How Aussie XO Kitty star, Peter Thurnwald, became a role model
As the only Australian actor to star in Netflix hit series XO Kitty, Korean-born Peter Thurnwald has become an accidental role model.
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Korean-born actor Peter Thurnwald wishes there had been more people who looked like him on screens when he was growing up.
“Honestly, even to this day, I’m still searching for role models – leading males, maybe specifically Korean – that I see in the industry,” Thurnwald says.
The 25 year old – who was born in Korea and adopted by his Australian parents when he was six months old – is currently starring in Netflix’s smash hit XO Kitty as teacher Alex Finnerty.
He’s the only Australian actor in the largely Asian cast of the spin-off from the massive To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which debuted in the top 10 in 90 countries across the globe.
While Thurnwald’s excited times are changing, he’s a little too modest to adopt the mantle of role model to the next generation.
“I’m just excited to make stuff – I’ve never set out to be someone who wants to change the course of history,” Thurnwald said.
“But what cinema has done for me is – I’ve watched movies and I’ve watched TV shows that have changed my life forever.
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“I think if I can give that experience to anyone, I mean, especially someone who’s Asian and growing up in Australia then that’s amazing.
“Already I’ve had so many people reach out on social media just saying ‘I wish I had a show like this one when I was growing up’.”
Thurnwald’s already had roles in Paramount+ series Players and Stan’s Bump, but it’s the immense popularity and fan base of the Jenny Han books and shows which has seen his Instagram followers explode almost overnight to 312,000 followers. And he’s enjoyed interacting with them online and feeling their joy at his success.
“That’s what is really exciting, that we’re going to have a whole new wave of creatives in having role models and feeling confident that their stories want to be heard by people,” he says.
“Beginning at the grassroots and moving upwards is such a better, organic way of getting new shows into the universe than it is about putting out a fund or something saying you know, ‘Hey, we need 10 Asian actors’.”
Thurnwald is on the fence, however, about the new diversity requirements for movies to qualify for a Best Picture Oscar from next year, unlike veteran actor Richard Dreyfuss who harshly criticised the Oscars’ new inclusion standards, saying “they make me vomit”.
“Look, it’s so touchy for me because I think I see both sides of the story”, Thurnwald says.
“On one side there needs to be incentives and there needs to be films and things that are seen. “But my experience so far as a producer as well, is that there is red tape and it’s frustrating to deal with because you’re like ‘well, I just want to make a film, why are you making me have a percentage of this? Why should that even matter?’
“But it does matter because in 10 or 15 years time, it’s like we’re planting a seed for a tree that our children will see and we won’t.
“But we’re going to look back on this in 15-20 years time on this Oscars thing, and no one’s going to care.
“Like, no one’s going to be talking about it – people are not going to be saying the Oscars were ruined.”
XO Kitty, streaming Netflix
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Originally published as How Aussie XO Kitty star, Peter Thurnwald, became a role model
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