Lana Condor has revealed that fans of her hit film To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before were so desperate for her and co-star Noah Centineo to get together in real life that they were “really hurtful” to her boyfriend.
The 22-year-old actress became a huge star worldwide following the success of the Netflix movie, which followed her character Lara Jean as she delved through past crushes before eventually ending up with Noah’s Peter Kavinsky.
But Lana’s close friendship with Noah, combined with the film’s convincing love story, meant many viewers of the film began to wish that their fictional relationship became a reality – so much so that they took aim at the screen star’s boyfriend Anthony De La Torre.
Speaking to Teen Vogue about when she and Noah decided to keep their affection for each other private, Lana explained: “I love Noah with all my heart, but the switch was when people started attacking Anthony online. That was when I realized as much as I can show my love and my friendship to Noah… I can’t be that private with Anthony, because people are starting to be really hurtful to him.”
“He’s been by my side through everything. He’s such an amazing person and has been an integral part of me staying literally sane.”
Lana can next be seen reprising her role for the movie’s sequel To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, which will also once again star Noah as her love interest, as well as Jordan Fisher as a competitor for Lara Jean’s heart.
Having an Asian-American actress in the lead role and a biracial actor as her love interest marks a positive step in terms of representation in Hollywood, and one Lana is more than proud to be a part of.
“I feel proud to use my voice and continue to tell people that the Asian-American experience is not one experience alone,” she smiled. “It’s something that I don’t plan on ever stopping. Making TV and movies is awesome, but if you have a purpose behind it, it’s even better.”
