Every Year After showrunner Amy B. Harris has revealed why she altered a major storyline from the books involving Percy and Charlie, citing the real-life age difference between the actors playing their younger selves.
How Old Are Percy, Charlie, and Sam in Every Year After?
In the present-day timeline, Percy is 30, Sam is 30, and Charlie is 32. In the books, Percy's first kiss is with Charlie, and she loses her virginity to him instead of Sam. In the show, however, Percy's first kiss is with Sam, and she has sex with him long before she sleeps with Charlie.
Why Doesn't Charlie Kiss Percy in Every Year After?
In the books, during a game of Truth or Dare, Sam is dared to kiss Percy but refuses. Charlie then pretends to kiss her but actually does kiss her on the lips. In the show, Charlie backs out. Harris explained that the change was due to the age gap between Juliette Hawk (17, playing young Percy) and Carson MacCormac (25, playing young Charlie). She stated, “We could bring in a stunt double and have them kiss, and then it’ll be OK. But then it brought up a conversation about what the kiss did or didn’t do for the characters.” She added, “I did not want to play into any version of longing from Charlie to Percy. Sam knowing that Percy leaned in was as potent as if the kiss had happened.”
Why Does Percy Have Sex with Sam First?
Harris also explained why Percy's first sexual experience is with Sam instead of Charlie: “I did not want Percy’s first time to be with Charlie. I felt it was very important that Sam be her first, and that they had that intimacy that was theirs first before she moved on to other people.” She concluded, “I also think that ‘a first’ is a compelling person who looms large.”
The changes have sparked discussion among fans. What do you think—did the alterations make sense for the adaptation?
