XO Kitty Actress Anna Cathcart Lays Out Her Hollywood Blueprint

Key Concepts

• Transition from Child Actor to Adult Professional: The challenges and psychological shifts involved in moving from a hobby to a career, and from being a child performer to an adult professional.
• The Business of Acting: Understanding acting as a business, the concept of being a "product," and the pressures of self-branding and social media presence.
• Leadership on Set: The role of a lead actor as a "team captain," fostering a positive and inclusive environment, and the importance of kindness and hard work over pure talent.
• Producing: The intricate and often unseen work that goes into production before filming begins, and the goal of a smooth set where producers are not actively intervening.
• Impact of Technology and Streaming: How advancements like streaming and AI are changing the entertainment industry, creating new opportunities and challenges, and democratizing access.
• Personal Growth and Identity: The process of self-discovery, balancing personal life with a public career, and the importance of having a home base and community outside of work.
• Belief in Dreams: The idea that ambitious goals are achievable and may be closer than one thinks, encouraging self-belief and perseverance.

Anna Cathcart: Navigating a Budding Career and Personal Growth

This discussion with Anna Cathcart delves into her evolving career in acting, her transition into producing, and her personal journey of growth and self-discovery.

Post-Exo Kitty: A Period of Transition and New Endeavors

Following the wrap of "Exo Kitty" season 3, Anna Cathcart is experiencing a period of transition. For the first time, she is not simultaneously pursuing acting and attending college. This shift has led her to confront the challenge of slowing down, a difficult task for her as an anxious individual who thrives on a degree of external chaos. She is actively exploring producing, finding it a rewarding and enjoyable experience that allows her to work at a different pace.

Early Career: From Commercials to Leading Roles

Cathcart's acting journey began at a young age with commercials. Her first role at six years old for Campbell's Soup involved simply eating soup, a seemingly simple task that left a profound positive impression. A pivotal moment occurred at age ten with a Crayola commercial, where the sheer joy of the experience led her to declare it "the best day of my life" to her mother, solidifying her desire to pursue acting.

The transition to film and television was unexpected. At twelve, after signing with a new agent, she booked the lead role in "Odd Squad." This was a significant shock to her and her family, given her limited prior acting experience and lack of industry connections. The role required an immediate move to Toronto for seven months, a demanding experience for a twelve-year-old unfamiliar with professional sets. This foundational experience, however, provided her with invaluable practical knowledge and skills that she utilizes daily.

The Foundation of Professionalism: Learning on Set

Cathcart emphasizes the critical importance of learning set etiquette and professional conduct from her early experiences. She highlights that these practical skills, such as understanding industry jargon and acronyms (e.g., "10-1" for bathroom breaks), are not typically taught in formal acting schools. She observes that many adult actors entering the industry later struggle with these basics, sometimes being perceived as unprofessional due to a lack of this foundational knowledge. She feels fortunate to have been on a set like "Odd Squad" that fostered an environment where mistakes were allowed, questions were encouraged, and learning was prioritized, especially given that much of the cast were children.

The Shift from Hobby to Career: Navigating Adulthood

The transition from acting as a passionate hobby to a professional career presented a significant psychological challenge. Cathcart describes the unsettling feeling of wanting to go home or feeling tired on set, a stark contrast to her childhood desire to be there constantly. She grappled with feelings of ungratefulness and questioned if she was still meant for the profession. She realized this shift was a natural part of adulthood and the professionalization of her passion. The first season of "Exo Kitty" at eighteen marked a significant turning point, as she was working as an adult with different rules and hours, far from home, which amplified this transition.

Maintaining a Home Base and Personal Community

The experience of shooting projects in various locations, including Korea for "Exo Kitty," has underscored the importance of a stable home base. Cathcart finds Vancouver to be a grounding presence, offering a community and family connection away from the intense industry environment of cities like Los Angeles or New York. She notes the fine line between inspiration and consumption in industry-heavy cities and how her home base has provided a crucial balance, especially while pursuing her college education.

Pursuing Education: Sociology and Creative Writing

Cathcart's choice to study sociology and creative writing at university was a deliberate decision to engage a different part of her brain, separate from her acting career. Inspired by her family's history at UBC, she pursued higher education for the joy of learning and personal growth, rather than for career advancement in film. She views her college experience as a chance to become an adult in an environment with peers, a contrast to her childhood spent primarily around adults on set. This academic pursuit provided her with a community and an environment that was her own, unrelated to her professional life.

The Intersecting Journeys of Anna and Kitty

Cathcart notes the significant overlap between her personal journey and that of her character Kitty, particularly during the filming of "Exo Kitty." As she navigated her own transition from high school to adulthood, independence, and self-discovery, Kitty was undergoing similar experiences. This shared journey, especially during the initial filming in Korea, felt like a natural progression, with Cathcart relating to Kitty's wide-eyed exploration of a new environment. She finds it easier to act when she can deeply relate to the character's experiences, and she enjoys the challenge of re-establishing a familiar character with new dimensions.

From Supporting Role to Lead: The Evolution of a Franchise

The transition from a supporting role in the "To All the Boys" franchise to leading her own spin-off, "Exo Kitty," was a significant and unexpected development. Cathcart, who was thirteen when she first auditioned for the initial film, never anticipated being so deeply involved in the character's world years later. Moving from a supporting to a lead role brought a new level of pressure and responsibility. She emphasizes that feedback from directors and producers often highlights not just her acting but her leadership qualities, attitude, and spirit on set. She views her role as a "team captain," responsible for fostering an inclusive and familial atmosphere among the cast and crew. Her leadership philosophy centers on kindness and hard work, believing these qualities can be more impactful than sheer talent in a competitive industry. She advocates for a respectful approach, emphasizing that being kind to others is also an act of self-respect.

The Importance of Every Role: No Small Parts

Cathcart strongly believes in the significance of every individual on a set, regardless of their role. She stresses that even those in seemingly minor positions, like getting coffee, are essential to the overall functioning of the production. Her upbringing instilled in her the value of doing whatever task is assigned to the best of one's ability, a principle she applies to her leadership approach. This philosophy underpins her belief that "there are no small roles, only small rules."

The Art and Business of Producing

Producing is a new and fascinating area for Cathcart, offering a different perspective on storytelling. She acknowledges the immense amount of work that occurs before a set is even established, often involving persistent effort and a refusal to give up. She has learned that a well-prepared production should run smoothly, with producers ideally having minimal direct intervention on set. Efficiency on set, she asserts, is about wise time management and, crucially, about fostering positive human relationships. Kindness and respect create a happier and more productive environment, leading to increased enthusiasm and better work from everyone involved. Conversely, a toxic environment can quickly lead to a downward spiral.

Exploring New Mediums: Voice Acting and Beyond

Cathcart is enthusiastic about exploring new mediums, including voice acting. She found voice work to be a valuable way to remain active in her career while attending college, allowing her to stay in Vancouver. Her experience with "Angry Birds" was particularly enjoyable due to its playful and improvisational nature. She relished the challenge of focusing solely on her voice as a tool for character development, a departure from relying on facial expressions and physical movements.

The Business of Being Anna Cathcart: Social Media and Self-Branding

The realization that she is, in some ways, a "product" in the business of acting has led Cathcart to navigate the complexities of self-branding and social media. She acknowledges the mental challenge of comparing herself to other women in the industry and is still learning to do so healthily. Social media is recognized as a powerful tool for reaching audiences and creating opportunities, but she emphasizes the difficulty of balancing this with her personal desire to not be solely a "content creator." She frames her social media posts as "mini billboards," acknowledging the pressure of making impactful decisions as a 22-year-old with a large audience. She believes that in the current industry landscape, audiences want to know the person behind the character, making authenticity and personal narrative increasingly important.

Navigating Industry Shifts: Technology and Streaming

Cathcart acknowledges the rapid changes in the entertainment industry, driven by factors like streaming and emerging technologies such as AI. While these shifts can be unsettling due to their unpredictability, she also sees them as catalysts for new opportunities. She highlights how streaming platforms have expanded the global reach of content, enabling diverse stories and on-screen representation to connect with wider audiences. She understands the reservations people have about change but believes that these advancements can lead to exciting new paths and a more inclusive industry.

Future Aspirations: Producing and New Roles

Looking ahead, Cathcart is eager to continue producing, finding fulfillment in being part of the storytelling process from its inception. She enjoys the creative freedom of contributing to a vision from day one, as opposed to solely fulfilling someone else's. She is also "bursting" to take on new acting roles beyond her beloved character Kitty, seeking fresh challenges and opportunities to explore different facets of her craft.

Advice for Aspiring Actors: Dreams Within Reach

Cathcart's core advice for aspiring actors, and for herself, is to believe that their dreams are closer than they might seem. She encourages self-belief, reminding individuals that they have as many reasons to believe their goals are achievable as they do to doubt them. She emphasizes that the industry, while vast and potentially intimidating, is accessible, citing her own unexpected journey from Vancouver as proof that it is possible for anyone to find success.