Netflix's new limited series Boo, Bitch puts a supernatural spin on a classic high-school comedy. Lana Condor stars as Erika Vu, who wakes up after a night out and realizes she's dead. Upon observing that everyone can still see her Erika resolves to pursue her crush as a final act before she ascends. Erika's best friend Gia, played by Zoe Colletti, helps her settle her unfinished business until Erika's newfound boldness threatens to tear them apart.
Condor returns to Netflix after her role as Lara Jean in To All The Boys I've Loved Before and its sequels P.S. I Still Love You and Always and Forever, which garnered widespread praise for the actor. Condor most recently appeared in HBO Max's romantic comedy Moonshot. Meanwhile, Colletti guest-starred in Fear the Walking Dead season 6 and has been prominently featured in films such as 2014's Annie and 2019's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Condor and Colletti talked about what their characters learn over the course of Boo, Bitch, and what they'd want their final course of action to be before they die.
Screen Rant: I loved seeing Erika find herself throughout the series and rid herself of the more timid "Helen Who" persona. Lana, what was it like playing through Erika’s journey of self-discovery and learning the true value of friendship?
Lana Condor: You know, it was really such a roller coaster and often times a whiplash of a journey for me. Erika's journey is really on polar extremes, so you start seeing just a really sweet, loving, kind of friendless, but she has Gia. But very very sweet, and you watch her entire arc into basically being kind of the worst human. That, for me, was interesting because tracking emotionally how I could subtly make that change, I didn't want it to feel like it was out of nowhere, but then again we have this much time to make it work. But I think tracking that subtle change into full "bitch mode" was interesting.
Once I lived in that "bitch mode" space, that was where my whiplash came because I've never done anything like that before. I've never played a character that horrible to people, especially to friends, so, that was interesting for me. It was like kind of flexing a new acting muscle that I hadn't done before. It also made me sad because I would go home and be like, "I was such a mean person!" But it was fun. I enjoyed the challenge of copping a range in a show, for sure.
It’s hard not to feel bad for Gia, as she’s invisible and neglected by those around her. We eventually learn why that is, but I’m curious: Do you think her selflessness was worth it in the end, or was she shortchanged?
Zoe Colletti: I think there could be different perspectives on that for the viewers as opposed to what I think Gia would feel about it. I think she made that choice knowing in a lot of ways how it would turn out, that in the end regardless of what happened with Erika, that she was gonna be dead and that was gonna be that. She made the choice to be selfless and to kind of put Erika first. I think there probably could have been some better case scenarios than your best friend kind of screwing you over for a bunch of other mean people, but I think in the end, the important thing about it, I don't think she would feel like she was shortchanged because we did figure it out in the end.
[Erika] did end up doing the right thing and I think the main goal for Gia was for Erika to put herself out there to be happy and be OK on her own. In the very end, that was able to happen and they were able to reconnect on a better level than just being like, "I'm not your friend anymore. You're dead." So, I think she'd be happy with it because I think overall, she cared about Erika the most, so I think that's really what would have been meaningful to her.
If you were a ghost as depicted in this series, what would be your unfinished business before you ascend?
Lana Condor: Oh my gosh! I've never thought — in all of our months filming the show — I've never thought of this. What would be my unfinished business? I guess, I mean I'm hoping that I would have said goodbye to everyone.
Zoe Colletti: I would think so because I would want to spend time with my family. What would be my unfinished business? I want to be in a good outfit before I die 'cause if I'm having to float around the world, if I dare have to float around the world in sweatpants, I will literally double die.
Lana Condor: I'm the polar opposite. Let me float around in sweatpants.
Zoe Colletti: No, I need to look glamorous!
Lana Condor: Glamorous, floating?
Zoe Colletti: Yes!
Lana Condor: My unfinished business would be like, how can I get my dog? Don't off it, but how can I connect with my dog?
Zoe Colletti: That's fair. That's a good one.
Lana Condor: [Laughs] You're just like, "I just got a really nice outfit."
Zoe Colletti: And you're like, "Bring my dog."
Boo, Bitch Synopsis
Over the course of one night, a high school senior, who’s lived her life safely under the radar, seizes the opportunity to change her narrative and start living an epic life, only to find out the next morning… she’s a motherf*%king ghost.
Check out our other interview with Boo, Bitch stars Mason Versaw & Aparna Brielle.
All eight episodes of Boo, Bitch premiere on Netflix on Friday, July 8.