Guarding Stars: Inside the Adaptations Casting, Book-to-Screen Changes & More

Exclusive Interview

Katherine Center’sThe Bodyguardis heading to Netflix as the new holiday classic Guarding Stars, andSwooon‘s got an inside look at the adaptation.

On November 18, SupernaturalalumJared Padalecki and Gossip Girl fave Leighton Meester are bringing to life movie star Jack Stapleton and his bodyguard, Hannah Brooks, flipping the script on the typical bodyguard romance. Ahead of the release, Swooon sat down with director Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum to reveal why Padalecki and Meester were perfect for their roles, the one scene that made her certain she wanted to direct the adaptation, and more.

Swooon: What makes Jared Padalecki and Leighton Meester the perfect Jack and Hannah?

Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum: Jared and Leighton both have that rare quality where audiences feel like they already know them, but they can still completely surprise you. I directed Gossip Girl, so there was something particularly fun about putting Blair Waldorf in combat boots! And Jared’s fans will get a kick out of him playfully embracing his “Hollywood movie star persona.”

Jared has that effortless movie-star charisma, but you also believe he’d rather be home on the ranch, which isn’t far from his real life. And Leighton has these wonderfully subtle, razor-sharp comic instincts. She can be tough, funny, vulnerable, and completely disarming, sometimes all in the same moment. They’re both incredibly quick on their feet, and some of my favorite moments came from their improvisation.

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Swooon: What’s one scene you wanted to get right for readers?

Rosenbaum: Well, obviously, Hannah flipping Jack on the tarmac when they first meet, and he’s doubting her ability to protect him! Not only is it hilarious, but it literally “flips the script” on the traditional bodyguard dynamic. I wasn’t familiar with the book when the screenplay first came my way, and that scene caught me completely by surprise. In fact, it was the exact momentI knew I wanted to direct the movie. I mean, how often does the romantic heroine get to throw her leading man over her shoulder? I was in.

Swooon: What do Jack and Hannah bring out in each other?

Rosenbaum: A bodyguard’s job is to anticipate the worst possible outcome, while a movie star’s job is essentially to sell you the best possible one. So right away, Jack and Hannah have this wonderful clash in how they see the world. But there’s also a lovely irony: Hannah spends her life keeping her guard up, while Jack makes a living pretending to be someone else. She’s completely unimpressed by his celebrity, which allows her to see the man behind the movie star. And he sees the woman behind the armor. Ultimately, they give each other permission to let their guard down and be themselves. And, as our movie tagline says, “‘Tis the season to let your guard down.”

Swooon: What does Andie MacDowell bring to the film?

Rosenbaum: There’s something wonderfully full-circle about having one of the women who helped define the rom-com genre join us as we playfully turn some of its conventions upside down. She brings that effortless warmth, wit, and elegance that you simply can’t manufacture. Andie is romantic comedy royalty! Her legacy inspired all of us, and I never stopped being completely starstruck in her presence.

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Swooon: This is Walker Hayes‘ acting debut. What made him a perfect addition to the project?

Rosenbaum: Walker originally came in to read for Jack’s older brother, Hank, and he was so charming he lit up the room. When we decided to change Hank to Jack’s younger brother, there was no way we were letting Walker go. He has so much heart that I decided he had to be the heart of our fictional town of High River. We rewrote our script for him and made him the town sheriff. And then, because that wasn’t enough, we made him a singingsheriff! He and Jared even share a song on the sheriff’s Christmas float at the parade.

Walker is so full of love, gratitude, talent, and enthusiasm that whenever he was on set, the entire cast and crew seemed to float a few inches off the ground. He just has that effect on people, and I think audiences will feel it, too.

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Swooon: What will readers of The Bodyguard find most surprising about the adaptation?

Rosenbaum: Once I signed on to direct, I gobbled up Katherine Center’s novel and read it many times with highlighters and notepads. But novels live inside people’s heads; movies have to bring those feelings out into the world. And so we did have to make many changes while keeping the heart of Katherine Center’s story intact. We moved Thanksgiving to Christmas, which is really just Thanksgiving on turbocharge! All those wonderful themes of family, belonging, and emotional chaos get turned up to eleven at Christmastime. Plus, it’s a pretty spectacular excuse for some cinematic Christmas magic.

Swooon: Can you tease any major changes from the novel?

Rosenbaum: We added children to the Stapleton ranch! I wanted the family to feel like a real, bustling, multigenerational clan, and kids in a movie bring a wonderful unpredictability to everything. Especially at Christmas, when they’re practically the custodians of the magic. It also deepens Hannah’s journey because she’s not just falling in love with Jack. She’s falling in love with an entire family she never realized she’d been longing for.

Every Christmas, I get together with my big extended family, and we inevitably struggle to find a movie we can all curl up and watch—something with a little bit of everything for everyone. So part of expanding the world of the Stapleton Ranch was about creating a romantic comedy that could bring generations together. At its core, the movie is really a love letter to big, complicated, loving families everywhere. I wanted the romance to be the heart of the movie, but the joy of watching it to be something the whole family could share.

Guarding Stars, November 18, Netflix