Vacation Destinations Shift: Why Netflix Changed Palm Springs for Barcelona

The Adaptation Process: Balancing Creative Vision and Practical Constraints

Emily Henry, the author of "People We Meet on Vacation," has experienced the unique challenges of seeing her work adapted for the screen. While this particular book was the first of hers to be turned into a film, she was acutely aware of the "humbling" process that comes with being the original voice behind the story.

Henry shared her thoughts on the experience, emphasizing the importance of having a director who respected her vision. She expressed gratitude toward Brett Haley, the film’s director, for making space for her input and keeping the readers’ perspectives at the forefront of the adaptation.

"It’s a pretty torturous process to be an author in the adaptation experience," she admitted. "But all that being said, I do feel very lucky that our director, Brett Haley, was really adamant about keeping my voice and my readers’ voices in his ear."

Haley made it a point to check in regularly and ensure that any changes made were ones that Henry could feel comfortable with or at least neutral about. This collaborative approach helped maintain the integrity of the original story while allowing for necessary adjustments.

Location Changes: From Palm Springs to Barcelona

One of the most significant changes from the book to the film was the location of the wedding that brings Alex and Poppy back together. In the original novel, the wedding takes place in Palm Springs, but the film version moved the event to Barcelona, Spain.

Henry revealed that the decision was not entirely based on creative choices. Instead, it was driven by practical considerations, such as cost and climate. "Shockingly, it was cheaper to shoot in Barcelona than in the desert city," she explained. "The director told me that due to financial reasons and practical reasons, such as the temperature, Palm Springs was one of the most critical location changes the team needed to make."

She also noted that even the movie "Palm Springs" wasn’t shot in the actual city. "The other thing that was being discussed throughout the process was that we are essentially making a romantic comedy — no, we’re essentially making a James Bond movie with a romantic comedy budget."

Strategic Shooting Locations

Given the premise of the film — that Alex and Poppy meet every summer for elaborate vacations — the visual appeal of the locations played a crucial role. Haley had to be strategic about where they shot the film to ensure scenic backdrops could double as multiple locations.

"We didn’t have the budget to shoot in 11 different places," Henry said. "Brett did the legwork of figuring out where he could get the most bang for his buck, where he could get the most settings and have them still feel authentic."

The film’s stars, Emily Bader and Tom Blyth, confirmed that Spain served as a stand-in for several locations, including Barcelona, Tuscany, and even parts of Canada, where Alex and Poppy go on their first trip together.

Blyth added, "I was kind of glad we did double some because we got to spend more time in one place and really get to know it, and get to fall in love with Barcelona, and kind of become semi local for a month and a half."

The Importance of Authenticity

Despite the changes, Henry emphasized that authenticity remained a priority. She felt that moving some of the trips abroad helped elevate the film, making it feel more like an "aspirational" summery movie. The only thing that mattered to her was that, despite not being in Palm Springs, the wedding location needed to be just as hot.

After watching the movie, Henry admitted that some of her favorite moments were scenes that were completely original to the film. She enjoyed seeing the characters she created expand their love story and friendship beyond the set pieces she had written.

Looking Ahead

Henry has several other books in development, including "Beach Read," "Book Lovers," and "Happy Place." She hopes that future collaborations will continue to involve open communication about changes, similar to what she experienced with Haley and the "People We Meet on Vacation" team.

"I just got very lucky that he cared to do that, because they’re under no obligation to," she said. "This movie is not my baby. It is their baby, and my whole role was just to be the voice for the readers, which I wouldn’t have necessarily gotten to do unless the people working on the movie were willing and open to having that voice."

"Peoples We Meet on Vacation" is available to stream on Netflix.