P.S. I Still Love You Star Madeleine Arthur on Subway Sandwiches and the Third TATB Movie

If the To All the Boys movie were a sandwich, Madeleine Arthur would be the secret sauce. As Chris, Lara Jean’s best friend, she’s the wacky comic relief. Her idea of volunteering in P.S. I Still Love You? Taking care of fostered pets — mainly her own pooch back home. While Lara Jean and John Ambrose bring cupcakes and pizza to an unearthing of a time capsule, Chris, of course, is the one that emerges out of a swampy backyard shovel above her head, looking chic AF in her signature hat and boots. At a party, Chris is busy downing whipped cream with boo thing Trevor, played by Ross Butler. The BFF also wants to make sure that before Lara Jean does the deed with Peter Kavinsky, her friend knows, in her words, how to "rev your own engine before you let anyone under the hood." Wink wink. Madeleine is the extra vroom-vroom to the movie that is already so delightful.

Beyond the To All the Boys movies, Madeleine has also appeared in The Magicians as Fray, a cutthroat lackey to the faerie queen, and alongside Nicolas Cage in the sci-fi thriller Color Out of Space. Later this year, fans will see her in the eagerly-anticipated Snowpiercer TV adaptation as Nicolette 'Nikki' Genêt.

Teen Vogue caught up with the actor to hear about her numerous hilarious scenes (that were actually a bit of improv), Subway orders, the future of Chevor, and more.

Teen Vogue: There was a bit of time after filming the first movie before production started on the second and third ones. What was it like returning to set and the character of Chris?

Madeleine Arthur: We could only have imagined and dreamed of getting to make a second movie, let alone a third movie. So to have made a trilogy is still totally surreal. To have that opportunity to revisit Chris and track her journey over three movies, and reunite with the cast and get to play with the dynamics of all the characters again, it was really such a treat.

TV: You’ve been coy in past interviews about whether you’re Team Peter or Team John Ambrose. Are you able to pick a side today?

MA: I am team Lara Jean. I think that both gentleman have such wonderful attributes and I could not possibly choose, so whatever makes Lara Jean the happiest.

TV: Your character has an ongoing bit about loving Subway. What was it like becoming the unofficial spokesperson for the sandwich chain and what’s your go-to order?

MA: It was very [inaudible coughing sound]… pardon me, choked on myself thinking about Subway. Sorry Gabe, you’re making me hungry. It was very unexpected. But my go-to order? If I’m being honest, my favorite thing is their white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Sandwich-wise I like to keep it pretty simple. It definitely involves cheese and salami, and I like lettuce, tomato, mayo, all of that jazz.

TV: I’ve also read that you and Ross Butler got to ad-lib a lot with your characters. What was it like working with him?

MA: Ross and I really got to put our own spin on the characters and their lines. The whipped cream moment, that was something we came up with on the day on set. Originally in the script it was just Chris and Trevor talking and we said, no, we've got to make this more exciting. So we asked props and catering and craft team to see if anyone had whipped cream that we could use.

TV: With this movie, Chris has this pivotal role where she catches Peter with Gen, snaps a photo, and shows it to Lara Jean. Do you feel like you’re that sort of friend, getting into things whether or not it's your business?

MA: There are always different ways to go about these things and I think it's so important to be loyal to your friends. Chris is fiercely loyal to Lara Jean. Sometimes it's hard to tell the truth when you witness something like this, but I think honesty is always the best policy. Especially when it's your best friend. You want to protect them at all costs.

TV: Your character also has one of the best moments, right before the treehouse scene when you come out of nowhere with the shovel. What was filming that like and what has been your reaction to the love?

MA: It's probably, to me, one of the most Chris-lines and very random, which makes it so quirky and Chris. That was funny because it was actually an ad-lib scene, as well, just by virtue of where we were filming the scene. There was a river right next to the treehouse and everyone was entering from normal directions. Then we were doing the blocking and it was like, oh where does Chris enter from? We all started joking since she had the shovel that she was coming from the river. It just became its own thing and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

TV: Another funny scene was in the workshop when Chris tells Lara Jean that she wants to make sure she knows how to rev her own engine. But on a higher level, the movie does sort of have some of those conversations about sex and I know that plays a bigger part in the third book. What was it like getting to bring to life some of those discussions between friends about sex?

MA: In general, there can be a stigma or taboo talking about those topics. I really like that the movies are trying to remove that and Chris is, hopefully, making it something that people feel more comfortable talking about — through her and Lara Jean's friendship and how they become more open about talking about it with each other. It's not something that is necessarily good to bottle up. It's good to have a friend that you can confide in and relate to about these things because it's a universal theme.

TV: Everyone’s been so tight-lipped about the third movie, but what are you excited about and what can fans expect?

MA: Oh there's so much I'm excited in the third movie. We really get to see Lara Jean and Chris's friendship evolve and there will be so many more moments between them. I wish I could tease more. We go to New York, which was so amazing to film. It felt like we, ourselves, went on a field trip as a cast. There's just so much good material in the third movie and I am equally as excited as everyone else to see it.

TV: Will we see more Chris and Trevor together in the third movie?

MA: You’ll just have to wait and find out.

TV: If you could play any other character in To All the Boys, who would you want to play and why?

MA: So actually this is funny. We were on set once and it's the volunteer fair and Ross had to leave early from set one day. So someone had to do his off-camera lines and Michael [Fimognari], our wonderful director asked Lana who she wanted it to be and she asked if I would do it. So I got to play Trevor through like the, "we've got like six slots at Oakwood market" and, "all you got to do is sign your name." I had a lot of fun doing that, I was on multiple apple boxes. I debated making my voice deep but then I realized that would be really distracting to Lana and Noah. So anyway, I really had fun playing Trevor in that small moment.

TV: With the third movie already wrapped with filming, what are some of your dream roles for the future?

MA: Oh, I have so many dream roles. I would love to do a French movie one day. I love period pieces. So whether that's the 1550s or the 1950s and just anything that tells a really good story. I love a good challenge. So anything that challenges me or my perspective or anything.

TV: You’re also part of the upcoming Snowpiercer TV adaptation, based on the film by Bong Joon Ho. What can you tell us about the series and your character? And what’s it like seeing all the praise for Parasite and Bong?

MA: I am a giant fan of all his work and Parasite. I know everyone's saying this but it's probably one of the best movies I've ever seen. Snowpiercer is such a fascinating world and based on the French graphic novels. I can't say much about my character, unfortunately, but I'm highly anticipating watching it just like the rest of the world because I really had such a good time working on it. Mickey Sumner, Daveed Diggs, Jennifer Connelly, they're all such talented actors and the world that the directors and producers created will be really visually fascinating.

TV: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

MA: I would like to give a shout out to Michael Fimognari because he was the director of photography and directed the second and third movies. That's quite the feat and he pulled it off terrifically. And Trezzo Mahoro and Emilija Baranac, they're such good actors in the movie. Trezzo in the trio — Chris, Lara Jean, and Lucas — I love all the scenes that we had together. It's such a fun vibrant energy and Emilia did so well as Gen in this movie. That was such a beautiful scene between her and Lara Jean.

Related: These Are Lara Jean’s Best Looks From TATB: P.S. I Still Love You

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue