The main cast of People We Meet on Vacation (the 2026 film adaptation of Emily Henry’s novel) centers on Poppy and Alex, plus their friends and family who pop up across different trips and timelines.

Main leads

  • Emily Bader as Poppy Wright, a free‑spirited travel writer whose life revolves around chasing the next trip rather than settling down.
  • Tom Blyth as Alex Nilsen, her more reserved, bookish best friend from college, who prefers routines, small towns, and stability.

Their long‑term friendship and will‑they/won’t‑they chemistry form the emotional core of the movie.

Key supporting characters

  • Sarah Catherine Hook as Sarah Torval, Alex’s on‑again, off‑again partner who represents a more conventional future for him.
  • Lucien Laviscount as Trey, Poppy’s boyfriend and fellow traveler whose vibe fits her wanderlust better on paper than in reality.
  • Miles Heizer as David Nilsen, Alex’s brother, whose wedding trip becomes a crucial turning point for Poppy and Alex.
  • Tommy Do as Nam, David’s fiancé, whose Barcelona wedding sets the stage for several big emotional moments.

Family and friends

  • Jameela Jamil as Swapna Bakshi‑Highsmith (often just Swapna), a charismatic presence in Poppy’s orbit.
  • Lukas Gage as Buck, one of the more chaotic, comic‑relief figures they meet along the way on their trips.
  • Alice Lee as Rachel, tied into the friend‑group and family dynamics around the central couple.
  • Molly Shannon as Wanda Wright, Poppy’s mom, bringing both humor and warmth to Poppy’s backstory.
  • Alan Ruck as Jimmy Wright, Poppy’s dad, rounding out the family side of her character.

Other notable roles

  • Spencer Neville as Julian, an acquaintance who intersects with Poppy and Alex’s journeys.
  • Layton Williams as the wedding officiant in one of the key relationship‑defining sequences.
  • Smaller credited parts include Ian Porter (Ed Nilsen), Madeleine Akua (Daisy), John Jabaley (Motel Night Manager), and Bethany Anne Lind (Stacey), who fill out the various vacations, weddings, and stopovers seen across the film’s timeline.

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