Actor Gavin Leatherwood cast alongside Nina Dobrev in BookTok adaptation
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Actor Gavin Leatherwood, known for "Sex Lives of College Girls" and "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," has joined the cast of romantic comedy "It Happened One Summer," an adaptation of Tessa Bailey's bestselling BookTok novel, with production now under way in New York. He completes an ensemble led by Nina Dobrev, Tyler Hoechlin and Virginia Gardner under director Peter Hutchings, reflecting the continuing trend of BookTok-driven romance novels being brought to the screen.
Leatherwood plays Fox Thornton, a charismatic love interest, in a story following LA socialite Piper Bellinger, who is exiled to a fishing town after a viral scandal and must renovate her late father's dive bar while clashing with gruff sea captain Brendan, played by Hoechlin. The novel has sold two million copies in the US and been translated into 25 languages as the first instalment of the best-selling Bellinger Sisters series. BCDF Pictures is producing alongside Frolic Media, with Embankment handling worldwide sales after extensively pre-selling the title internationally.
- Gavin Leatherwood joins Nina Dobrev in BookTok film adaptation
- He plays love interest Fox Thornton in "It Happened One Summer"
- Filming under way in New York; novel sold two million US copies
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Actor Gavin Leatherwood, known for roles in "Sex Lives of College Girls" and "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," has been cast in an upcoming film adaptation of "It Happened One Summer," a romantic comedy novel by Tessa Bailey. The book became popular through BookTok, the books community on TikTok, and is the first in a series about the Bellinger sisters; it has sold around two million copies in the US and been translated into 25 languages.
The film brings together an ensemble cast including Nina Dobrev, Tyler Hoechlin and Virginia Gardner, and is directed by Peter Hutchings. The story follows a Los Angeles socialite who is sent to live in a small fishing town after a public scandal, where she takes over her late father's bar and finds herself at odds with a local boat captain.
The project reflects a broader trend of publishers and film studios turning novels that gained large online followings through BookTok into movies, aiming to capitalise on their built-in readerships. It is being produced by BCDF Pictures and Frolic Media, with Embankment handling international sales.
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Originally published by Variety as “‘Sex Lives of College Girls’ Star Gavin Leatherwood Joins Nina Dobrev in Rom-Com ‘It Happened One Summer,’ Adapted From BookTok Hit”.