Actress Anna Cathcart says she was “so excited” when she found out that her fan-favorite character, Kitty, from the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” films, would be exploring her sexuality in the spinoff “XO, Kitty.”
“Seeing this kind of storyline on screen, especially two Asian girls, is really special,” Cathcart told ABC Audio.
“XO, Kitty” offers up multiple love interests for Kitty, including Yuri, a classmate who goes from a romantic rival to a friend she develops feelings for.
MORE: Adam Rippon's mom pens letter about the coming out experience from a parent's perspective“I love that Kitty is just giving herself the space to figure it out. And she doesn’t have to have all the answers,” Cathcart said. “By the end of the season she still doesn’t, and that’s what she’s learning. It’s OK, and it’s part of the process, and what makes it so beautiful.”
In celebration of Pride Month, Cathcart also talked about how the show puts a spotlight on queer stories.
“I think our show does it in a way that is really special,” Cathcart said. “We have a lot of different queer characters on our series, as well, and it shows that queer stories are not always the same and everybody’s journey is not always the same. And I hope viewers find comfort in that.”
The actress added that one of the best parts about developing Kitty’s character in this way was having meaningful representation out in the world.
MORE: Pride style through the years: Festive fashion, beauty and more“Seeing this kind of storyline on screen, especially two Asian girls, is really special. To see that dynamic and that specific type of representation is really not super common,” Cathcart said. “Those are the moments that are the most special, when you can tell that it actually impacted somebody in the real world, real life. And it’s always very, very touching to get to be a part of that.”
Cathcart starred in the “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” films alongside Lana Condor, Noah Centineo and Janel Parrish.
The first film of the franchise, which is based on the novel by author Jenny Han, follows teenager Lara Jean (Condor), whose secret letters to her five crushes are leaked by her sister, Kitty (Cathcart).
“XO, Kitty” is available to stream on Netflix.