How did you first hear that Kitty Covey can be getting her personal spin-off collection? 

It was initially talked about once I was capturing the third film [of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before], and it was simply an concept—like, “Oh, that would be so cool. Imagine if that happened.” I used to be like, “That would be great. I would love that.” However I actually didn’t take it critically. I truthfully thought they have been joking. After which just a little little bit of time glided by, and it began being talked about extra critically on the finish of 2019. However nonetheless for the longest time, I used to be like, “It’s not going to happen. There’s no way this is actually going to be a thing.” Simply final yr once we began capturing in March and we began preparing initially of the yr, it was like, “Oh my god, this is actually going to be a thing. This is reality, and we’re going to Korea, and we’re doing this.” 

What excited you most about the place they have been taking Kitty’s story and what audiences would get to see with this character that we didn’t with the To All of the Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than movies?

Kitty within the films, we all the time see her very assured. She is aware of who she is. She is aware of what’s occurring, which is all the time one thing I’ve liked about her and have admired all through the flicks as effectively. She’s simply very certain of herself. Now with the collection, that’s quivering for the primary time, and he or she’s unsure of herself, and he or she doesn’t actually really feel like she’s received it underneath management, and he or she doesn’t fairly know what’s occurring or what’s going to occur subsequent. That’s a extremely highly effective factor as a result of that’s usually what occurs whenever you develop up or when issues progress. It’s like, “Oh, things aren’t always as simple as they might have been when I was younger or that I might have pictured in my head.” So I like that we see Kitty not sure for the primary time and coping with that and navigating what that’s like. Additionally, being okay with not realizing and never having all of it discovered is one thing that lots of people can relate to, and I’m glad they explored that with Kitty.

Jenny Han—who penned To All of the Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than and final yr’s hit The Summer time I Turned Fairly—is a author, EP, and showrunner on this collection. What do you personally love about her strategy to writing coming-of-age tales?

I learn the To All of the Boys I’ve Beloved Earlier than books again once we have been doing the flicks, and I like simply the main points of getting a teenage woman’s voice, and I can relate to Lara Jean in a number of methods—simply the accuracy of the little issues in her mind and the way she sees the world. I believe it’s actually cool that Kitty is so completely different from Lara Jean, and the issues that she’s going by means of and her worries and her considerations are very completely different from Lara Jean’s. Even with The Summer time I Turned Fairly, I watched the entire collection and am an enormous fan, and that’s additionally a unique world than Kitty and all of the variations of the opposite characters and dynamics. None of them are the identical. It’s very cool to see all of the worlds throughout the JCU, which is what we wish to name it, the Jenny Cinematic Universe. 

You began taking part in Kitty whenever you have been 14 years previous. Now, you might be 19, and Kitty is a junior in highschool, so you’ve basically grown up collectively. How has taking part in Kitty impacted you as an individual?  

I undoubtedly really feel like I’ve grown up together with her by my facet, which is fairly loopy. I had simply completed grade eight once I was first auditioning. I used to be nearly to show 14, and now, I’m virtually 20 and going to school. I’m at a unique stage in my life, and Kitty can also be in a unique stage of her life, so getting to carry her hand by means of rising up is fairly loopy, and I really feel fortunate that I’ve that distinctive expertise. Kitty is clearly going by means of various things than I’m, however on the root of it, [there] are numerous the identical messages and issues that we’re each studying, like the right way to be unbiased, the right way to develop up and be near your loved ones, determining who you might be, and never shedding your self however following your coronary heart. All of these issues I’m very a lot going by means of in my private life, too, so having Kitty going by means of that in her personal means alongside me could be very cool.

Kitty is a hopeless romantic who loves grand gestures. The place do you suppose her excessive love of affection all began? 

I believe she is so near her household and values her household a lot that… Within the films, we see her get so obsessed together with her household’s love lives, and I believe that drives from the love that she has for her members of the family. She desires to see them at their finest and meet individuals who deliver out the perfect in them. So I believe it stems from her immense love for her household and now for her pals and other people in her life.

Would you say you might be equally a hopeless romantic?

I believe so. I like good, tacky love films and … cute issues. I get very enthusiastic about folks’s love lives.

Kitty is the final word matchmaker. What about you? Do you’ve that instinctual feeling when you recognize two individuals are proper for one another?

I don’t know. I undoubtedly suppose Kitty is the professional at that, and he or she’s undoubtedly higher at that than I’m. However I do know Kitty will get very concerned together with her sister’s love life, particularly within the films, and I’ve an older sister who’s my finest pal in the entire world, and I undoubtedly love getting concerned in her love life. I don’t suppose I might ever do what Kitty did and ship out secret letters, however I’m undoubtedly somebody who will get very excited and loves love.

A constant theme within the collection is that numerous the characters, even Kitty, really feel a necessity to cover sure elements of their true selves. What do you hope audiences take away from their tales?

I actually like that we explored that sort of storyline, and I believe it’s one thing that so many individuals can relate to in numerous methods. That feeling of getting to cover part of your self or that you’re not sure about part of who you might be is one thing that’s a part of life, and I believe it’s nice for viewers to see that so many individuals undergo it. It’s an important reminder that you simply don’t know what somebody could be going by means of or the struggles they’re dealing with or what’s occurring of their mind when they’re doing one thing and to simply do not forget that and deal with folks with compassion and kindness since you don’t actually know what’s taking place in everybody’s private lives.

I believe additionally an enormous message is that Kitty doesn’t [have it figured out] on the finish of the season. She’s not like, “Oh, well, I’ve got it again. I’ve figured it out and know who I am and know what this means.” She’s very not sure and studying to be okay with that uncertainty. The scene with Kitty and her dad is certainly one of my favorites. She’s having a low second and feeling actually overwhelmed, and love remains to be primary on the forefront of her household. You possibly can see how a lot care and the way close-knit they’re, and I do know that’s not all people’s expertise, however I believe it’s wonderful to have that portrayed, such an incredible, caring, loving household. I like that she doesn’t know as a result of that’s usually what occurs.