“The Bold Type” Exclusive: Aisha Dee Introduces Her “Bold” Character Kat; Talks Cast Chemistry & More
The Bold Type premieres tonight on Freeform with a two-hour premiere that will thrust the audience into the world of fictional Scarlet Magazine, based on the very real ladies behind Cosmo. The series follows a stellar lineup of amazing and strong women, each as unique and complicated as the next but it’s the core trio of Kat (Aisha Dee), Jane (Katie Stevens), and Sutton (Meghann Fahy) who command our hearts from minute one. OMFGTV talked with Aisha Dee, the talent behind social media director, Kat Edison, about the show, her character, and some of her favorite upcoming moments.
Each of the girls in our core trio bring a fierce energy and confidence but it is Kat who has it in spades. “Of the three girls, she’s probably the most outspoken, confident, and for lack of a better word, bold – I don’t like to use the title word but that’s really how to describe her,” Dee says. Kat is already the head of her department and is a force on social media which plays heavily into her character’s plot line right out of the gate. “She really says what’s on her mind and doesn’t really have a filter. That has kind of been an advantage for her up until this point because she’s moved up the ranks really fast and is now the head of a department despite being kind of young.”
Kat will be going through big life changing moments even in the first few episodes not just related to her job at Scarlet. “Over the course of the series we’ll see her navigate her career and social life but also questioning her sexuality too which is not that uncommon,” Dee shares. “People living in 2017, I think sexuality has become more fluid and there are less labels that we can really put on people.”
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You might recognize Dee as Beth from Chasing Life or more recently as Kennedy on the newest addition to the ‘Gone-Too-Soon’ list, Sweet Vicious, as Kennedy. One thing all of these characters have in common is their strength and complexity which Dee says is something she is drawn to as an actor and is what she loves about Kat. “These women were outspoken and they weren’t afraid to say what they want. And they weren’t perfect. Because that’s your life. Just because you’re still figuring things out, that doesn’t mean you can’t be strong. That doesn’t mean you can’t still believe in yourself and have confidence.”
Dee shared one entertaining fan theory she has gotten since the show was announced and people noticed the similarities between Kat and Kennedy. “I don’t know if you remember but in episode ten [of Sweet Vicious] Kennedy calls the editor of that magazine and people have been saying like, ‘Oh Kennedy went and changed her name and she started working for a magazine!’ I don’t know maybe it’s Kennedy reincarnated!” One thing’s for sure, Dee brings to Kat not only a confidence that makes you want to be her, but also a warmness that makes you root for her no matter what jam she finds herself in.
The core relationship on the show is between the three girls and that chemistry comes from off screen. While the girls hadn’t met in person before the audition process, they formed an instant bond once they learned they were going to be playing these characters. “We started messaging over Twitter and we were all Facetiming together, and so excited to start,” Dee shares. “So the weekend before we started shooting the pilot we all met up in New York and went to a concert.” The girls bonded immediately and that dynamic comes across on screen from moment one of the pilot and only increases as the series moves forward.
While there is drama, romance, and of course, a magazine to run, the heart of the show will always be these women being their for each other through whatever comes there way and Dee is the first to praise that. “I love the girls so much. I love nothing more than to see them do well and I know they feel that same way about me. The show’s really reflecting true life and women lifting each other up, men lifting women up, and all of us wanting to see the other person succeed.”
You don’t want to miss the two-hour series premiere of The Bold Type tonight at 9/8c on Freeform to see Kat, Jane, and Sutton in their element. It is a perfect blend of humor, heart, and sexiness wrapped up in the pages of Scarlet magazine.
Stay tuned to read more from our chat with Aisha Dee where she teases Kat’s future romance, how her character will be growing over the season, and talk mentor moments with the iconic Jacqueline (Melora Hardin), editor of Scarlet.