Sasha Bhasin has had quite a year already.
The rising actress joined the cast of Netflix’s To All The Boys spinoff dramedy XO, Kitty earlier this year, playing Praveena. The character was a new love interest for the titular character, played by Anna Cathcart.
“Once I got [to set on XO, Kitty], I felt comfortable, and I feel like that’s how Praveena was too,” Bhasin tells The Hollywood Reporter of her experience on the YA show, which recently earned a season three renewal. “She’s technically new, but she was comfortable in the space that she was in.”
Bhasin has also joined Max’s medical drama, The Pitt, as Nandi, an influencer and patient. “I’m really just basking in the moment and just being right here and right now,” she says.
Below, Bhasin speaks with THR about her latest roles, the “anxiety of being an actor” and she’s hoping to tackle next.
Your character in XO, Kitty, adds a fun dynamic to the cast. What was it about the role that brought you in?
Obviously, it’s very nerve wracking to join a show of this caliber [in] season two. This is my first production that I’ve been a part of this level, where you’re being flown out to Korea with this Netflix show that everybody loves. That was the nerve-wracking part, but once I got there and met the cast, I immediately felt at home, I felt like we have such a beautiful dynamic, all of us. It’s really fun, and it’s kind of how it’s portrayed on the show. It really is a friend group of sorts.
What was it like working in Seoul and getting to kind of be on location there?
Dude, it was so cool. To date, it’s the coolest experience I’ve ever had in my life, just being flown out and you’re in the middle of… I’ve never been to East Asia, although I’m Indian. I was born in India, I’ve never been back, and I still haven’t. It was a dream. It’s how you think about just going to spend two and a half months in Seoul, the best time of life, just experiencing Korean culture and the food and the karaoke and the people. It was amazing.
On XO, Kitty, you’re the new kid on set, even though there were quite a few new cast members on season two. Does that help the dynamic that you’re bringing to the show as she’s also the new kid?
It definitely mirrored it a little bit because I’m joining these seasoned professionals. Anna [Cathcart]’s been working forever. All of these other cast members, they have so much experience. It did reflect in that, but immediately once I got there, I felt comfortable, and I feel like that’s how Praveena was too. She’s technically new, but she was comfortable in the space that she was in.
How did you feel about taking on the role of Praveena, knowing that it was going to probably get some fun fan reaction?
Anything that Kitty does is always chaotic, and I think that this part where it’s Kitty and Praveena’s relationship, I think it’s a beautiful exploration of queer identity. I think that especially when you’re so young, you’re in high school and you’re just figuring yourself out, I think that that is really beautiful. I think the show captured that really well, that nothing is permanent. You can always explore yourself and you continue to grow, and I think that this dynamic between Kitty and Praveena, where I would say Praveena is really sure of herself, and it’s such a blessing if you’re that young, to be sure of your sexual identity. Sure of yourself, be confident. I think that these that Kitty figuring it out and Praveena kind of showing her the ropes, I think it’s beautiful. And I think everybody should have a friend like Praveena and everyone should have a friend like Kitty. It’s really nice.
How familiar were you with the movies and even XO, Kitty when you joined?
Loved it. I watched all the movies. I had seen the first season of XO, Kitty, and then once the audition came in, I was like, “What?” To be completely honest with you, when the audition came in, I didn’t think I was going to be working on one of the biggest Netflix shows there is. I was like, well, let me just do it. Let me see what happens. It just kept moving in the right direction. By the time I did the chemistry read with Anna, because the audition process was the tape and then a call back with the showrunner and casting director and then a chemistry read. After the chemistry read I did. In my heart, I kind of was like, “Oh my god, am I about to go to Korea?” I just felt that.
What are you hoping is the reaction to season two of XO, Kitty, for you as an actor and your character, but also in general?
Someone watching the entire show, I hope that they take away that you’re not alone, that we all are messy and human and there are so many different elements when it comes to the people that we like and we don’t like. You’re not alone. Everybody’s going through so much shit or so much stuff all the time. Honestly, I hope that it brings a lot of joy. That’s what really drew me to XO, Kitty when I was watching it before I even knew of this audition. I’m smiling the whole time watching the show. It’s so beautiful and it’s so fun and it’s so funny. All of a sudden you can turn it on after a long day or something and just be taken into this world.
I hope people are transported as well to beautiful Seoul. Watching is just so cool. It’s just how can someone be that cool and calm and collected all the time? I think with Praveena, I hope Indian girls and South Asian girls watching it… Previna is queer and she’s South Asian, but what I love is that the cornerstone is not that she’s Indian and she’s queer. She’s just a kid at school who happens to be Indian, who happens to be queer, and it’s not that big a deal in the sense of, you’re not trying to force anything. You’re not pushing her into boxes, you’re not trying to make her an icon. She just is. I really hope that young South Asian and young kids of color can watch it and be like, “Whoa, cool. It’s normal. It’s fine.” I love that about Praveena.
Does it weigh a little bit on you more knowing that?
To be honest, it makes me hopeful. It makes me really hopeful that other shows and movies will take lead from XO, Kitty in how seamlessly the queer community and people of color are just blended into life because that the truth. Nothing felt forced, it didn’t feel engineered. It’s not so much pressure because I think it’s going to be received well, because I received it well when I’m watching the show. I’m like I wish I had a show this growing up. I think it’s just like OK, XO, Kitty we did this. Now what else? Now guys, take lead two more with this. Keep expanding on these queer stories and these stories of people of color. I think there was a time in media where it did feel a little forced when it was a queer person. I was watching Friends, just the other day, and I’m like, wow, there’s no diversity. There’s no representation, and when there are queer characters, they’re made fun of, and it’s turned into a joke and a trope. I’m just really so grateful to be living in [a] world where stories like this are being told with care by people who know. That’s why it doesn’t seem forced. It’s very organic.
You’re at a very interesting point in your career right now. How are you feeling being on the precipice of what is perhaps the next chapter of your career?
So, now there’s pressure now. It’s just that anxiety of being an actor and doing something so big, XO, Kitty, and I just got off of The Pitt. It was my first time in L.A., ever, and I have a film coming up. There’s so much happening right now, and I think what I’m working on is just dispelling the fear of, “And this will be your last job and you’ll never work again.” I’ve grown so much as an actor since Brave the Dark and then XO, Kitty and then The Pitt. It’s like, now I want more. I want to keep working. I want to keep making people happy, entertaining people and playing these characters that are relatable and important in society, and especially the world that we live in today. I just feel lucky that as an Indian girl, I’m able to do something for my inner child. I never saw Indian kids on TV. I never saw queer people on TV. I never saw these really relatable stories, so I just want to keep going and just do justice to the people who might like me.
What kind of roles are you manifesting for yourself? What are you dying to do?
I just watched Maria with Angelina Jolie, she’s the reason I started acting, and it always makes me emotional to talk about her. Her versatility and her wild side that transformed into this elegance. It’s so inspiring. The roles that I want to do, I want to play. I mean, even Mia Goth in the X Trilogy. I love thrillers. Scary movies are my favorite genre by far, like Hereditary. I have A24 on my vision board. These really scary and spooky things. I love them, and I really hope that’s in my future. I’m practicing. I’m trying to put myself in lane by building these characters because that’s what I do. I build characters before anything. When auditions are not coming in, I’m sitting and I’m putting on different voices and different clothes even, and trying different walks and building these characters, because when an audition comes in, you have maybe a day or two to turn it around.
I realized before XO, Kitty, because Praveena was actually already built out before I got the audition. My job as an actor, which is the most fun job ever, is to just play. I’m just playing pretend and imagining in my room, and if I hit something cool, I write it down. I take note of how I’m feeling so that when that audition comes up, I just have that catalog.
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