How ‘Every Year After’ Star Matt Cornett Used the Novel and Fan Edits to Find His Character
Matt Cornett Used Novel and Fan Edits to Shape ‘Every Summer After’ Character
The 27-year-old actor stars as the leading man in Prime Video’s latest romance novel adaptation, Every Summer After, based on Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel. To prepare for the role, Cornett turned to two unconventional sources: the original book and fan-made video edits.
In a recent interview, Cornett explained that reading the novel gave him crucial insight into his character’s internal life, especially since the film adaptation condenses years of story. He noted that the book’s detailed descriptions of his character’s emotional journey helped him understand key motivations and relationships.
Additionally, Cornett studied fan edits—amateur video montages created by readers of the book—to see how audiences had already visualized the characters. He found this particularly helpful because:
- Fan edits captured the visual tone and chemistry fans imagined between the leads.
- They highlighted which scenes and moments readers considered most iconic or emotionally resonant.
- They gave him a fan’s perspective on the story’s core romance, helping him align his performance with audience expectations.
Cornett emphasized that blending the novel’s depth with fans’ creative visions allowed him to bring a more authentic and nuanced portrayal to the screen, ensuring the adaptation honors both the source material and its devoted readership.