‘XO, Kitty’ Season 2 Showrunner Jessica O’Toole Reveals How That Noah Centineo Cameo Came Together
SPOILER ALERT: This piece lightly spoils XO, Kitty Episode 6.
Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) pays a visit to Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) at a crucial point in Season 2 of XO, Kitty.
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Kavinsky and Kitty first formed a very special bond back in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018), based on the first book of Jenny Han’s best-selling trilogy, when Peter received a love letter from Kitty’s older sister Lara Jean Song Covey (Lana Condor). His cameo appearance in the show, which was revealed in the Season 2 trailer, proved a very special moment both on and off camera.
“The Recruit was filming in Seoul, and there ended up being one day that he could shoot, and it happened to be our first day of shooting of the full season,” showrunner Jessica O’Toole told Deadline. “He’s in a later episode, but we were like ‘Well, we’re gonna make this happen.’ He was so gracious and thrilled to do it.”
While the scene itself is easy breezy, as the atmosphere usually is around the charismatic Peter Kavinsky, logistics and effort when into planning for the one day of shooting that viewers can see in Episode 6. The show reveals that Peter has a big lacrosse tournament in Korea, but he also delivers some letters Lara Jean found that were exchanged between Kitty’s mother Eve and her cousin Simon.
“It was really serendipitous, but at the same time, took a lot of legwork to make it happen. We’re prepping his episode, we’re writing scenes for that later, for a script that was for much later. We’re flying in the director. There were a lot of things that went into it,” O’Toole continued. “But then it ultimately was probably the best way we could have started the season. Having something that was really special like that, and just so fun. He brings such such an easy going and friendly and warm vibe everywhere. Getting to see them be so happy to work together and watch their magic and everything, it was a great way to start off the season.”
Just like at the end of last season when MARINA’s “About Love,” which was used in the second To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before film, P.S. I Still Love You (2020), played viewers out to the credits in the finale episode, a familiar song used from the first film hinted at Peter’s arrival. Cue LAUV’s “I Like Me Better” after Kitty talks about seeing a familiar face, and a big sweeping hug between the pair, and surprise complete. But of course, Peter has been briefed on all of Kitty’s drama at that point in the show with Yuri, Julianna, Stella, Dae and Min Ho by her sister LJ, so he is in the know as he meets a few of Kitty’s inner circle.
A classic moment of tension takes place between Peter and Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee) while in a Korean stationary store that both of them visit to buy sparkly pens for their girlfriends.
“People seeing those two characters interact was an no brainer. They both have such charisma, and then the charisma is just enough of a contrast that I like the idea of there being a little like, ‘Who’s this charismatic dude? And who’s this other charismatic dude?’” O’Toole said. “I’m also just sucker for any time you have a male character who’s confident enough to talk about sparkly pants and be fully la sucker for that. It’s so charming. I love the idea that they’re peacocking, and then they’re like, ‘Oh, by the way, can you help me with this sparkly pan that I’m getting for my girlfriend?’ So yeah,It’s always fun when the characters feel that they’ve been so embodied in such a distinctive way by the actor and or have enough depth that they kind of write themselves, it feels like you’re just putting them in an arena, and then they’re bringing it to life.”
Sang Heon Lee, in a different interview, described Min Ho’s intimidation by Peter, who immediately points out to Kitty that the “guy from the plane” calls her Covey and remembers everything she’s ever said, something Peter did to Lara Jean in the films, meaning Min Ho could still like Kitty. Peter also comes back in a scene later on in the episode to give Kitty one last boost of confidence before the end of the series before he heads to Tokyo for his Stanford sports adventures. He reminds her that if it weren’t for her, Lara Jean’s letter wouldn’t have made it to him meaning he wouldn’t have found the love of his life.
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