If it wasn't clear by now,Colleen Hooverdoesn't care for morally black-and-white characters.
Her latestbook-to-screen adaptation,"Reminders of Him"(in theaters March 13), is a romantic drama about a woman starting anew. Kenna is fresh out of prison, having served seven years for driving under the influence and causing the car crash that killed her boyfriend. It wasn't until she was behind bars that she realized she was pregnant. Now back in small-town Wyoming, she seeks a relationship with the young daughter she's never met and forgiveness from the community raising her.
"I absolutely love playing Devil's Advocate," Hoover tells USA TODAY in an interview alongside the film's stars,Maika MonroeandTyriq Withers. "With every book that I write, I try not to have a clear villain. I want life to be the villain and I want readers to step into the shoes of someone that they may not think they'll root for and see things from all different perspectives."
"We've got a woman who's made a mistake in her past and has spent time in prison and you don't think, 'Oh man, I want the world for her.' But you do," she adds.
Monroe, who plays protagonist Kenna, says that complicated tug and pull is what drew her to the part. She felt a "bond" with Kenna while reading the script.
"Forgiveness can be really challenging as humans and also maybe even harder is forgiving yourself," Monroe says.
Tyriq Withers and Maika Monroe bring Colleen Hoover's love story to life
Withers and Monroe come from widely different film genres than Hoover's books. Monroe is a scream queen, with leading roles inhorror flickslike"Longlegs" and"It Follows," and Withers, who plays love interest Ledger, has appeared in"I Know What You Did Last Summer" and the Jordan Peele-produced"Him."
Why romance now? For one, Monroe says it's her favorite movie genre. "Romances are scary too," Withers adds. "Some of the best films are rooted in love."
But it's not just any romance role. The pair is entering the Hoover cinematic universe, the third duo to bring her beloved romance characters to life. "It Ends With Us" starred Blake Lively andJustin Baldoni, who later becameembroiled in a legal battleafter on set differences and allegations."Regretting You" pairedAllison Williamsand Dave Franco and McKenna Grace and Mason Thames. And her thriller,"Verity," will star Hollywood darlingsAnne Hathawayand Dakota Johnson, along with actor Josh Hartnett.
For Hoover, Monroe was right for Kenna because she "brought a kind of vulnerability that I wasn't expecting." Withers' character doesn't have as many red-hot emotional scenes, but the "subtlety" he brought to Ledger's empathy was spot on, she adds.
Still, both actors felt pressure to do right by Hoover's source material. "As an actor, you're a chronic people pleaser and you just want to do the book justice," Withers says.
"It's super intimidating," Monroe says. "I remember reading 'Harry Potter' as a kid, and you visualize everything. So it's definitely intimidating, but I think what made me feel confident in this is that we had Colleen on set every day. She wrote the script. She was a producer. She was so involved. ... The key was her, and she was there every day."
Allison Williams and Dave Franco popped up for the premiere of their new movie, Paramount Pictures' "Regretting You," at Paramount Studios on Oct. 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. The film is based on the 2019 novel by Colleen Hoover." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Ethan Costanilla, Sam Morelos, Mason Thames, McKenna Grace, Dave Franco, Allison Williams, Willa Ftzgerald and Scott Eastwood " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
McKenna Grace " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Scott Eastwood" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Dave Franco " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Samantha Morelos " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Allison Williams " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Mckenna Grace, Allison Williams and Willa Fitzgerald " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Dave Franco, Allison Williams and Scott Eastwood " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> See Dave Franco, Allison Williams, Scott Eastwood at 'Regretting You' premiere
Allison Williams and Dave Franco popped up for the premiere of their new movie, Paramount Pictures' "Regretting You," at Paramount Studios on Oct. 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. The film is based on the 2019novel by Colleen Hoover.
Colleen Hoover tries her hand at screenwriting, producing
For the first time, Hoover was involved with casting and popped into set daily. She wrote the script and produced the film with Laura Levine, her co-founder in production company Heartbones Entertainment.
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"Reminders of Him" is its first project. "It's just such a different beast. When I write books, I'm on my own timeline. I'm alone in my office and I can just throw stuff away and no one ever has to read it," Hoover says. "But when you're co-writing and then continuing to write and change things in pre-production and in production, it's definitely a collaborative effort. And even on filming days, these guys would be like, 'Hey, can we change this line to sound more like something I would say?'"
It's a more hands-on approach than she took to former adaptations, like "It Ends With Us" and"Regretting You." While "It Ends With Us" was primed as aBookTok Hollywood success story,the controversy and legal firestorm left Hoover telling Elle magazine that she was"embarrassed to say"she wrote it.
Colleen Hoover wouldn't have 'changed anything' about 'It Ends With Us'
Even after the "It Ends With Us" controversy that ensued, Hoover says it hasn't changed her relationship with her adaptions. She's simply eager to "experience more" of the behind-the-scenes process on future projects.
"Those actors and the director did such a great job and I couldn't have been happier with the movie," she says. "That was a challenging book to adapt with the subject matter and I think they handled it very sensitively. So I don't think I would've changed anything."
Hoover appreciates the film stayed true to the book and she's eager to keep her movies similarly faithful going forward.
"I've just gotten really lucky because all four films have been filmed by different studios, different production companies, but I've had such a great experience being involved with 'Reminders of Him' and I was able to be involved in 'Verity' and be on set for a lot of that," Hoover adds. "I really enjoy being more active."
Stars are stepping out at the final awards events of the season as the 2026 Oscar race enters its final stretch. The star-studded Actor Awards kicked off the month of March, which will also feature the debut of movies like "The Bride!" and "Project Hail Mary," not to mention the Academy Awards on March 15.Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of the month so far, starting with Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell at the New York premiere of "The Madison" on March 9, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Pfeiffer pictured at Paramount+'s "The Madison" premiere at Lincoln Center on March 9, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Russell pictured at Paramount+'s "The Madison" premiere at Lincoln Center on March 9, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Li Jun Li, Omar Benson Miller, Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo, Michael B. Jordan, Jack O'Connell, Jayme Lawson, Miles Caton and Lola Kirke posing in the press room during the Actor Awards on March 1, 2026, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
ILIA Beauty celebrated the launch of its new Skin Blur Serum Concealer at their Complexion Residency Pop-Up in Los Angeles on March 5, 2026. Alongside Founder Sasha Plavsic, guests including Mandy Moore, Mindy Kaling, Nikki Reed, and more came together for a night of beauty, music and cocktails." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Danai Gurira, Sasha Plavsic, Mindy Kaling and Mandy Moore attend an ILIA Beauty event in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nikki Reed attends an ILIA Beauty event in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Stephanie Suganami attends an ILIA Beauty event in Los Angeles. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Mandy Moore attends an ILIA Beauty event in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Danai Gurira attends an ILIA Beauty event in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Chantel Jeffries hosts a JUDYDOLL Cocktail Soiree at Casadonna on March 5, 2026, in Miami, Florida. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jenn Tran" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Chinese filmmaker Chloe Zhao attends the 2026 Unforgettable Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles on March 7, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Stephanie Suganami" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Vincent Rodriguez III" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Raquel Olsson " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Leenda Dong" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Charles Melton " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Charles Melton and Lee Sung Jin" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Chrishell Stause" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bowen Yang" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Randall Park " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Ji-young Yoo" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Te Ao o Hinepehinga" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Elizabeth Yu " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Anna Cathcart " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Alicia Hannah-Kim " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The stars of "Tell Me Lies" Spencer House, Jackson White, Grace Van Patten and Sonia Mena attend a preview weekend celebrating the opening of Zero Bond at Wynn Las Vegas on March 6 and 7, 2026, the first expansion of Scott Sartiano's and Will Makris's New York private members club, in partnership with Wynn Resorts." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Kevin Costner attends Zero Bond preview weekend in Las Vegas. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Keegan-Michael Key and Jon Hamm attend Zero Bond preview weekend in Las Vegas. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
John Stamos attends Zero Bond preview weekend in Las Vegas. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Scott Sartiano and Jessica Alba attend Zero Bond preview weekend in Las Vegas. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Gwyneth Paltrow attends Zero Bond preview weekend in Las Vegas. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Doja Cat performers during the Zero Bond preview weekend in Las Vegas. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Donald Faison and Zach Braff attend Zero Bond preview weekend in Las Vegas. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Doja Cat attends Zero Bond preview weekend in Las Vegas. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Lisa Liberati, left, and James McAvoy attend the "California Schemin'" premiere at Glasgow Film Festival on March 8, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Stephen Colbert speaks during the Writers Guild Awards New York ceremony on March 8, 2026, in New York City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Matt Rogers, left, and Bowen Yang " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Roy Wood Jr. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jordan Klepper " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Danny McBride " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Laëtitia Hollard" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Li Jun Li " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Sofia Carson " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jeff Hiller " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Shayna McHale " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Michael Urie " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
David Krumholtz " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jack Champion attends the Unforgettable Awards in Los Angeles on March 7, 2026" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bowen Yang " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Chloe Zhao " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Charles Melton " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Kristen Kish " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Amber Glenn, left, and Connor Storrie attend the GLAAD Media Awards on March 5, 2026, in Beverly Hills, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Camila Mendes " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Matt Rogers, Demi Lovato, and Bowen Yang " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rhea Seehorn " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Sheryl Lee Ralph " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Noah Schnapp " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Don Lemon " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Seth MacFarlane attends the premiere of "Ted" Season 2 in New York City on March 5, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Michelle Pfeiffer attends the premiere of "The Madison" in London on March 4, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Patrick J. Adams, left, and Elle Chapman " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Kurt Russell " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Matthew Fox " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Erika Alexander, left, and Tracy Morgan attend the New York premiere of "The Fall & Rise of Reggie Dinkins" on March 3, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Steve Carell attends the premiere of "Rooster" in New York on March 3, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Zach Braff " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicole Kidman, left, and Jamie Lee Curtis attend the New York premiere of "Scarpetta" on March 3, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Ariana DeBose " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jessie Buckley attends the premiere of "The Bride!" on March 3, 2026, in New York City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Maggie Gyllenhaal " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jake Gyllenhaal " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Marisa Tomei " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Christian Bale, left, and Sibi Bale " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Annette Bening " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Julianne Hough attends the New York premiere of "The Bride!" on March 3, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Michael B. Jordan attends the Actor Awards on March 1, 2026, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Viola Davis " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Amy Madigan" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Timothee Chalamet, left, and his mother Nicole Flender " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Calista Flockhart, left, and Harrison Ford " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Teyana Taylor " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Emma Stone, Demi Moore, Michelle Williams, Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Kate Hudson " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Teyana Taylor, left, and Chase Infiniti " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Angela Kinsey, Jenna Fischer, Mindy Kaling and Ellie Kemper " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Noah Wyle" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Odessa A'zion, left, and Kevin O'Leary " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Kathryn Hahn, Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz and Chase Sui Wonders" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jenna Ortega " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Parker Posey " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Dave Franco attends a screening of "Hoppers" in London, on March 1, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bobby Moynihan " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> See Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell in best celeb photos of March
Stars are stepping out at the final awards events of the season as the 2026 Oscar race enters its final stretch. The star-studded Actor Awards kicked off the month of March, which will also feature the debut of movies like "The Bride!" and "Project Hail Mary," not to mention the Academy Awards on March 15.Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of the month so far, starting with Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell at the New York premiere of "The Madison" on March 9, 2026.
What's next for Colleen Hoover? 'Verity' adaptation, more
After "Reminds of Him," Hoover fans can catch"Verity" hit theaters in October.
Hoover didn't spill much, but she did tease the "gorgeous" set location. "I feel like I didn't even come close to doing justice to the house like they did in the movie," Hoover says. "Even the roof line is a bunch of V's and on the inside, you walk in and somehow it looks like canoes. It was almost like the house was built for the movie, so it becomes its own character."
Biggest book-to-movie adaptations:'Verity,' 'Project Hail Mary' and more in 2026
In the meantime, Hoover, Monroe and Withers will be holding onto reminders of this filming experience.
Hoover reminisces on four-wheeling trips and Withers laughs when talking about "leg wrestling" with the author. "It's kind of a shame that the audience (doesn't) get to feel those in betweens, those days, those laughs, those moments of real quiet intimacy with each other hanging out," he says.
Monroe says she'll be taking the friendships made with her. "It doesn't always happen on movies that you walk away with a lifelong friend," Monroe says. "I feel so, so beyond grateful for the bonds that were created on this movie. It's something very unique and does not happen all the time."
Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find heron Instagram, subscribe to our weeklyBooks newsletteror tell her what you're reading atcmulroy@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Colleen Hoover teases 'Verity' movie, talks 'Reminders of Him'