Find out what's happening with the stars of Netflix's hit romcom franchise. Where is the cast of The Kissing Booth trilogy now? Here's the latest on Joey King, Jacob Elordi, and more Find out what's happening with the stars of Netflix's hit romcom franchise. By Kelly Martinez January 25, 2026 12:00 p.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/KissingBoothWATN011926bdd951d533a74cb1ab8fea7d1275099d.jpg) Elle, Noah, Lee, and Rachel led the wildly popular 'Kissing Booth' series.

Find out what's happening with the stars of Netflix's hit rom-com franchise.

Where is the cast of The Kissing Booth trilogy now? Here's the latest on Joey King, Jacob Elordi, and more

Find out what's happening with the stars of Netflix's hit rom-com franchise.

By Kelly Martinez

January 25, 2026 12:00 p.m. ET

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Elle, Noah, Lee, and Rachel led the wildly popular 'Kissing Booth' series. Credit:

Marcos Cruz/NETFLIX

Before *The Summer I Turned Pretty* dominated the streaming charts, another YA romance featuring two cute brothers was all the rage: *The Kissing Booth*.

Based on Beth Reekles' novel, originally published on Wattpad, the Netflix rom-com trilogy stars Joey King as Elle, whose teenage existence gets suddenly complicated when she falls into a romance with her best friend Lee's (Joel Courtney) "bad boy" older brother, Noah (Jacob Elordi).

Released between 2018 and 2021, the films' critical reception was largely unkind, but they were nonetheless a hit with their target audience — and helped kickstart Elordi's ascent to Hollywood heartthrob status.

Read on to see what King, Elordi, and the rest of the cast have been up to since the *Kissing Booth *films wrapped.

Joey King (Rochelle "Elle" Evans)

Joey King, then and now.

Marcos Cruz/Netflix; ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty

Joey King led the trilogy as our teenage heroine Elle, who, much like Belly Conklin, is a "late bloomer."

Though her screen career dates all the way back to the mid-2000s, she first gained attention as a preteen when she landed the role of Ramona Quimby in *Ramona and Beezus *(2010) opposite Selena Gomez. She took the obvious road from Beverly Cleary to Batman, appearing as a young, imprisoned Talia al-Ghul in *The Dark Knight Rises *(2012) in addition to roles in *Crazy, Stupid, Love *(2011), *Oz the Great and Powerful *(2013), and *The Conjuring *(2013).

She went on to become a horror headliner with *Wish Upon *(2017) and *Slender Man *(2018) before going the polar opposite route with the *Kissing Booth *trilogy.

"I couldn't be prouder of those movies," the actress told *The Independent*. "I loved them so much and playing that character made me happy. I'll never regret those movies, and I love them so much no matter what anyone says."

Since her starring role as Elle, King garnered career-best acclaim for her portrayal of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard on *The Act* (2019), opposite Patricia Arquette, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

In recent years, she's booked meaty roles in the star-studded actioner *Bullet Train *(2022) and her own action vehicle for Hulu, *The Princess *(2022). Next up is a key role in the legacy sequel, *Practical Magic 2*.

King dated her onscreen love interest Jacob Elordi after meeting on the set of *The Kissing Booth *in 2017, but the two split in 2018. She married director Steven Piet in 2023.

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The teen E L James: Beth Reekles talks 'The Kissing Booth,' sex in YA, and French homework

Jacob Elordi (Noah Flynn)

Jacob Elordi, then and now.

Netflix; Lisa O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty

Before he was one of the most recognizable Gen Z faces in Hollywood, Elordi kickstarted his career as Noah, the older Flynn brother and popular "bad boy" jock… who, apparently, still has a good enough academic record to get into Harvard.

Elordi's first acting gig was a small part in the Aussie film *Swinging Safari *(2018) before being discovered in the U.S. After the original *Kissing Booth *came the role of sociopathic high school football star Nate Jacobs on *Euphoria* (2019–present), widely considered his breakout role.

It wasn't long before the big-screen offers came flooding in. He expanded his repertoire as the King himself in Sofia Coppola's *Priscilla*, as well as lead roles in *Oh, Canada *(2024) and *Saltburn *(2023), the latter of which earned him a BAFTA nomination.

After returning to his native Australia for Justin Kurzel's limited series *The Narrow Road to the Deep North* (2025), he took on the legendary role of the Creature in Guillermo del Toro's *Frankenstein *(2025), earning Golden Globe and Oscar nominations.

The train's not stopping anytime soon, as Elordi is set to heat up the screen alongside Margot Robbie in Emerald Fennell's *Wuthering Heights *(2026).

The actor sparked controversy in 2023 when he expressed his disdain for the *Kissing Booth *films, telling *GQ*: "I didn't want to make those movies before I made those movies. Those movies are ridiculous. They're not universal. They're an escape."

Joel Courtney (Lee Flynn)

Joel Courtney, then and now.

Marcos Cruz/Netflix; Brett Carlsen/Getty

Joel Courtney starred as Lee, the younger Flynn brother and Elle's lifelong best friend who disapproves of her romance with Noah.

Many still recognize the young actor for his debut film — the starring role in J.J. Abrams' coming-of-age extraterrestrial flick *Super 8 *(2011). He went on to more genre work with the Stephen King adaptation *Mercy *(2012), *Don't Let Me Go *(2013), and the short-lived CW series *The Messengers *(2015).

After winning the role in *The Kissing Booth*, the young actor shored up his résumé with an appearance in the burgeoning cult classic *The Empty Man *(2020) and lead roles in *Jesus Revolution *(2023) and *Soul on Fire *(2025).

Courtney married his longtime partner Mia Scholink in 2020.

Meganne Young (Rachel)

Meganne Young, then and now.

Marcos Cruz/Netflix; Meganne Young/Instagram

Meganne Young played Rachel, Lee's on-again, off-again girlfriend.

"With *The Kissing Booth*, the amount of messages that all of us got about how it really helped someone during a difficult time … That is hugely powerful," she said in a 2025 interview. "To me, that is just as valuable as *The Substance *being this genre-pushing piece of art."

Young landed her first major role a few years prior with a handful of episodes of Starz's gritty swashbuckler, *Black Sails *(2015). She later went on to score guest appearances on *Supernatural *(2018) and *DC's Legends of Tomorrow *(2018), where she played none other than Zelda Fitzgerald.

The actress' has most recent screen credit is Hallmark's TV movie *Christmas at the Catnip Café *(2025).

Taylor Zakhar Perez (Marco Peña)

Taylor Zakhar Perez, then and now.

Marcos Cruz/NETFLIX; Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty

Before he stole hearts as Alex in *Red, White & Royal Blue *(2023), Taylor Zakhar Perez made a convincing case for being "Team Marco," shaking things up in *The Kissing Booth 2* as a handsome transfer student who catches Elle's eye.

"More guys should be like Marco," he told EW in 2020. "The bad boy is overplayed, and you get your heart broken twice over unless you have a proponent of emotional intimacy and support and transparency."

Prior to his breakout role as Marco, Perez guest starred on a handful of series, including *iCarly *(2012) and *Scandal* (2018), and later popped up on Starz's acclaimed *Minx *(2022) before scoring the lead role in the queer rom-com *Red, White & Royal Blue*.

A sequel, *Red, White & Royal Wedding*, is in development.

Perez responded to Elordi's criticism of *The Kissing Booth *films in 2023, telling *Variety*: "I thought it was a shame because to my knowledge, everybody else had such a wonderful experience. 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."

Maisie Richardson-Sellers (Chloe Winthrop)

Maisie Richardson-Sellers, then and now.

Netflix; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Maisie Richardson-Sellers appeared in both sequels as the magnetic Chloe, Noah's friend at Harvard — and the subject of Elle's suspicions vis a vis Noah's fidelity.

"It actually came to me as a bit of a surprise, because… it was an untitled film. They were hiding all the information and it was all made-up names," the actress told *Elle* about joining the sequel. "I loved the character, and then I found out, on my callback, that it was *Kissing Booth 2*. To be fair, I'm not big on social media, so I had no idea what a phenomenon the first film had been. But then I watched it, and I remember smiling the whole way through, thinking, 'This is such a feel-good [movie].' It celebrates quirkiness, uniqueness, and I was really excited to bring a new perspective and some new energy to that, and a bit of diversity, which I think the first film needed."

Prior to the rom-com franchise, the British actress was primarily known as Rebekah Mikaelson/Eva Sinclair (IYKYK) on *The Originals *(2014–2017). She reinforced her fantasy franchise bonafides on *DC's Legends of Tomorrow *(2016–2020) — in two different roles, no less. And let's not forget a small role in that little franchise, *Star Wars: The Force Awakens *(2015).

Since bidding goodbye to Chloe, the London native has landed small-screen roles on *The Undeclared War *(2022), *Wolf Hall *(2024), and *Nine Perfect Strangers *(2025). She's also set to star in the sixth *Insidious *installment, *The Bleeding World *(2026).

Richardson-Sellers got engaged to her longtime partner Saba Kia in 2025.

Stephen Jennings (Mike Evans)

Stephen Jennings in 'The Kissing Booth'.

Stephen Jennings played Elle's loving father who's doing his best to raise two kids as a single dad after his wife died of cancer. (These YA parents just can't catch a break!)

The veteran actor has made the rounds on TV and in lower-profile films for a few decades now, in addition to his work on stage. His most high-profile credits include episodes of *Generation Kill *(2008), *Homeland *(2014), and *Good Omens *(2019).

Jennings has maintained a long international career as a voiceover specialist, and has also worked as an accent and dialect coach.

Carson White (Brad Evans)

Carson White, then and now.

Netflix; Carson White/Instagram

Carson White, who was roughly 9 years old when *The Kissing Booth *began filming, portrayed Elle's younger brother Brad.

Outside of the trilogy, he's appeared in a handful of short films as well as Netflix's drama series *Special *(2019). However, the now-teenager (feel old yet?) hasn't been on-screen since the 2021 trilogy-capper.

Molly Ringwald (Sara Flynn)

Molly Ringwald, then and now.

Marcos Cruz/NETFLIX; Kristina Bumphrey/WWD via Getty

The legendary Molly Ringwald rounded out the *Kissing Booth *cast as Sara, Noah and Lee's mom and the best friend of Elle's late mother.

Ringwald first rose to Hollywood prominence with a role in *Diff'rent Strokes* (1979–1980) and its hit spinoff, *The Facts of Life *(1979–1980). But, needless to say, she cemented herself as a household name a few years later, becoming a teen idol for a string of hits written and/or directed by John Hughes: *Sixteen Candles *(1984), *The Breakfast Club* (1985), and *Pretty in Pink* (1986).

While her subsequent years found her working in smaller films, both stateside and in Europe, she's had a mini-resurgence over the last two decades. She returned to her coming-of-age roots in mom roles on teen dramas, including *The Secret Life of the American Teenager* (2008–2013) and *Riverdale *(2017–2023).

The veteran actress's most recent credits include Jeffrey Dahmer's stepmother on *Monster *(2022)* *and Joanne Carson on *Feud: Capote vs. the Swans* (2024).

In 2007, Ringwald married book editor and writer Panio Gianopoulos. The couple has three children together.

- Romance Movies

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The &34;Rush Hour&34; star taught her to juggle instead. Why Jackie Chan wouldn't teach Lucy Liu any stunts for Shanghai Noon The &34;Rush Hour&34; star taught her to juggle instead. By Daysia Tolentino :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/DaysiaTolentinoauthorphotob1c9bf2343cf4cf7b77759eeb9f69e8d.jpg) Daysia Tolentino Daysia Tolentino is a writer at . She has written for since 2025. Her work has appeared in NBC News, Vulture, GQ, and InStyle. EW's editorial guidelines January 25, 2026 10:00 p.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/lucyliushanghainoon0120263fa473a433e148c984b265e9c493d7cd.

The "Rush Hour" star taught her to juggle instead.

Why Jackie Chan wouldn't teach Lucy Liu any stunts for Shanghai Noon

The "Rush Hour" star taught her to juggle instead.

By Daysia Tolentino

Daysia Tolentino

Daysia Tolentino is a writer at *. *She has written for * *since 2025. Her work has appeared in NBC News, Vulture, GQ, and InStyle.

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January 25, 2026 10:00 p.m. ET

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Lucy Liu as Princess Pei Pei in 'Shanghai Noon'. Credit:

Touchstone/Courtesy Everett

Lucy Liu needed to be rescued in *Shanghai Noon*. But behind the scenes, she was itching to learn some of the hero's moves herself.

Seizing the opportunity to learn from an action superstar, Liu had asked her *Shanghai Noon *castmate Jackie Chan to teach her stunts. The *Rush Hour* actor, who had an entire stunt crew helping him, declined.

"He's like, 'No, no, no, you don't get to do anything. I don't want you to get hurt,'" Liu said in a video reviewing her "Life in Looks" for *Vogue.*

Owen Wilson, Lucy Liu, and Jackie Chan during the 'Shanghai Noon' premiere.

SGranitz/WireImage

Instead, Chan's team taught Liu how to juggle, which baffled her. She admitted she "wasn't coordinated enough" to do it successfully, which may have been a sign of her readiness to take on more intense stunt work.

"Maybe that was their test to see if I could actually handle knives and other things," Liu said.

Still, the *Rosemead* actress is no shrinking violet when it comes to stunts. Following the East-meets-West western comedy, she went on to wield some serious weapons in action franchises like *Charlie's Angels *and *Kill Bill.*

Lucy Liu reveals her 'Kill Bill' costumes were secret tribute to 'Pulp Fiction' — and it was all her idea

Lucy Liu says 'strange lull' in career was due to Hollywood stereotyping: 'It was a sign of disrespect to me'

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.*****

Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan in 'Shanghai Noon'.

Touchstone/Courtesy Everett

In fact, her role as Princess Pei Pei in *Shanghai Noon* is what led her to play assassin O-Ren Ishii in the *Kill Bill *films. Liu said Quentin Tarantino wrote the part for her after watching her performance in the 2000 western.

"He said, 'Your role as Princess Pei Pei, like, it really moved me and it really connected me with you,'" Liu said.

The actress took Tarantino's offer and even had a part in shaping her *Kill Bill *character's look. She previously shared how she took inspiration from the simplicity of Vincent Vega's (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield's (Samuel L. Jackson) crisp white shirts and black ties.

"For the first scene that you see O-Ren in, she's in a black kimono with a white underneath the black kimono. And so that was representing, basically, *Pulp Fiction*," Liu said in the same *Vogue* video.

Check out the full *Vogue* video with Lucy Liu below.**

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Apple's Tim Cook, Queen Raina of Jordan, and Erika Kirk, the wife of late rightwing podcaster Charlie Kirk, were also in attendance. White House holds private screening of Amazon's Melania doc for guests including director Brett Ratner, Mike Tyson Apple's Tim Cook, Queen Raina of Jordan, and Erika Kirk, the wife of late rightwing podcaster Charlie Kirk, were also in attendance. By Ryan Coleman :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RyanColemanauthorphoto0081ce8f0254478080f35972c433877b.

Apple's Tim Cook, Queen Raina of Jordan, and Erika Kirk, the wife of late right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk, were also in attendance.

White House holds private screening of Amazon's *Melania *doc for guests including director Brett Ratner, Mike Tyson

Apple's Tim Cook, Queen Raina of Jordan, and Erika Kirk, the wife of late right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk, were also in attendance.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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January 25, 2026 11:25 p.m. ET

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Melania Trump in 'Melania'. Credit:

Amazon MGM Studios

- The White House hosted an advance screening of Amazon MGM Studios' new documentary on Melania Trump on Saturday.

- The exclusive *Melania *screening was attended by the likes of Mike Tyson, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Queen Rania of Jordan, and Brett Ratner, the film's director.

- The event held amid unprecedented civil unrest over violent immigration raids in Minnesota sparked widespread criticism, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The White House hosted an advance screening of Amazon MGM Studios' new documentary on Melania Trump on Saturday that included several high-profile attendees.

*MELANIA*, which chronicles the life and times of the wife of Donald Trump in the 20 days before his recent re-election to the presidency, will have its official premiere at the Kennedy Center on Thursday, following the president's hostile takeover of the venerable cultural institution. But a select few were treated to an early look at the documentary directed by Brett Ratner, in his first film since being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women in 2017.

Ratner attended the White House screening alongside Mike Tyson, who has shared a friendly relationship with Donald Trump since his 2024 re-election, as well as Trump himself; Queen Rania of Jordan; Apple CEO Tim Cook; photographer Ellen von Unwerth, who shot the film's poster; self-help mogul Tony Robbins; Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk; and Amazon execs Mike Hopkins and Andy Jassy, per *The Hollywood Reporter*.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Melania said she was "deeply humbled" by the screening in a Sunday post shared to X, the social media platform that Trump associate Elon Musk bought in 2022.

She praised the "friends, family, and cultural iconoclasts" who attended the event for bringing their "unique vision to the world, making a lasting impression." She continued, "Our personal stories endure time and serve as a reminder of our mutual obligation to one another. It was an honor to present my new film, *Melania*, ahead of its global launch."

Shailene Woodley defends sharing Melania Trump's assassination post

White House insists Trump didn't confuse Greenland for Iceland despite video of him doing so multiple times

* *has reached out to representatives for The White House and Amazon for comment.****

Though the screening was planned months prior, the Trump administration and Melania in particular have faced intense criticism for holding the event amid staggering unrest following the murders of Nicole Renee Good and Alex Pretti during violent immigration raids by law enforcement agents in Minnesota.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted the president on X on Saturday, writing, "Today DHS assassinated a VA nurse in the street, [Attorney General Pam Bondi] is attempting to extort voter files, and half the country is bracing on the eve of a potentially crippling ice storm with FEMA gutted. So what is the President up to? Having a movie night at the White House. He's unfit."

CNN reported on Saturday that Amazon cut a $40 million check to produce *Melania*, and spent an additional $35 million marketing the film.

The trailer for the film to be released in theaters on Jan. 30 shows Melania putting together outfits, calling a red leather document holder "beautiful," and predicting that her husband will be remembered as a "peacemaker and unifier."

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White House holds private screening of Amazon's "Melania "doc for guests including director Brett Ratner, Mike Tyson Ryan ColemanJanuary 26, 2026 at 5:25 AM 0 Amazon MGM Studios Melania Trump in 'Melania'Key Points The White House hosted an advance screening of Amazon MGM Studios' new documentary on Melania Trump on Saturday. The exclusive Melania screening was attended by the likes of Mike Tyson, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Queen Rania of Jordan, and Brett Ratner, the film's director.

- - White House holds private screening of Amazon's "Melania "doc for guests including director Brett Ratner, Mike Tyson

Ryan ColemanJanuary 26, 2026 at 5:25 AM

0

Amazon MGM Studios

Melania Trump in 'Melania'Key Points -

The White House hosted an advance screening of Amazon MGM Studios' new documentary on Melania Trump on Saturday.

The exclusive Melania screening was attended by the likes of Mike Tyson, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Queen Rania of Jordan, and Brett Ratner, the film's director.

The event held amid unprecedented civil unrest over violent immigration raids in Minnesota sparked widespread criticism, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The White House hosted an advance screening of Amazon MGM Studios' new documentary on Melania Trump on Saturday that included several high-profile attendees.

MELANIA, which chronicles the life and times of the wife of Donald Trump in the 20 days before his recent re-election to the presidency, will have its official premiere at the Kennedy Center on Thursday, following the president's hostile takeover of the venerable cultural institution. But a select few were treated to an early look at the documentary directed by Brett Ratner, in his first film since being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women in 2017.

Ratner attended the White House screening alongside Mike Tyson, who has shared a friendly relationship with Donald Trump since his 2024 re-election, as well as Trump himself; Queen Rania of Jordan; Apple CEO Tim Cook; photographer Ellen von Unwerth, who shot the film's poster; self-help mogul Tony Robbins; Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk; and Amazon execs Mike Hopkins and Andy Jassy, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.

Melania said she was "deeply humbled" by the screening in a Sunday post shared to X, the social media platform that Trump associate Elon Musk bought in 2022.

She praised the "friends, family, and cultural iconoclasts" who attended the event for bringing their "unique vision to the world, making a lasting impression." She continued, "Our personal stories endure time and serve as a reminder of our mutual obligation to one another. It was an honor to present my new film, Melania, ahead of its global launch."

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for The White House and Amazon for comment.

Though the screening was planned months prior, the Trump administration and Melania in particular have faced intense criticism for holding the event amid staggering unrest following the murders of Nicole Renee Good and Alex Pretti during violent immigration raids by law enforcement agents in Minnesota.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted the president on X on Saturday, writing, "Today DHS assassinated a VA nurse in the street, [Attorney General Pam Bondi] is attempting to extort voter files, and half the country is bracing on the eve of a potentially crippling ice storm with FEMA gutted. So what is the President up to? Having a movie night at the White House. He's unfit."

CNN reported on Saturday that Amazon cut a $40 million check to produce Melania, and spent an additional $35 million marketing the film.

The trailer for the film to be released in theaters on Jan. 30 shows Melania putting together outfits, calling a red leather document holder "beautiful," and predicting that her husband will be remembered as a "peacemaker and unifier."

on Entertainment Weekly

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