Audrey Huynh Dishes on Stella, Min-ho, and Her XO, Kitty Experience

Audrey Huynh Dishes on Stella, Min-ho, and Her XO, Kitty Experience
Television

The second season of XO, Kitty, a spinoff of the uber-popular To All the Boys film series, featured a twist many fans never saw coming.

As Kitty Song-Covey embarked on another semester at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (affectionately known as KISS), she had another run of romantic entanglements and a continued desire to learn more about her family.

However, she didn’t account for a new roommate who would look to turn the lives of one of her closest friends upside down.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

Bubbly and sweet Stella seemed like a wonderful new arrival who integrated herself into the lives of Kitty’s friend group and into the heart of her one-time (so he claimed) admirer, Min-ho Moon.

But unbeknownst to her new friends, she was really at KISS to enact a revenge plot for the ages.

Newcomer Audrey Huynh played Stella, formerly Ester Shim. She was a scene-stealer as the teenager who came across as nothing but a sweetheart but was hiding some deep-seated trauma underneath her genial face.

Huynh fits right into the robust and talented cast that has made the series one of Netflix’s most popular shows.

The show has become much more than a spinoff, and the XO, Kitty Season 2 was a binge-able treat for those who’ve fallen in love with these complex and intriguing kids trying to find their way.

In this fun chat, we spoke to Huynh about her character’s journey, her journey joining the series, and so much more.

Huynh has a bright future in this industry, and it was a pleasure to spend some time with her and discuss varied topics.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

How familiar were you with the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before books and films before joining XO, Kitty?

I have been a huge fan of this franchise since the first movie came out. I read all the books. I watched all the movies. Then I finished XO, Kitty season one when it first came out.

So, even just getting this audition notice, I was freaking out that I got a chance to audition for XO, Kitty. I’ve been a fan for years.

Coming into a series like this, where there is already an established cast, how was it for you to enter a situation where mostly everyone else has been there?

I was very terrified at first. I was so scared. I was on the plane freaking out. But they were just so welcoming. The first time I met them, they made it easy to acclimate to the cast and the show. And the amount of advice that gave me, just as a new actor, was amazing. 

It just made the whole experience so incredible.

(Park Young-Sol/Netflix)

When you were going out and auditioning for the role, what drew you to Stella? What about her made you feel like this was a role you could play?

When I first got the casting call, I had no idea in which direction she was going to end up, but there was always that little hint of mystery about her. There was something not quite right.

Something was definitely going on with her.

But as soon as I got the scripts, I was like, “I’m obsessed with this character. This would be so much fun to play.” And I did have so much fun playing her.

(Park Young-Sol/Netflix)

How was it playing Stella and Esther? They were these kind of dueling characters, in a way. Stella wasn’t necessarily misunderstood, but there were many layers to peel back.

Can you talk about Stella’s motivations, how you saw her, and her progression throughout the season?

She comes to KISS very broken. She’s had a lot of past trauma, and that definitely motivated her whole revenge plan. But, in a way, while she was there, she debated switching her motives.

It was very much like, “Do I keep going with the plan, or do I stop because I care about these people?” She didn’t realize she was going to care about the people she was going to meet.

That was an internal conflict that I was playing with. But it was very interesting to see her backstory unfold because I also didn’t get that in the beginning until the later episodes. So, it all made sense once I understood why she was doing what she was doing.

But I feel like we want to see more of her backstory. I want to see more of her backstory. I think that’d be very cool, just to unpack that a little bit more.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

Speaking of relationships, Stella tells Min-ho at the end that it did become real for her over time. Do you think she was being truthful there?

She cared for the people she met at KISS, and the main thing was her realizing that he was never really into her in the beginning. So she can do what she’s doing, and it’s completely okay, even though it wasn’t okay.

I do not condone any of her actions, but I think it reached the point where she was conflicted and wondered whether or not she should keep going with her plan.

Was there anything that you learned about yourself through this role and through making the series?

I think the main thing for me was just learning how to live life. I never really got to travel much. I was in school when I first got the casting notice and had to drop out completely. So, being spontaneous and learning how to be okay with that was a big takeaway.

I also learned so much about the industry, being an actor, and what this entire life entails, and that was really special to me, too. And the cast —we’re all so close.

I learned so much about friendship. I love the whole cast so much, and we still talk. I was texting with them this morning.

(Park Young-Sol/Netflix)

It seems like you guys are friends when you’re watching the show, and I’m glad to see that that translates offscreen. Do you have any fun stories from filming? Is there anything that stands out to you?

Oh, there’s so much. Some of my favorite moments were honestly off-set. We had such a fun dynamic. Every friendship that you see on the screen totally translates to real life.

But my favorite memory with them was when we went to this rail park and then went zip-lining just out of the blue. It was so much fun connecting with everyone one last time before we all left.

It was a couple of weeks before we were supposed to leave, and it was a super cool bonding experience. We brought our families that were out there, like my mom and Anna’s family.

It was just a cool chance to connect with everyone off-set because we’d also spend so much time together on-set. So yeah, that one holds a very special place in my heart.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

For you, Audrey, what relationship did you enjoy most in season two?

I really like Kitty and Q’s friendship. They have such a fun dynamic. Even offscreen, Anna and Anthony are such close friends, and their back-and-forth is so cute. But that one is one of my favorite relationships.

How important is it for you to be part of a project like XO, Kitty, that authentically illuminates Korean culture?

Oh, it’s deeply important. That’s honestly why I was a fan of the movies in the first place. Seeing a lead who looked like me when I was younger was completely unheard of, so it was so cool to be able to see that. 

Being able to really highlight a part of my heritage and a part of my family history that I love speaking about in a show like XO, Kitty, is so cool.

Jenny Han’s ability to bring these authentic characters to life, as a teenager and as a young Asian American, and merge the two together is insane and awesome. I love it so much. It genuinely means a lot to me.

(Park Young-Sol/Netflix)

How does it feel that it’s finally out there for everyone to see?

I’m so happy! We put so much of ourselves into the show and so much work into the season, and I’m just so glad that it’s out in the world to feel.

You are an accomplished singer and actress, two equally exhilarating and intense careers. What have these two things meant to you?

I’ve been acting for a very long time now, just kind of floating through the industry, but music has always been a secret passion of mine. And I grew up playing music.

I grew up writing songs, and then I realized I could put them out there, and people would want to listen to them. So, I started releasing music a couple of years ago, and it’s been so much fun.

I love writing music, and I love the fact that people like hearing what I have to say. So that’s more of a personal thing for me, but I am gearing up to release some more music. It’s super fun, and I’m just trying to keep it going.

But the two have always existed simultaneously in my brain. I don’t like one more than the other. I feel like they are both on the same level. It’s so much fun being able to do both and having both in my life.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

I usually ask this to people I’ve never spoken to before. Since this is TV Fanatic, we’re all about TV here. I’ve got to know what your favorite comfort show is.

Something you like to watch when you’re feeling down or happy or anything. And then, what are some more recent shows you’ve been getting into and watching?

Oh, I love Grey’s Anatomy! Anytime I have free time, I’ll turn on Grey’s Anatomy. So that’s a comfort show of mine. Recently, with my parents, I’ve been watching The Night Agent to get ready for the second season, and that show is so good.

Oh my gosh. I had no idea how good that show was. We’re also watching Silo right now, and that’s also a really, really good show.

All good shows! Thank you so much for your time today, Audrey. I appreciate it.

Thank you for having me. This was so much fun!

***This interview has been edited for length and clarity.***

You can stream XO, Kitty Season 2 on Netflix now.

Watch XO, Kitty Online


Originally Posted Here

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