XO Kitty Star Audrey Huynh Talks Stella's Min-Ho Feelings, Esther Twist & More (Exclusive)

XO Kitty Season 2 breakout star Audrey Huynh reveals the truth about Stella Cho in a tell-all interview with The Direct. 

Stella is an interesting new addition to the To All The Boys I've Loved Before spin-off series on Netflix. In Season 2, she is introduced as Kitty Song Covey's new roommate and Min Ho's eventual love interest at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS). 

As the season progresses, it is clear that Stella is hiding something in XO Kitty after Season 2, Episode 1 hinted at her sinister side. The series ultimately reveals her true plan which has ties to her tragic past and connection to Min Ho's father, Mr. Moon. 

Audrey Huynh Addresses Stella's Villain Twist in XO Kitty Season 2

Stepping into the role of Stella in XO Kitty Season 2 is rising star Audrey Huynh. 

Aside from her memorable performance as Stella as part of the cast of XO Kitty Season 2, the Orange County native is also known for landing her first theatrical role at nine years old in Murder of a Cat where she starred alongside J.K. Simmons, Blythe Danner, and Nikki Reed. 

In XO Kitty Season 2, Stella's plan involves getting close to Min Ho to seek revenge against her famous father, Mr. Moon, for embarrassing her on live television after she auditioned for Rising Stars with Young Moon. 

It is also revealed that her real name is Esther Shim, an exchange student from Pepper Pike, Ohio. 

Ultimately, her plan failed after Kitty discovered the truth. Still, there were moments in Season 2 where fans felt that Stella genuinely cared for Min Ho, considering that they were briefly in a relationship. 

"I feel like she started realizing that she was really wrong..."

In an exclusive interview with The Direct, XO Kitty star Audrey Huynh thinks that the ski trip was the time when Stella realized she genuinely started to have feelings for Min Ho, noting, "showing that he did care for her kind of made her care for him too:"

• The Direct: "Obviously, we can talk about spoilers now. In XO Kitty Season 2, Episode 8, when Stella is about to be taken away by the guards, Min Ho asks you, 'Was any of it real?' then she responds with 'I liked you. For real.' When did you think Stella realized that she is slowly genuinely starting to like Min Ho? Was it during the ski trip or way after that?"

Audrey Huynh:” I don't know if there was an exact moment, I think that she kind of had this expectation and this idea of who all these people would be like, especially Min Ho. 

As she really got to know them and kind of got closer to them, I feel like she started realizing that she was really wrong and that she actually cared about these people, and that she, if it wasn't for that, her master evil plan, I think that she definitely would have been friends with them and would have had a really cool life, kind of building these relationships with them."

And now that we know her plan and everything, if we do get the chance to go back, I would love to kind of explore more of that and more of like her organic relationships without this crazy ulterior motive. 

But I think with Min-Ho specifically, it kind of started to become very real. I think around the ski trip, I think kind of just being able to get closer to his family and all that kind of stuff, and him as a person, and showing that he did care for her kind of made her care for him too. So I think that that's definitely a thing. But she really cared about those people. She just had her plan going on."

"It was really cool just being able to kind of break her down..."

It is pretty complicated for Stella to pull the strings from behind while also making sure that her cover is not blown. Still, Huynh managed to pull it off. 

As a character like Stella who is at the center of plot twists in XO Kitty Season 2, Huynh shared that she had to break her down into three different ways in the script for her to "distinguish which version of her [she] was playing:"

• The Direct: "Can you tell us more about your approach to showcasing Stella’s duality in XO Kitty Season 2?"

Audrey Huynh: "Yeah, I actually kind of broke her down and had three different, like, highlighter colors when I was looking at my script, just to kind of distinguish which version of her I was playing. There was that ‘very sweet, like, innocent, you're gonna think nothing wrong of her kind of vibe.’ And then the complete opposite, where it's like, ’This is my plan, I hate all of you guys. You guys are crazy.’ But then there's also that middle part, which I think was the most fun, kind of, like, putting on that innocent persona, but also thinking and having all of her motives, like behind her eyes, in a way. 

So it was a lot of like playing with looks and playing with facial expressions to really kind of act like someone was acting if that makes sense. So it was really cool just being able to kind of break her down. And it was a lot of talking with the writers and figuring out where they wanted to go and kind of the direction that they wanted to take her character, and just reflecting that."

• The Direct: "What was your reaction when you first learned about the twist involving Stella/Esther’s backstory upon reading the script?"

Audrey Huynh: “I had no clue that that was going to be where she ended up. And, yeah, kind of figuring it out. And reading the script and kind of like, ‘Oh, that's what happened!' I think it was kind of a really cool moment because all of the pieces in my brain kind of just fit together. It kind of became easier to figure out her motives and all that kind of stuff, because we had her backstory. 

And it was kind of crazy because that whole like flashback scene where she's like, 12 years old, like auditioning and everything, they told me that I was going to be the one playing young Stella too. So that was kind of an insane moment. I had to get a prosthetic nose and get weird things put on my face. So it was kind of crazy. But just figuring out her entire arc was really cool, just hearing about kind of where she was coming from, and it kind of just made her more of a person, if that makes sense."

"I have always wanted to play a role like this one..."

Playing the "kind of villain, but not really villain, kind of character" has always been a dream for Huynh. She admits that bringing a complex character like Stella to life "was so cool" and a "crazy" experience: 

• The Direct: "Kitty is described as a Chaos Queen in the series. I think Stella is also a Chaos Queen in her own right. What was it like to play the antagonist in Season 2?"

Audrey Huynh: I have always wanted to play a role like this one, kind of like that, kind of villain, but not really villain, kind of character. And being able to bring Stella to life and just have a character that's so just different than who I am, and fully just immerse myself in a role like this was so cool. And really just being able to pick apart every single scene and like every single line, like, why is she saying it like this? Like, what's going on in her brain? Like, as she's saying all of these things and all of these actions and all and all that kind of stuff. 

But being able to be like the antagonist, I guess, of a show like this is kind of crazy. But yeah, I love her character. I think she was so well-written, and kind of being able to play her from an acting standpoint was really cool."

Is Stella Team Min Ho or Team Yuri for Kitty?

"I think that she definitely has to kind of think and go through some self-discovery..."

While Stella and Min Ho had a brief relationship in XO Kitty Season 2, fans are clearly rooting for Min Ho to end up with Kitty. 

Still, a good portion of the fanbase also wants Kitty to have her happily ever after with her best friend, Yuri. 

The Direct did not waste time in asking Audrey Huynh about her thoughts on who she wants Kitty to end up with when it's all said and done. 

Huynh simply noted, "I honestly think just whatever Kitty wants:"

• The Direct: "Fans would definitely want to know your side of this. Are you Team Min Ho or Team Yuri for Kitty?"

Audrey Huynh: “I honestly think just whatever Kitty wants, I think that both of them are such cool options, and I think that she definitely has to kind of think and go through some self-discovery because she’s dated a lot of people in the past two seasons. But, just kind of having that representation of self-discovery is really important, like, it's so just true to real life. But, yeah, I don't know. 

I feel like the fans are definitely more Kitty-MinHo, and I think that's definitely where it's going. But I honestly think Kitty should end up with whoever Kitty wants to end up with, like, whatever, whoever makes her happy, you know?”

What's Next for Audrey Huynh After XO Kitty Season 2?

"I have been singing and songwriting for years and years now..."

Of Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and European descent, Audrey is also an up-and-coming singer/songwriter who has released three independent singles, namely "Apartment Complex," "Jinx," and "Up for Debate."

Huynh is working on her debut five-song EP called "Lovesick" which was released on February 14. Aside from being a singer, she also plays various instruments, such as piano, guitar, and violin. 

Ahead of her debut EP, Huynh said that "Lovesick" consists of songs that can serve as a "very good representation of who [she is] as an artist:" 

• The Direct: "I saw that you have an upcoming EP called “Lovesick” that will be released on Valentine's Day, February 14. Can you tell us more about your music and what these songs will be about?"

Audrey Huynh: "Yeah, I've been working on this EP for a while now, and I'm so excited it's finally coming out, but it's like this little passion project of mine. I have been singing and songwriting for years and years now, and being able to kind of take that next step in my career as a musician and release a full record of my music is really exciting. 

So yeah, it's kind of just a collection of songs that I wrote within the past, like a year and a half, two years. I'm really excited that it's finally out there. It's a very good representation of who I am as an artist and my sound and all that kind of stuff."

• The Direct: "When did your passion for music start?"

Audrey Huynh: "I feel like music has always kind of been in my life. I've always kind of liked singing, and I thought it was fun, and then I started songwriting in the early years of high school and kind of just found a real love for it, and just the ability to be able to tell stories through music and be vulnerable in that way it is really special to me. I really enjoy doing it. 

I think I've always kind of known that I wanted to be a performer and a musician and an actor and all that kind of stuff. And. Kind of like a multi-faceted kind of person in the industry, but I think definitely from a young age, is where it all started."

Fans can visit Audrey's artist page on Apple Music here and they can also follow her on Instagram (@audreyyhuynh).

All episodes of XO Kitty Season 2 are streaming on Netflix.