll make you laugh, and she’ll make you cry.”
Haley also had nothing but great things to say about working with Blyth.
“Tom Blyth, who in real life is effortlessly cool, really leaned into Alex’s logic and restraint in a way that made the character feel incredibly real and relatable,” he said. “He brought so much life, warmth and quiet humor to the role.”
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Is There a Trailer Out for ‘People We Meet on Vacation’?
While an official trailer has yet to be released, Netflix did reveal the first photos of Bader and Blyth in character. The streaming platform also shared a quick teaser featuring voice-overs from Poppy and Alex while a clip of waves crashing played in the background.
“Where does Alex Nielsen stand on travel? Love or hate?” Poppy asks.
Alex replies, “I mean, I’ve never really traveled before, but this morning I saw this beautiful sunrise or this place that I’ve never been before and I wouldn’t have if everything had gone according to plan. So, love. I’m thinking love.”
When Will ‘People We Meet on Vacation’ Be Released?
The film is due out on Netflix on January 9, 2026.