Butler joins Netflix's anticipated YA sequel to last summer's breakout hit with Lana Condor and Noah Centineo.
The To All the Boys I've Loved Before sequel is firming up its cast.
Just days after revealing its John Ambrose McClaren, Netflix's anticipated follow-up to last summer's teen hit has added 13 Reasons Why and Riverdale star Ross Butler to the cast, ET has confirmed. Butler will play Trevor Pike, Peter Kavinsky's (Noah Centineo) best friend. EW first reported the news.
“We’re thrilled to announce that the endlessly charming Ross Butler has joined the cast of the To All the Boys sequel as Trevor Pike," To All the Boys producer Matt Kaplan said in a statement to ET. "His real-life friendship with Noah brings a natural chemistry and great rapport to the set and we can’t wait for fans to see this friendship play out onscreen.”
Based on Jenny Han's best-selling To All the Boys trilogy, the story kicks off when Lara Jean's (Lana Condor) love letters she'd secretly written to her crushes, including John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher) and Peter Kavinsky, are secretly mailed out. After taking on a faux romance, by the end of the first movie, Lara Jean and Peter embark on an official relationship. John Ambrose shakes things up, most notably in the second book, P.S. I Still Love You, when the story largely revolves around a love triangle between Lara Jean, John Ambrose and Peter Kavinsky.
Interestingly, the character of Trevor was framed as a close childhood friend of Lara Jean's in the books. The slight modification to the character's connection to the main protagonists could be a result of Centineo and Butler's real-life friendship, as evidenced by a candid shot of the two pals in announcing the casting news.
The Netflix sequel, which returns supporting players John Corbett, Janel Parrish and Anna Cathcart, will likely follow the events of the second book and possibly borrow elements from the third, Always and Forever, Lara Jean. Sofia Alvarez, who wrote the first movie, penned the sequel script, while director of photography on the 2018 hit, Michael Fimognari, takes over as director for Susan Johnson, who will remain an executive producer.
In January, Condor revealed to ET one specific scene from the second book she hopes makes it into the movie -- and it's all about Lara Jean and John Ambrose's love story.
“I love when Lara Jean and John Ambrose go to the [nursing] home," she said at the time. "I love the snow... that moment when John Ambrose and her are in the snow playing. When I read that, it was romantic to me. Every little girl thinks about a kiss in the snow with someone that they might like. For me, I would love [it] more than anything ‘cause it’s romantic and cute!"
In the second book, the pivotal moment comes on the heels of Lara Jean and Peter's breakup. An unexpected snowstorm strands Lara Jean and John Ambrose overnight at the nursing home, where Lara Jean volunteers and John Ambrose's grandmother, Stormy, resides. The teens sneak out onto the front lawn to play in the snow, and it's there John Ambrose confesses he would like to kiss her.
"Cinematically, can you imagine how pretty that would be? It would be gorgeous and I want the gorgeous!" Condor said with a laugh. "But yeah, there’s a lot [of scenes]. I’m really excited. I hope I get the script soon because I think it’s going to be even better than the first one.”
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