Anna Todd Reveals How She Found the Perfect Stars for The Last Sunrise

Author and producer Anna Todd says casting the right actors for The Last Sunrise was almost instinctive.

The film, based on Todd’s novel of the same name, follows Oriah “Ry,” a young American who travels to the beautiful Spanish island of Mallorca and falls for Julian, a charming local. Maia Reficco plays Ry, while Fernando Lindez stars as Julian.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Todd, 37, said she did not have specific actors in mind when she wrote the romantic leads. However, she had a clear idea of what the characters should look like.

Todd, who describes herself as a “certified fangirl,” said she has always been fascinated by casting and often notices when an actor does not feel right for a role.

For Ry, Todd imagined a woman with dark hair, large expressive eyes and some Spanish heritage. When she met Reficco, she immediately felt she had found her character.

“I met with Maia and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s exactly,’” Todd said.

Finding Julian was just as quick. Todd said she first saw Lindez on Instagram and immediately wondered whether he spoke English and could handle the role. After auditions and chemistry tests, the filmmakers became convinced he was the right choice.

“We read other people, but we knew,” Todd said.

Todd also revealed that work on a possible sequel is already underway. She has received a second draft of the script, while plans for a potential Last Sunrise book trilogy are also being discussed, according to Deadline.

The project could become Todd’s next major franchise following the international success of her bestselling After series.

The Last Sunrise is now streaming on Prime Video, while the novel is available wherever books are sold.