Exclusive Interview
Inside the ‘People We Meet on Vacation’ Movie’s Tribute to ‘When Harry Met Sally’
What To Know
- Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation draws direct inspiration from When Harry Met Sally.
- Screenwriter Yulin Kuang tells Swooon about paying tribute to the influence of Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner’s work.
- People We Meet on Vacation hit Netflix on January 9, 2026.
While every rom-com written after When Harry Met Sally stands on the shoulders of the legendary film, People We Meet on Vacation has a closer connection to the beloved 1980s love story than most.
According to Emily Henry, When Harry Met Sally was “hugely influential in writing People We Meet on Vacation.” She shared in a recent interview with What to Watch on Netflix, “One of the first kernels of the book for me was thinking, ‘Oh, it would be fun to take When Harry Met Sally, and sort of gender swap them a little bit.’ Have the more uptight, neurotic character be the male lead, and have the female lead be more brazen and funny, and a little bit annoying.”
Following the premiere of People We Meet on Vacation, which many fans have already said has revived the modern rom-com, screenwriter Yulin Kuang sat down with Swooon to break down the movie’s connection to the beloved Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner rom-com, including Poppy (Emily Bader) and Alex’s (Tom Blyth) love story’s take on the film’s iconic yet deeply gendered notion that men and women can’t be friends because “the sex part gets in the way.”
“I mean, first of all,” Kuang told Swooon. “I do want to say, Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner, what inspirations they are. I hope this film is part of the torch carrying of the modern rom-com.”
Netflix
Turning towards Poppy and Alex as a modern spin on Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan), she revealed, “In terms of Poppy and Alex, I mean, my hope for people is that the takeaway is, if you were looking for a sign to ruin the friendship, take it.” She continued with her own take on their slow burn, sharing, “I think Poppy and Alex would have been happier if they’d just been a little braver sooner.”
Kuang told Swooon, “I think that’s always kind of what art is for. To nudge us into doing it for the plot sometimes, because as far as we know, if you only get to live once, you may as well find out what would happen if you kissed your best friend. With consent.”
Sounds like Poppy, Alex, Harry, and Sally all could have used a bit of a nudge to shape their friendship into something more right off the bat. If you’re looking for a sign, here it is.
People We Meet on Vacation, Streaming Now, Netflix
When Harry Met Sally, Streaming Now, HBO Max
