"We're Craving These Genuine, Gradual Connections": Sadie Soverall Discusses This Summer’s…

      Sadie Soverall is a dreamer. The idyllic summers she longs for were spent at her grandmother’s bungalow in Guernsey, where she would venture into the garden and lie on the warm ground of a rickety greenhouse, weaving stories among the tomato plants. "It felt like a magical place, my own little world. I used to talk to myself a lot as a child," she says, smiling at memories of her 10-year-old self. Speaking from her London bedroom on a hot day, we both appear on video in matching tank tops and share a laugh. Soverall still spends considerable time in her imagination, sharing, "Talking to myself helps me get into my characters, testing their voices and figuring out how they sound. I even have a small altar for one of the characters I’m preparing for in the corner of my room." While she can't disclose the role just yet, it promises to be significant based on her current trajectory.

      At 24, Soverall, born in Wandsworth, is busy with various projects, recently wrapping up a sold-out run of *John Proctor is the Villain* at the Royal Court Theatre, and now starring in *Every Year After*, a YA romance that has resonated deeply, prompting Prime Video to announce a second season. She was still in school when she secured her first key role in Netflix’s *Fate: The Winx Saga*, quickly grabbing the attention of director Emerald Fennell, who cast her in *Saltburn* as Jacob Elordi’s university love interest. Standing alongside accomplished actors like Barry Keoghan, Carey Mulligan, and Rosamund Pike, her character Annabel exudes a sense of privilege and embodies nineties fashion. "I was really fortunate on that set because we appeared in the background for many shots, allowing me to observe Barry and Jacob at work. They are both phenomenal talents, and I became completely captivated by Alison Oliver [who plays Venetia Catton, Felix's sister]. I believe she’s one of the best actors of our generation," Soverall reflects. The learning experience extended beyond acting. "Witnessing Emerald’s creative process was fascinating. She would generate new ideas on the fly, writing fresh scenes at night that we would shoot the following day. It was thrilling to have such an intelligent and gifted woman leading the project."

      Soverall, who gracefully downplays any hints of admiration with genuine humility, acknowledges that *Saltburn* marked a pivotal moment in her career. Her childhood ambition of becoming an actress—ignited by a love for the 1976 musical *Bugsy Malone* and encouraged by a primary school teacher named Mr. Vince, who wrote mini plays for her to perform—had now materialized. However, she expresses that nothing has made her success feel as tangible as taking on the role of Percy in *Every Year After*; a sun-drenched adaptation of Carley Fortune’s best-selling novel. The story revolves around two childhood best friends who spent summers in the lakeside town of Barry's Bay and are later separated by betrayal, only to reconnect in their twenties, creating an intense and compelling friction.

      This film is the latest in a series of adaptations that have fueled our desire for love stories, joining the ranks of *The Summer I Turned Pretty*, *My Life with the Walter Boys*, *Heated Rivalry*, and *Off Campus*. With a dedicated (and enthusiastic) fanbase already in place, does a role like this bring added pressure? "I find it wonderful that these books and shows have such devoted followers, but I experience the same pressure I do with any other character I portray," Soverall states. "While it’s an adaptation, the original book is flawless, and this production serves as an expansion of that world. Written stories hold a personal significance; everyone has their own unique interpretation that can never be replicated."

      Soverall, like me, is a romantic at heart, and she intuitively understands why stories of young love resonate across generations, shaping this contemporary entertainment landscape. "Partly, the escapism and lightness these stories bring are just what we need in today’s world. Additionally, I believe social media influences how we connect, fostering a yearning for genuine, slow-burning interactions," she reflects. "In my youth, being nonchalant was considered cool, which was difficult for someone like me who is emotionally open. But it seems the tide is turning, and that’s truly wonderful. Expressing how you feel is a joyful aspect of being human."

      Soverall reveals she drew considerable inspiration from Meg Ryan's filmography while preparing for her role as Percy. "I watched a lot of *Sleepless in Seattle*, *You’ve Got Mail*, and particularly *When Harry Met Sally*, as it captures that specific feeling of reconnecting with someone significant after a long separation," she shares. "Meg Ryan is my favorite romantic comedy queen;