In Her Campus’ series Next Question, we rapid-fire interview emerging Gen Z talent about what it’s like to rule over the internet. This month, ‘XO, Kitty’ actress Audrey Huynh is in the hot seat to answer our burning questions.
When Audrey Huynh landed the role of Stella in XO, Kitty Season 2, there was one word to describe what she was feeling — fear. “I was so scared walking into this role, purely because of just how big the [To All The Boys I Loved Before] universe was, and how much everyone loves [XO, Kitty] Season 1. It was so scary walking in as this new face,” Huynh exclusively tells Her Campus. But despite going into filming feeling nervous, it wasn’t long before Huynh felt right at home on set. “The cast was so welcoming,” she says. “They made me feel like I had been there the entire time, and now we’re all really good friends.”
In Season 2, which premiered on Netflix on Jan. 16, Stella is introduced as Kitty’s new roommate, who at first, seems like your typical girl next door. But as viewers quickly learn, there’s much more to her than what meets the eye. “She’s very driven. I also think manipulative — not in a good way,” Huynh says. “She’s just very weird.”
Throughout the season, small cracks in Stella’s angelic demeanor begin to appear. Soon, her overall incentive for attending KISS is very clear: to exact revenge on Min Ho’s father, Mr. Moon, after he embarrassed her during a signing competition years prior. “I definitely don’t agree with that whole massive revenge plan, but I do think she had reasoning for what she was doing purely just because of past trauma,” Huynh says. “But I definitely don’t condone any of the actions that she did on the show. That was crazy.”
Despite it all, Huynh gives Stella some grace because, at her core, she’s simply misunderstood. “She did have a reason for what she was doing,” Huynh says. “[Stella] started to care for the people that she was meeting at KISS. There was a lot of internal conflict when it came to that.”
Overall, Huynh couldn’t be happier to have joined a show like XO, Kitty. Though her character was the quintessential villain, she particularly enjoyed being part of a series that celebrates so many different cultures, traditions, and identities. “Walking into this show and knowing that it was a predominantly Asian cast is something that you don’t really see often. Being able to be a part of that, and part of this representation movement for AAPI actors and creators, is just so important to me,” she says. “I’ve been a fan of the [TATBILB] movies since they first came out and that’s honestly what drew me towards them in the beginning. Seeing someone who looked like me on screen — and now being able to play someone who looks like young Asian people who are watching — is so special. Such a healing moment for me.”
Aside from acting, Huynh is a singer whose love for music — surprisingly to her — blended into her XO, Kitty character. “I had no idea Stella was going to be a singer, and then the writers found out that I sang, and they were like, ‘Oh, that’s perfect,’” she says.
Huynh is preparing to release her debut EP, lovesick, in February 2025, with each song highlighting the importance of accepting one’s feelings. “I wrote these songs from a very vulnerable place, and my main message is that it’s OK to feel things,” she says. “People have gotten this message from society that you’re not allowed to feel anything, and you have to just keep it to yourself. I think that’s so untrue. And with the EP, I really hope that people take that away, that it’s OK to have these emotions.”
These responses have been edited for length and clarity.
What’s been your favorite TikTok trend recently?
I love the videos of people looking at their dogs using the “My Shayla” audio. It’s so adorable.
What app are you going to if TikTok gets banned again in the future?
Probably Instagram.
What’s the last TikTok audio you saved?
It was the one where it’s like, “If you’re offended by what I say, imagine what I’m thinking.”
Since XO, Kitty Season 2 is finally out, what’s one secret you feel you have to share with us?
I literally have not been able to talk about Stella at all, just because people don’t know her character. So, big secret’s out. She’s evil.
What’s a song you just can’t get out of your head?
“That’s So True” by Gracie Abrams.
Who are your top three artists at the moment?
Lizzie McAlpine, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter.
What’s a style/beauty trend you’re obsessed with right now?
I really like the Billie Eilish makeup.
Can you raise your ya ya ya?
Yes, I can. I’m obsessed with that video!