Relationships Talk

Whether it was The Fosters, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, or even Austin & Ally, people all over the world have fallen in love with the internet’s new boyfriend, Noah Centineo. Even with several projects in the works, Noah continues to make time to take on more as he sets out to become one of film’s biggest breakout stars of 2018.

As his latest film, Swiped, finally gets released almost 2 years after filming, Noah is gearing up to play some of his biggest roles yet, while also returning to one character that got his career started. Seventeen got to talk to him about balancing his many projects, dating, and what could be next for Peter Kavinsky.

Here’s what he had to say…

17: Let’s start off talking about Swiped. How was it working with your dad on set?

Noah Centineo: It was surreal. It was so dope. He out-acted me. I was in there and I was like, ‘oh my god. I think you’re much better at this than me.’

17: Your character helps create a dating app. Have you been on dating apps at all or do you avoid them?

NC: The app in the film is unlike any app I’ve ever experienced. I’m not really on dating apps. I used to be when I was younger. I’d rather meet people in real life. Like if you meet someone at a yoga studio ’cause you do yoga, odds are they do yoga too. If you’re out and about and you meet people, you’re gonna meet people doing the things that you like to do.

17: Is there any dating advice you wish you had when you were younger?

NC: I feel like people can give you advice, but until you experience the good, bad, mistakes, and what works, you’re not really gonna be able to do it properly. Experience was my teacher.

17: You’ll be returning to The Fosters universe as Jesus in Good Trouble. How was it returning to that set?

NC: It was like going home for the holidays. Honestly, I love them [Cierra Ramirez and Maia Mitchell] so much, and [series creators] Peter [Paige], Bradley [Bredeweg], and Joanna [Johnson]. It’s such a family. And going back there and being able to work with family just felt so natural. I wanted to do more [than two episodes].

17: How have Jesus’ relationships with his sisters changed with this 5 year time jump?

NC: He’s definitely older. What I like about it is that the relationships among the characters are now far more a portrayal and a parallel for the relationship of the people [acting them]. We’ve all been around each other for so long and we know each other by now. And it’s similar with the characters like, at one point, when a sibling might’ve been upset with another sibling because of something they did, after, 20 years or 22 years of it, you’re like, ‘ah, that’s just the way they are,’ and it doesn’t bother you so much.

17: How different will Good Trouble be compared to The Fosters?

NC: There’s a lot of maturity in the show. You can expect the same Callie fighting for justice and Mariana fighting for herself and her rights. There are so many great messages in Good Trouble. I’m just excited to be a part of it. Oh, and it’s kind of completely different, but in the best way possible.

Courtesy of Noah Centineo

17: Your other film, The Stand-In, featured a reunion between you and your Austin & Ally co-star Laura Marano. What was it like working with her again after all these years?

NC: That was so cool. I love her to death. She’s so smart and so talented. She really just gives a sh*t about life and living conditions and what’s happening in the real world as far as our country and people’s rights. She’s just, across the board, such a lovely individual. Having a little reunion with her was sick. I mean, I think we had pretty great chemistry. I haven’t seen the cut, so maybe it’s miserable and it’s terrible, but I had a lot of fun on that film, especially with Laura.

17: It was just announced that you will be starring in a new film, Valet. What drew you to the project?

NC: It was given to me as a spec and once I read it, I hounded my team and I called them to say them to say I loved it so much and I’m passionate about this role. Whether it’s the relationship that he has with his mom and his family dynamic that his desire for his innate hunger for something more and when this something more comes, it’s just this wild scenario.

The director is Assaf Bernstein, he did Fauda on Netflix, and I sat down with him on Yom Kippur, for his last meal before his fast and we talked for just under two hours. The conversation was not about the movie, it was about subject matters that were very, very close to our hearts and things we were going through and the world and we just dove right into the deep end of it. And then, we left. Fast forward a week and a half, two weeks, I’m backstage at [Jimmy] Kimmel and 20 minutes before I go on, my manager gets a phone call saying, ‘if you want the role, it’s his.’ I smiled and I was smiling the rest of the night.

17: Even with all your projects, are you hoping for a sequel for To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before?

NC: Yeah! F*ck yeah! I would love to. That would be such a gift. I would absolutely love to. That would be a gift to be able to go back to Vancouver and hang out with Lana, Israel, and Trezzo, and everyone. That would be a gift.

17: And where would you want to see Peter Kavinsky in the sequel?

NC: Well, you know, it’s already written, so I don’t really have a say in it. ::laughs::

17: What are you doing for self-care during your crazy schedule?

NC: A couple of things. Sleep is very important. Meditation has been very, very helpful. You know, even if it’s just 5 minutes a day. And watching what I eat. Pretty much taking care of my body and taking care of my mind and letting myself relax, especially when I’m with friends and let out that steam. It’s been a great amount of work and I couldn’t be more grateful for it and happy about it and for as much as that work goes, I also have to learn to decompress. I’ve been going out to Joshua Tree for a few times and Redlands. Just hanging with friends and staying low key and it’s been lovely. And I would recommend that to other people to do the same. Keep those that love you close and take care of yourself.

Tamara Fuentes is the Entertainment Editor at Seventeen. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram!