The second season of XO, Kitty, a derivative of the uber-popular To All of the Boys movie sequence, featured a twist many followers by no means noticed coming.
As Kitty Tune-Covey launched into one other semester on the Korean Impartial Faculty of Seoul (affectionately often called KISS), she had one other run of romantic entanglements and a continued want to be taught extra about her household.
Nonetheless, she didn’t account for a brand new roommate who would look to show the lives of one in every of her closest associates the other way up.
Bubbly and candy Stella appeared like an exquisite new arrival who built-in herself into the lives of Kitty’s good friend group and into the guts of her one-time (so he claimed) admirer, Min-ho Moon.
However unbeknownst to her new associates, she was actually at KISS to enact a revenge plot for the ages.
Newcomer Audrey Huynh performed Stella, previously Ester Shim. She was a scene-stealer as {the teenager} who got here throughout as nothing however a sweetheart however was hiding some deep-seated trauma beneath her genial face.
Huynh matches proper into the sturdy and proficient solid that has made the sequence one in every of Netflix’s hottest exhibits.
The present has develop into far more than a derivative, and the XO, Kitty Season 2 was a binge-able deal with for individuals who’ve fallen in love with these advanced and intriguing youngsters looking for their means.
On this enjoyable chat, we spoke to Huynh about her character’s journey, her journey becoming a member of the sequence, and a lot extra.
Huynh has a brilliant future on this trade, and it was a pleasure to spend a while together with her and focus on assorted matters.
How acquainted had been you with the To All The Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than books and movies earlier than becoming a member of XO, Kitty?
I’ve been an enormous fan of this franchise for the reason that first film got here out. I learn all of the books. I watched all the flicks. Then I completed XO, Kitty season one when it first got here out.
So, even simply getting this audition discover, I used to be freaking out that I acquired an opportunity to audition for XO, Kitty. I’ve been a fan for years.
Coming right into a sequence like this, the place there may be already a longtime solid, how was it so that you can enter a scenario the place largely everybody else has been there?
I used to be very terrified at first. I used to be so scared. I used to be on the airplane freaking out. However they had been simply so welcoming. The primary time I met them, they made it straightforward to acclimate to the solid and the present. And the quantity of recommendation that gave me, simply as a brand new actor, was superb.
It simply made the entire expertise so unimaginable.
Once you had been going out and auditioning for the function, what drew you to Stella? What about her made you’re feeling like this was a job you possibly can play?
After I first acquired the casting name, I had no thought by which path she was going to finish up, however there was at all times that little trace of thriller about her. There was one thing not fairly proper.
One thing was undoubtedly occurring together with her.
However as quickly as I acquired the scripts, I used to be like, “I’m obsessive about this character. This could be a lot enjoyable to play.” And I did have a lot enjoyable enjoying her.
How was it enjoying Stella and Esther? They had been these sort of dueling characters, in a means. Stella wasn’t essentially misunderstood, however there have been many layers to peel again.
Are you able to speak about Stella’s motivations, the way you noticed her, and her development all through the season?
She involves KISS very damaged. She’s had a variety of previous trauma, and that undoubtedly motivated her complete revenge plan. However, in a means, whereas she was there, she debated switching her motives.
It was very very similar to, “Do I maintain going with the plan, or do I cease as a result of I care about these folks?” She didn’t understand she was going to care in regards to the folks she was going to fulfill.
That was an inner battle that I used to be enjoying with. However it was very attention-grabbing to see her backstory unfold as a result of I additionally didn’t get that to start with till the later episodes. So, all of it made sense as soon as I understood why she was doing what she was doing.
However I really feel like we need to see extra of her backstory. I need to see extra of her backstory. I feel that’d be very cool, simply to unpack that just a little bit extra.
Talking of relationships, Stella tells Min-ho on the finish that it did develop into actual for her over time. Do you suppose she was being truthful there?
She cared for the folks she met at KISS, and the primary factor was her realizing that he was by no means actually into her to start with. So she will be able to do what she’s doing, and it’s utterly okay, despite the fact that it wasn’t okay.
I don’t condone any of her actions, however I feel it reached the purpose the place she was conflicted and questioned whether or not or not she ought to maintain going together with her plan.
Was there something that you just discovered about your self via this function and thru making the sequence?
I feel the primary factor for me was simply studying the way to reside life. I by no means actually acquired to journey a lot. I used to be at school after I first acquired the casting discover and needed to drop out utterly. So, being spontaneous and studying the way to be okay with that was a giant takeaway.
I additionally discovered a lot in regards to the trade, being an actor, and what this whole life entails, and that was actually particular to me, too. And the solid —we’re all so shut.
I discovered a lot about friendship. I like the entire solid a lot, and we nonetheless speak. I used to be texting with them this morning.
It looks like you guys are associates while you’re watching the present, and I’m glad to see that that interprets offscreen. Do you’ve got any enjoyable tales from filming? Is there something that stands out to you?
Oh, there’s a lot. A few of my favourite moments had been truthfully off-set. We had such a enjoyable dynamic. Each friendship that you just see on the display screen completely interprets to actual life.
However my favourite reminiscence with them was after we went to this rail park after which went zip-lining simply out of the blue. It was a lot enjoyable connecting with everybody one final time earlier than all of us left.
It was a few weeks earlier than we had been supposed to depart, and it was an excellent cool bonding expertise. We introduced our households that had been on the market, like my mother and Anna’s household.
It was only a cool likelihood to attach with everybody off-set as a result of we’d additionally spend a lot time collectively on-set. So yeah, that one holds a really particular place in my coronary heart.
For you, Audrey, what relationship did you get pleasure from most in season two?
I actually like Kitty and Q’s friendship. They’ve such a enjoyable dynamic. Even offscreen, Anna and Anthony are such shut associates, and their back-and-forth is so cute. However that one is one in every of my favourite relationships.
How essential is it so that you can be a part of a challenge like XO, Kitty, that authentically illuminates Korean tradition?
Oh, it’s deeply essential. That’s truthfully why I used to be a fan of the flicks within the first place. Seeing a lead who appeared like me after I was youthful was utterly unprecedented, so it was so cool to have the ability to see that.
With the ability to actually spotlight part of my heritage and part of my household historical past that I like talking about in a present like XO, Kitty, is so cool.
Jenny Han’s skill to deliver these genuine characters to life, as an adolescent and as a younger Asian American, and merge the 2 collectively is insane and superior. I find it irresistible a lot. It genuinely means so much to me.
How does it really feel that it’s lastly on the market for everybody to see?
I’m so completely satisfied! We put a lot of ourselves into the present and a lot work into the season, and I’m simply so glad that it’s out on the planet to really feel.
You’re an achieved singer and actress, two equally exhilarating and intense careers. What have these two issues meant to you?
I’ve been performing for a really very long time now, simply sort of floating via the trade, however music has at all times been a secret ardour of mine. And I grew up enjoying music.
I grew up writing songs, after which I spotted I might put them on the market, and folks would need to hearken to them. So, I began releasing music a few years in the past, and it’s been a lot enjoyable.
I like writing music, and I like the truth that folks like listening to what I’ve to say. In order that’s extra of a private factor for me, however I’m gearing as much as launch some extra music. It’s tremendous enjoyable, and I’m simply attempting to maintain it going.
However the two have at all times existed concurrently in my mind. I don’t like yet another than the opposite. I really feel like they’re each on the identical degree. It’s a lot enjoyable having the ability to do each and having each in my life.
I often ask this to folks I’ve by no means spoken to earlier than. Since that is TV Fanatic, we’re all about TV right here. I’ve acquired to know what your favourite consolation present is.
One thing you want to look at while you’re feeling down or completely satisfied or something. After which, what are some more moderen exhibits you’ve been stepping into and watching?
Oh, I like Gray’s Anatomy! Anytime I’ve free time, I’ll activate Gray’s Anatomy. In order that’s a consolation present of mine. Lately, with my dad and mom, I’ve been watching The Night time Agent to prepare for the second season, and that present is so good.
Oh my gosh. I had no thought how good that present was. We’re additionally watching Silo proper now, and that’s additionally a very, actually good present.
All good exhibits! Thanks a lot to your time at the moment, Audrey. I admire it.
Thanks for having me. This was a lot enjoyable!
***This interview has been edited for size and readability.***
You’ll be able to stream XO, Kitty Season 2 on Netflix now.
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