Henry Golding stars in new ‘Persuasion’ adaptation but Jane Austen fans cry, ‘It’s not a rom-com!’

If there were ever a perfect rom-com hero, it would be Henry Golding. The Malaysian-British actor, 35, first won hearts as the lead in Crazy Rich Asians and has starred in several Hollywood films since then.

He’s also about to mark another milestone in his career, appearing opposite Dakota Johnson in the Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, which is scheduled for release on July 15.

The trailer for Persuasion dropped on Tuesday (June 14).

Golding’s introduction into the world of Jane Austen — following the footsteps of such stars as Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, and Gwyneth Paltrow, should cement his stardom even further, but many of Jane Austen fans were not too happy with the tone of the adaptation.

It remains to be seen, therefore, if the new film will be a boost to Golding’s career or not.

Persuasion centres around a woman named Anne Eliot, who gets a second chance at love and marriage after a long separation from her former fiancé, whom she had jilted.

Golding does not play the lead character in the film but is the third party in a love triangle of sorts.

After the trailer was released, Austen’s fans seemed to find a problem with the adaptation’s lighthearted treatment of the film.

Persuasion is the author’s final novel and is perceived to be her most sober one, featuring a mature heroine who has known loss and grief.

The trailer, in contrast, is rather lighthearted, and could easily pass for just another romantic comedy, which Netflix is marketing as just another TOTGA (the one that got away) story.

There’s always the one that got away.

PERSUASION—starring Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis & Henry Golding, based on the beloved Jane Austen novel—arrives on Netflix July 15. 💌 pic.twitter.com/mwC69nCAEz

— NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) June 14, 2022

This left many netizens up in arms.

Still, some of Mr Golding’s fans appear eager to watch the film.

/TISG

‘FYI, not all Asians are Chinese’ — Netizens say Henry Golding looks more Southeast Asian and suitable for lead role in Crazy Rich Asians than Simu Liu