The Kissing Booth Trilogy undoubtedly became one of the most wildly popular romantic comedy movie series on Netflix, as it captured the hearts of millions of fans worldwide who read the 2012 novels of the same name by a Welsh author of young adult fiction, Beth Reekles. However, when Jacob Elordi, one of Hollywood’s entertainment industry leading stars, voiced his criticism of the franchise in an exclusive interview for GQ’s Men of the Year issue, Elordi stated:
“I didn’t want to make those movies before I made those movies.” The actor added, “Those movies are ridiculous. They’re not universal. They’re an escape.” He further clarified that the reason for accepting The Kissing Booth was because he needed a job, quote, “That one’s a trap as well. Because it can become 15 for them, none for you. You have no original ideas and you’re dead inside. So it’s a fine dance,” he replied. “My ‘one for them,’ I’ve done it.”
The remark didn’t come as a surprise to many fans, as the Euphoria star, 26, has been open about his experience while working in those films, even though he gained prominence through his roles as high school student Noah Flynn. But in recent turns of events, it’s time for the fandom to hear from Joey King herself, who played the lead role of Elle Evans in the film’s trilogy by portraying Noah’s girlfriend. The 24-year-old actress responded to her “Kissing Booth” co-star’s criticism of their hit Netflix rom-com franchise.
“I think it’s unfortunate anyone would feel that way,” King tells Variety at the Balenciaga fashion show in Los Angeles. “I had a great time making those movies no matter what anyone says.” That’s not it! In the interview, when asked about expanding the franchise with a new movie, King said, “If there were to be a fourth installment it would be picking up where Elle and the gang are in their fifties or something, just to drop back in with them and see where they’re at.”
King isn’t the only cast member who shared her response to Elordi’s criticism. Last month at the Men of the Year party on November 16, 2023, the American actor and model Taylor Zakhar Perez, who played Marco Valentin Peña in the sequel, The Kissing Booth 2 (2020), also stated: “I thought it was a shame because, to my knowledge, everybody else had such a wonderful experience.”
Perez continued, “It’s a shame that was his experience on the set. Especially when those movies came out, it was a time when we really needed something like that. I know from our fan interactions, getting stopped everywhere I go, what ‘Kissing Booth’ means to people and what it brought them during such a dark time. I guess the silver lining is he still made people laugh and feel good.”
With the drama building among the fans, later in the evening, Elordi, who will next play the lead in a miniseries adaptation of the novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North, once again came forward and deflected the reaction by simply saying, “I’m incredibly grateful to everybody in it.”
About The Kissing Booth
The Kissing Booth film series consists of American teen-romantic comedy films developed and released as Netflix original films exclusively for the streaming service. The movies are based on the novels written by Beth Reekles, and the plot centers around Rochelle “Elle” Evans and the complications that arise when she begins dating her best friend’s older brother. The series explores the teenage experiences of high school, popularity, dating, and friendship.
The first movie from the franchise was released on Netflix on May 11, 2018, and was dubbed a commercial success by the service due to it being widely viewed by subscribers, leading to the eventual production of a trilogy of films. The film was largely panned by critics, who deemed its storyline and themes to be clichéd. A sequel, The Kissing Booth 2, was released on July 24, 2020, and the third film, The Kissing Booth 3, was released on August 11, 2021. Netflix officially identified it as one of its consistently most-viewed releases.
In addition to this, at the 2019 Kids’ Choice Awards, The Kissing Booth was nominated for Favorite Movie, and King won Favorite Actress for her role.
