Emily Bader says she had to let go of every filter to play Poppy in Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation.

The 29-year-old actress stars in the upcoming adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestselling 2021 novel, opposite Tom Blyth, who plays her longtime best friend Alex. 

Speaking at Elle’s Women in Hollywood event on November 17, Bader said she immediately connected with Poppy’s chaotic, open-hearted energy.

“There’s a lot of me in Poppy,” she said. “She doesn’t edit herself, and that’s something I’m always working on. She lives fully and authentically, and stepping into that meant stripping away insecurity and trusting my director and Tom. I had to be the biggest, loudest, most annoying version of myself, but in a grounded, real way.”

Bader added that their onscreen dynamic felt natural because she and Blyth became close friends off-camera.

“Poppy and Alex really are friends before anything else, and so are we,” she said. “There’s that tiny spark between them, but the foundation is pure friendship. For us, it was about getting to know each other quickly, which was easy when you’re shooting in Costa Brava, swimming on the beach, or eating beignets in New Orleans.”

Blyth previously praised Bader’s performance, telling People in October that she has “that quality where she can be going off the rails, and you’re still enamored by her,” calling her playful, endearing, and perfect for the role.