‘Better Than the Movies’ Has Found Its Leads In One ‘TSITP’ Star and This ‘Percy Jackson’ Actress
Fans are sharing thoughts about the new cast, but these stars are sure to bring the beloved characters to life!
Key Takeaways
- 'Better Than the Movies' officially casts two actors for its leading roles.
- Beatrice Kitsos cast as rom‑com lead Liz Buxbaum and David Iacono cast as Wes Bennett.
- Fan reactions are mixed but the author, Lynn Painter, is thrilled.
One of the biggest thrills for readers is imagining what their favorite characters look like—and debating who should play them if the book is ever adapted for the screen. Thanks to BookTok, and the fact that more and more books are coming to life, those conversations have become louder than ever, with fans eagerly fan-casting beloved novels long before Hollywood gets involved.
That has certainly been the case with Better Than the Movies. Ever since the romantic comedy became a BookTok favorite, readers have shared countless dream casts for Liz Buxbaum and Wes Bennett. Now, Netflix has officially revealed who will bring the beloved characters to life.
Who is playing Liz Buxbaum?
Rom-com obsessed, quirky and hopelessly romantic, Liz Buxbaum is the kind of character Better Than the Movies fans have been imagining on screen since the novel debuted in 2021. Naturally, readers have had some pretty strong opinions about who should play her.
In the book, Liz is determined to capture the attention of her longtime crush and enlists the help of her irritating next-door neighbor, Wes Bennett. What follows is a love letter to romantic comedies, packed with fan-favorite tropes—including fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, the boy next door and, of course, a makeover—along with plenty of nods to classic rom-coms.
As for who will bring Liz Buxbaum to life? That honor goes to up-and-coming actress Beatrice Kitsos, best known for her role in Percy Jackson and the Olympians (2023). You can also catch the 21-year-old actress in The Exorcist (2017), iZombie (2019) and Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2021).
“Liz has been my dream role since reading the book. I am honored and so so excited for this opportunity,” Kitsos wrote in an Instagram post. “Thank you to Lynn [Painter] and Julia [Hart, director] and all those who saw Liz in me.”
Who is playing Wes Bennett?
For those who have been swooning over Wes Bennett since his 2021 debut, you know that his casting has been of utter importance to readers everywhere. Now, the beloved character has been cast with an actor who was already a fan-favorite from another book-to-screen adaptation, David Iacono, previously Cam Cameron in The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Although fans have been a bit uncertain about the announcement, Iacono is thrilled to step into the role. In an Instagram post, the actor wrote, “Can’t wait to bring this guy to life. Thank you @juliamhhart @lynnpainterbooks 💜”
If you want to see him in some of his other roles, you can catch Iacono in Grand Army (2020), The Flight Attendant (2020-2022), Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025) and Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025).
What everyone’s saying
With a book-to-screen adaptation that millions admire, mixed fan reactions are inevitable, especially when readers spent years imagining who would bring their favorite characters to life. While some had hoped to see Sadie Sink (currently starring in Spider-Man: Brand New Day) as Liz or Jack Champion as Wes, many are thrilled that Kitsos and Iacono have scored the leads.
Some fans have explained that Iacono can portray more than just his iconic The Summer I Turned Pretty character, writing, “the people who are excited are people who know that David is an actor and has a range 😭 He can be more characters other than just Cam Cameron.”
Another fan wrote, “He has that Wes vibe, like he genuinely feels like one of those popular guys that can get along with [everyone]. He seems so silly in a cool funny way JUST LIKE WES.”
As for the book’s author, Lynn Painter, her reaction is that she’s ecstatic. On Kitsos’ Instagram post, Painter commented, “BEYOND excited!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️,” while she wrote, “WES BENNETT IS IN THE BUILDING!!!” on Iacono’s post. So, it’s safe to say, the creator of these characters feels they were cast correctly.
Keep up with all of the Better Than the Movies news including more casting announcements, the plot and a release date!
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