10 Fun Facts About The Making Of Netflix's The Kissing Booth 2

This long article is from Screen Rant. Be sure to check it out over there!


10 Fun Facts About The Making Of Netflix's The Kissing Booth 2

Most people have already watched Kissing Booth 2 since it was released on Netflix. Here are some great behind the scenes facts about the film.

Most people have already watched Kissing Booth 2 since it was released on Netflix. Those who haven’t seen it yet have a lot to look forward to because this movie definitely triumphs over the first film. Sometimes, sequels have no right to exist and sometimes sequels are exciting. In this instance, the sequel is actually good and fans are already excited about the third movie in the franchise, which is set to be released in 2021.

Joey King, Joel Courtney, and Jacob Elordi are the leading stars of this great coming-of-age movie franchise. Here are some behind-the-scenes facts about the second film.

10 Jacob Elordi And Joey King Had To Film Kissing Booth 2 After Breaking Up

Jacob Elordi and Joey King were once a cute couple in real life. They dated for a little over a year but then called it quits. Their breakup was very private because they kept details of their relationship off social media.

No one really knew that they broke up until he was spotted by the paparazzi kissing Zendaya. After that, fans realized that according to when the movie was filmed, Jacob Elordi and Joey King had filmed the sequel after they broke up.

9 Joey King Is Wearing A Wig

Joey King is an actress who is known for chopping off her long hair! And she isn’t the only one who’s done something like this before. Other actresses who have cut off all their hair include Demi Moore and Natalie Portman. For Kissing Booth 2, Joey King had to wear a wig in order to return to the character of Elle that she played in the first movie.

Seeing Elle with a drastic haircut in the sequel wouldn’t have made a lot of sense, so the filmmakers opted for her wear a wig so the storyline could continue to flow naturally.

10 Jacob Elordi And Joey King Had To Film Kissing Booth 2 After Breaking Up

Jacob Elordi and Joey King were once a cute couple in real life. They dated for a little over a year but then called it quits. Their breakup was very private because they kept details of their relationship off social media.

No one really knew that they broke up until he was spotted by the paparazzi kissing Zendaya. After that, fans realized that according to when the movie was filmed, Jacob Elordi and Joey King had filmed the sequel after they broke up.

9 Joey King Is Wearing A Wig

Joey King is an actress who is known for chopping off her long hair! And she isn’t the only one who’s done something like this before. Other actresses who have cut off all their hair include Demi Moore and Natalie Portman. For Kissing Booth 2, Joey King had to wear a wig in order to return to the character of Elle that she played in the first movie.

Seeing Elle with a drastic haircut in the sequel wouldn’t have made a lot of sense, so the filmmakers opted for her wear a wig so the storyline could continue to flow naturally.

8 The Opening Montage Followed Director Vince Marcello's Vision

Vince Marcello directed Kissing Booth 2 and he had a vision for the opening montage scene of Elle that he was able to bring to life. He explained, “The idea I had was to acquaint you with the character in a really fast way that was fun, energetic and exciting." The opening scene explains to viewers what Elle has been up to since her relationship turned into a long-distance romance.

Marcello went on to talk about the film's cinematographer, Anastas Michos, saying, "He understands cinematic pacing. One question I always asked him, because he’s also a musician, was the rhythm of the scene. A shot always has a beginning, middle and end. A montage has a beginning, middle and end.” The montage they created for Kissing Booth 2 tells a clear story to viewers.

7 Jacob Elordi Admitted His Secret For How He Filmed The More Emotional Scenes

Kissing Booth 2 might be a high school movie, but it still has some serious moments. Jacob Elordi admitted that he would look at old pictures of him and Joey King together in order to reminisce and create an emotional feeling before filming certain scenes in the movie. For some actors, being able to get emotional or being able to cry on cue is not always an easy thing.

They had a year-long relationship together, which means that they have a year's worth of pictures together! Even though they broke up, those pictures obviously still invoked a lot of emotion in him. 

6 It Was Filmed In South Africa

Kissing Booth 2 was filmed in South Africa! This might seem kind of random, but they decided that South Africa would be the best place for the sequel. Every time viewers thought that the characters were located in California, they were actually located in South Africa.

Without knowing where this movie was filmed, most people would have just assumed that it was filmed somewhere near Hollywood, if not actually in Hollywood. The cast and crew had to fly out to South Africa in order to bring this movie to life, making this a somewhat of a destination film. Fun fact: Avengers: Age of Ultron was also filmed in South Africa.

5 Jacob Elordi Denies Feeling Miserable While Filming, Despite Rumors

Fans speculated that Jacob Elordi was miserable having to film the movie with his ex-girlfriend, Joey King. Social media continually made fun of how sad Jacob's face looked in every scene from the trailer. He quickly cleared up the confusion though. He stated, "I have a resting miserable face! You know what it is? It’s because I’m usually thinking a lot, like, an insane amount, about something ridiculous." His face doesn't necessarily look miserable all the time, but he does have a serious look to him.

Jacob then went on to describe the character he plays in the movie, Noah, saying, "I think also ... Noah is a moody dude, you know? He’s a moody guy. He’s not running around [super happy]. I wasn’t miserable, I was tired, but not miserable. I had a blast." It is a relief to hear that he wasn't actually miserable while filming alongside Joey King. 

4 Taylor Zakhar Perez Is Also Embarrassed By The "Snack" Scene

Taylor Zakhar Perez plays the role of Marco in Kissing Booth 2. In one of the more hilarious moments from the film, Elle refers to his character as a snack. Perez said, "In the scene where you first get to meet Marco outside of the video is when he turns around and looks up to the rest of the class. I had so much anxiety and embarrassment — but also secondhand embarrassment for her ..." Almost everyone with a conscience watching that scene felt anxiety and embarrassment for Elle!

Taylor Zakhar Perez easily took on the role of a heartthrob in the movie. Getting compared to Jacob Elordi never caused him to skip a beat and he filled the shoes of the snack Elle was describing perfectly.

3 Joey King Liked Bouncing Back To Her Lighthearted Role

Joey King starred in the first Kissing Booth film in 2018 and then starred in The Act, 2019’s critically-acclaimed true-crime series right after. Then she got to return for Kissing Booth 2. King said, "Honestly, I feel very grateful that I got to do something as fun and lighthearted as The Kissing Booth and go on to something as heavy and dramatic as The Act and then get the choice to go back to do something like The Kissing Booth [2] and basically thank the genre that changed my life.” (Teen Vogue.)

The Kissing Booth franchise is extremely lighthearted and easy to watch in comparison to the gritty and serious episodes of The Act. King has proven herself to excel as an actress, regardless of the genre. 

2 Reuniting With Joel Courtney Was Great For Joey King

Joey King and Joel Courtney play best friends in the movies, but they are actually good friends in real life too. Joey King said, “It was the greatest reunion for me and Joel. We are so close and every day spent on set with Joel was a good day. He's the funniest person ever. All we do is laugh and laugh and laugh when we're together.” They seem like they have a lot in common.

The friendship between Joey King and Joel Courtney started on the set of the first Kissing booth film, but it has since flourished and grown stronger.

1 Joey King Acknowledges The Mistakes Her Character Makes In The Sequel

Everyone makes mistakes as they are learning and getting older. Growing up and getting through those difficult high school years can be a challenge for anyone. Joey King spoke of the character she plays, Elle, saying, “She makes a lot of mistakes. But I don't think she should regret any of them. How are you going to learn if you don't make those mistakes and grow from them?” And she is absolutely right!

Joel Courtney
“I am more mature than my character”
From World Today News : “I am more mature than my character”

The actor took advantage of the confinement to organize his wedding.

On Netflix, “Kissing Both2” is one of the biggest audience hits of this summer. Californian Joel Courtney, 24, plays a teenager shared between the girl he loves and his best friend.

Could you, like in the movie, have a girl as your best friend?

To have a girl as your best friend, what a pain! It’s impossible for me. I am too romantic. I was friends for two years with a girl but we took our distance because she expected more from me. I don’t believe it’s possible to have a platonic relationship with a girl for a straight guy.

Do you look like Lee in life?

No. I am much more mature than my character, who often reacts like a kid in “Kissing Both”.

How do we explain to our readers the attraction of these kissing stalls that are popular in the USA at school parties?

With the virus, I don’t think a kissing booth is the place to be right now (laughs). But the “Kissing Both” is a rite of passage in adolescence where you kiss a stranger while blindfolded. There may be a spark. I know couples who have fallen in love after a simple kiss this way.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done for love?

I left a girl because we were too young to get married. It broke my heart. Luckily, we met up last year and got engaged on last Valentine’s Day.

How have you been living the past few months, when most of the filming has been stopped in Hollywood?

A lot of people got bored staying locked in their homes. For us, it was almost a blessing not to have a shoot or a promo trip for our job. Mia’s family (editor’s note: Mia Scholink, a beauty influencer) lives in Arizona and I moved there with them to stay with Mia. We spent hours preparing for our wedding.

Although the third film “Kissing Both” is already in post-production for 2021, most of the filming is at a standstill in Hollywood. How do you see the evolution of your career?

With confinement, I discovered a passion for photography. I bought two cameras to learn the basics of taking pictures or portraits. I do not know if it will lead to something professional one day or if I will be interested in the directing while passing behind the lens but all this technical side of the show biz interests me more and more while I wouldn’t have thought for a second of doing anything other than the actor before everything stopped because of the virus.

Joel Courtney
The Kissing Booth 2 Star Breaks Down Why The Sequel Is Better Than The First
From Screen Rant : The Kissing Booth 2 Star Breaks Down Why The Sequel Is Better Than The First

The Kissing Booth 2 star Joey King, who stars as Elle in the rom-com movies, thinks that the sequel is better than the first film.

Though it's rarely easy to outdo an original with a sequel, The Kissing Booth 2 star Joey King believes the new Netflix film does exactly that. The follow-up to the most rewatched Netflix Original movie from 2018 picks up right where its predecessor left off, following the lives of Elle (King) and Lee (Joel Courtney) as they navigate their senior year of high school, jealousy, and of course, the events of their annual kissing booth. In the first movie, we saw Elle fall for and subsequently begin dating Lee's hunky older brother, Noah (Jacob Elordi). Here, the couple must dodge the plague of a long-distance relationship, and well as resist the urge to fall in love with their other classmates.

When The Kissing Booth was released on July 24, both it and its predecessor immediately skyrocketed onto Netflix's new top-10 feature, where the streaming giant regularly lists its most popular viewing options. Had this widget been around in 2018 for the first Kissing Booth, its everlasting mainstream popularity hints that it would've made the cut as well. There is still debate on which film is superior, but the star of the sequel clearly prefers The Kissing Booth 2.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, King believes that the second film is a significant improvement from the first. She explained, "This sequel, if I may say so myself, I think is better than the first movie... We wanted to give fans something to remember, something that is even bigger and better than the movie that they fell in love with initially, something that exceeded all expectations and still remained true to the absolute fun, loving, ridiculously silly nature of the first movie." Continuing, she noted, "I kind of think that we might have hit it out of the part or whatever."

While the two Kissing Booth movies have no doubt become popular as indicated above, the reviews for the film say something different. Both films have gotten lackluster scores on Rotten Tomatoes, with the original receiving 17% and the sequel currently sitting at 27%. And though King mentioned that she and her castmates wished to deliver something memorable, the film has been overwhelmingly received as a serviceable product only to those who loved the first Kissing Booth and longed for more as soon as its credits rolled. Anyone else might be better served to keep scrolling, perhaps to To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You,a film that follows a similar approach, yet achieved much better results (and also has a highly anticipated third movie on the way).

Joel Courtney
Joey King Shares Video of the Full Arcade Dance With Taylor Zakhar Perez's Marco!

Joey King is sharing a raw video of THAT dance with Taylor Zakhar Perez in The Kissing Booth 2

The now 21-year-old actress uploaded the full video to her Instagram account.

“Dance into the weekend with us AND WATCH THE KISSING BOOTH 2 ON NETFLIX!!! This is the full version that we shot of the final arcade scene with Marco and Elle. We danced the entire day which was killer on my shin splints but my dance partner made it all worth it. This was a really exhausting day but more fun than anything else. I miss this a lot 🥺❤️,” she wrote with the video.

If you’re wondering why the dance is in front of a green screen, Joey has your answer!

“no it was!!!! Just that specific scene was done on a green screen,” she replied to a fan who said, “So it wasn’t actually in an arcade:(”

Joel Courtney
Seventeen: Here Are the Real Ages of the Cast of "The Kissing Booth 2"
From Seventeen : Here Are the Real Ages of the Cast of "The Kissing Booth 2"

There's a big age difference between the actors and their characters.

It's been over two years since The Kissing Booth first came out, which means the cast has certainly grown up since then. While our favorite characters might still be in high school and trying to figure out their futures and what college they want to go to, the cast follows the Hollywood tradition of having older actors play younger characters. Before you start rewatching The Kissing Booth 2 for the tenth time in a row, you might be curious to know which cast member is the oldest and just how much older they are than their characters. Well get ready, because the answers might just surprise you!

Here's everything you need to know about the real ages of the cast of The Kissing Booth 2.

Joey King as Elle Evans

the kissing booth
NETFLIX

Age: 20

Joey actually celebrated her 20th birthday while on the set of The Kissing Booth 3 and she's about to turn 21 on July 30.

Joel Courtney as Lee Flynn

the kissing booth 2
NETFLIX

Age: 24

The actor is only 3 years older than his IRL and on-screen BFF Joey.

Jacob Elordi as Noah Flynn

kissing booth 2
NETFLIX

Age: 23

Even though he plays the oldest of the Flynn brothers, Jacob is actually younger.

Taylor Zakhar Perez as Marco Valentin Peña

kissing booth 2 2020
MARCOS CRUZNETFLIX

Age: 28

The Kissing Booth newcomer was actually born on Christmas day in 1991.

Maisie Richardson-Seller as Chloe Winthrop

the kissing booth 2
NETFLIX

Age: 28

Maisie is only 3 months younger than her co-star Taylor.

Meganne Young as Rachel

kissing booth 2 2020
MARCOS CRUZNETFLIX

Age: 30

Meganne is the oldest out of all her co-stars on The Kissing Booth.

Joel Courtney
Teen Vogue: The Kissing Booth 2: Joel Courtney Wasn’t Wearing a Wig in “Ghostbusters” Scene
From Teen Vogue : The Kissing Booth 2: Joel Courtney Wasn’t Wearing a Wig in “Ghostbusters” Scene

One of our favorite scenes in Netflix's The Kissing Booth 2 was the Halloween dance, where Elle (Joey King) and her BFF Lee (Joel Courtney) dress up as characters from Ghostbusters. Even though the two friends had their fair share of ups and downs in the second installment of the series, they were total goals in their ghost-hunting jumpsuits, and can we talk about Lee’s incredible towering hairstyle?

Well, if you thought Joel was wearing a wig to get his hair that sky-high for the scene, you’d be wrong – that was all him! As noted by JustJared Jr., Joel recently shared a behind-the-scenes moment to his Instagram proving his Ghostbusters hairstyle came right from his own head, not from a wig shop.

“One can of hairspray later I’m ready for Halloween,” he wrote about the video, which showed him in the hair and makeup trailer having his hair flat-ironed, thoroughly sprayed piece by piece, and teased to get it to those astronomical heights. It looked like quite a process, but the result was definitely worth it. Ahhh, the magic of moviemaking!

JustJared Jr. also notes that while Joel’s hair was not a wig, Joey's was, and she also shared a behind-the-scenes video of her hair-magic process. Joey rocked a long brunette wig for her second appearance as Elle since she had previously shaved her head for her Emmy-nominated role as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in Hulu’s The Act, though her hair has since grown back quite a bit!

The Kissing Booth crew revealed that a third movie was filmed at the same time as the sequel, so we’ve got more hair-raising moments to look forward to come 2021!

Joel Courtney
Joel Courtney Reveals Fun Fact About His Ghostbusters Costume In 'The Kissing Booth 2'
From Just Jared Jr. : Joel Courtney Reveals Fun Fact About His Ghostbusters Costume In 'The Kissing Booth 2'


Joel Courtney
 shared a fun video with fans about his Ghostbusters costume in The Kissing Booth 2!

The 24-year-old actor showed how he got his hair ready for those scenes.

“One can of hairspray later I’m ready for Halloween 🎃 👻 💀 🧟‍♂️ miss you @themakeupboz. Also the dance for Halloween took so long for us to get down. Did y’all like it? #thekissingbooth,” he captioned the time lapse video on Instagram.

One fan commented that they thought it was a wig, and he confirmed it wasn’t. “nope. All my hair 😂,” Joel replied.

If you didn’t know, Joel‘s co-star Joey King actually wore a wig all throughout the movie because she didn’t have any hair after coming off filming on Hulu’s The Act!

In case you may have missed it, watch Joel in the first look at The Kissing Booth 3!

Joel Courtney