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Jamaica continues to produce talented actors featured in major film and television productions. On Thursday, July 17, Netflix officially confirmed that the third season of their original series, XO, Kitty, wrapped production in Seoul, South Korea. The announcement also included new cast members, among them Jamaican actor Sule Thelwell.
XO, Kitty is the latest Netflix project from author and creator Jenny Han. It’s a spin-off of her popular To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy of novels and its subsequent film franchise.
The teen romantic comedy follows the youngest Covey sister from the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before movies, Katherine ‘Kitty’ Song Covey. Played by Anna Cathcart, Kitty earns a full academic scholarship to attend the Korean Independent School of Seoul.
The second season concluded with Kitty and a love interest, Min Ho, played by South Korean actor Sang Heon Lee, travelling together as his father went on tour, leaving their relationship status in question and creating a major cliffhanger for the series.
Thelwell joins the cast as Marius, a recurring character, who keen viewers will remember was previously mentioned as the roommate of Q, a character portrayed by Anthony Keyvan.
While keeping details about his role under wraps, Thelwell told The Sunday Gleaner that he hopes viewers will connect with the role.
“I am hopeful that audiences will be able to identify and connect with Marius’ humanity as a young man finding the courage to feel, given that what drives him may have him at odds with a few fan favourites. But rest assured, they can expect bellyfuls of laughter, shock, and a gracious dollop of charm,” said Thelwell.
Sharing his unique experience as a Jamaican and cast member for a major Netflix production, the actor humorously spoke of his experience filming in colder temperature wardrobes during a Korean summer. “[It] is just as hot as Jamaica in the summer,” he said. “But we were dressed for later in the year, suh mi did a bun up.”
‘LIKKLE YUTE FROM MAY PEN’
Recalling his first day of filming, Thelwell described the climate as “comforting and familiar”. “I suddenly became very aware of the hundreds of people on set, all working towards making this beloved show the best it can be. And there I was, as a ‘likkle yute from May Pen’, standing amidst it all as an instrumental part. All I could feel from then on was overwhelming gratitude,” he shared.
Beyond just being on set, South Korea left an impression on the actor, who found himself warmly welcomed by its people. “I was always supported, encouraged, and deeply valued. And as a dark-skin black man, I was very happy to see just how diverse our sets were and even more surprised to see how diverse [South] Korea’s nightlife is,” said Thelwell.
His adventurous approach to South Korean cuisine even became a fun, trend-setting experience while filming. “Their food culture is an art form in its own right. There’s often a myriad of different dishes, with varied flavour profiles, that task you with cherry picking the best combination of food you can imagine. And as a Jamaican, growing up hearing ‘food a nuh supmn fi ramp wid’. Whenever I made food combos, the rest of my cast would shortly follow suit,” he shared.
As a past student of both Glenmuir High School and DeCarteret College, Thelwell’s interest in the performing arts started while he was residing in Jamaica. He won awards at the local Jamaica Cultural Development Commission competitions in speech and drama between 2017 and 2020. For two years, Thelwell started and developed his acting career as part of the QUILT Performing Arts Company, founded by Rayon McLean, who is also the creative director and executive producer for the play Pitchy Patchy. Thelwell credits QUILT for laying the foundation for his craft, as well as McLean for encouraging him to apply and getting into all five of the London-based drama schools he applied to attend.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA
Thelwell settled on attending the University of London, where he pursued his Bachelor of Arts in Acting at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama from 2020 to 2024. While a student, he had the opportunity to submit a self-tape audition for a project that was originally intended for Netflix. Although he didn’t get the original role, he was contacted by Disney and cast as Desmond in the Hulu series Saint X. The psychological drama is a direct adaptation of Alexis Schaitkin’s book of the same name, which was released in 2020. Thelwell deferred his degree for the series and returned to school after filming and has since completed it in 2024.
Gradually making strides on the international scene, Thelwell is currently based in Asia but usually resides in his home country, Jamaica or London. Being cast in XO, Kitty is more than a personal milestone for Thelwell. He sees it as a significant moment for Jamaica, and, by extension, the region, to have yet another Jamaican who represents our rich culture and talented local entertainment scene.
“It’s a big moment for ‘what’s possible’. It’s a major broadcast of what’s possible for all Caribbean talent. It is my mission to break into this industry fearlessly and [trod] paths unwalked. I am a beacon for dreamers. I made a promise to my country years ago, and this is only the beginning of that process,” he said.
He added: “It means that I get to shape the future of Caribbean film and art in real time. Jamaicans, if anything else, are storytellers. And the moment we have the resources, capital, and audience to listen to our stories …we’ll grow into the most influential we’ve ever been.”
Thelwell previously mentioned his dream role as Miles Morales, his hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing the significance of the character and its connection to his own career.
“[Miles] sits at the pinnacle of every young black actor’s dream because he is the largest representation in my generation’s mind of what’s possible. I believe [that’s] the role that will fulfil me most and resonate most deeply with the world,” he explained.
As it relates to where he sees his acting career heading, Thelwell doesn’t know where it will take him, but he wants to be a vessel for good stories and inspiring others. “Whether that’s as a face in front [of the camera] or hands and eyes behind the camera, I want to create work that inspires people, conversation, and change. I’ll always endeavour to do that with all the projects I take on,” Thelwell shared.
XO, Kitty fans are eagerly awaiting the launch of the third season. The official premiere date has not yet been announced.
English (US) ·