Kitty’s Anna Cathcart on stepping into a leading role

Kitty’s Anna Cathcart explains what it's like to step into a leading role.

Video transcript

ANNA CATHCART: It feels very surreal. And like an honor to be back, and to be back with this character that I've played for a while and have so much love for. But now, even though it's the same character, it's like a new time of her life. So that definitely brings a lot of relearning her, and kind of reintroducing myself to her while also keeping that spirit that she had in the movies. And that I love and know so well. So it was so much fun to come back. And it was just very surreal because I could have never predicted this many years ago when I was first auditioning as a 13-year-old for the first two "All the Boys" movie. It's very crazy.

I didn't even think it was real. I fully thought it was like they were just saying ideas. And I was like, oh, that's a cool thought. But I didn't think it was actually going to happen. So it definitely took a while for it to hit me. I don't think it was until I was like on the plane going to Korea. And I was like, oh. Like there's no going back. We're doing this. So yeah. Definitely it was just a lot to wrap my head around. And it was such an honor as well that they wanted to continue this story, and that they thought that it was worth telling and that Kitty was a character worth exploring.

I think in general "XO Kitty" is a story about growing up, and finding yourself, and taking chances, and figuring it all out. So I'm really excited for people to see it because I think there's something that people can relate to in different ways because there's so many different storylines as well. So I really can't wait for it to be out.

ANTHONY KEYVAN: Yeah. It's a show of like multiple cultures. Multiple backgrounds. It's a show of an entirely API cast. And we're uplifting voices of stories that haven't necessarily been told yet. So yeah. I think it's a show that is hopefully for everyone. I think there's something anyone that's watching can take away from it. I think it's extremely important. I mean, I have been acting since I was five years old. And in all fairness, this is the first time I've played a character where I feel 100% completely represented. This is the first character where I feel like I'm portraying like absolute authenticity with because he is exactly what I am. Half Filipino. Half Iranian.

And you know, I've done this my whole life. And I've never really seen any opportunities for a lot of mixed Asian people. So I feel like for me, it's such an honor. But also to be able to provide that representation for the viewers who look like me, or are mixed race who haven't seen the representation in media before. I think that's what's really exciting about the show for me because I mean, just last night we had a screening. And to see how like people received my character was so special and extremely like just an honor. That's the best way I could put it.

ANNA CATHCART: The impact. I think those moments are when it really like hits harder. I'm like, wow, we're a part of something that's actually impacting people. And changing people's mindsets, and views, and how they feel for the better is so cool. And like you said, such an honor to be a part of something like that for others. And the reach can be so large, which is also amazing. And really cool to think about.

ANTHONY KEYVAN: And it's not every day as an actor you get an opportunity to make something so meaningful like this. It's definitely a blessing for me. And I hope that people watching are able to see that, and be excited to see characters like this on screen.