'Trinkets' star Brianna Hildebrand shares it's the 'solid female friendship' in the show that sets it apart from other teen romcoms
This article contains spoilers for Trinkets' season 1.
Netflix's new series 'Trinkets' has everything a good teen romcom needs. High school kids, a loner struggling to fit in, an underlying theme of grief and loss, and a plot eventually culminating into a coming-of-age story. But there are also certain subtly executed simply wonderful things about the show that sets it apart from all other recent teenage/young adult series we have been blessed with. Deep down, despite focusing on the central characters' penchant for shoplifting and depicting kleptomaniacs in a new light, 'Trinkets' is also a story about finding comfort and friendship at unusual places and in unusual people.
The story revolves around Elodie Davis, played by the brilliant Brianna Hildebrand, whom we have known and loved as the angsty rebel Negasonic Warhead in the 'Deadpool' films. The plot kicks off when Elodie aka Led relocates to live with her father and his new family, after the tragic death of her mom. But as she tries to process grief and loss, she also has to struggle to fit into the new environment and the new school she has to attend.
The biggest aspect is Led's shoplifting, for which she attends Shoplifters Anonymous meetings, where an unusual bond births between her and two of the popular, mean girls from her class - Moe Truax (Kiana Madeira) and Tabitha Foster (Quintessa Swindell.) As the story progresses, we see a multidirectional narrative that digs into each of the leads' backstories and explores their journey so far, while gently sliding in without any pomp and shows the truth about Led's sexuality.
"'Trinkets' has a really solid female friendship between the three leads," Hildebrand shared in an exclusive interview with MEA Worldwide (MEAWW). "There's just like a really sweet heartwarming friendship between them and they're super supportive of each other and I just think that's really nice and refreshing to see." This is also, in fact, what drew Hildebrand to the series, as she spills: "It's one of those things that stood out for me. At least when I read the first script I was like - oh, this is so sweet! I wish I had friends like this in high school. I think that's what sets it apart (from other teen romcoms.)"
This heartwarming relationship between the three is one that transcends beyond the screen too. "Quintessa and Kiana, they're just like the greatest people and they are also so unlike who they play in the show! I feel like we're all actually almost the polar opposite of who we play in the show," muses Hildebrand. "It was really fun to hang out with them outside of the set and just be surprised by the way that we were. I remember being taken aback by just how sweet Kiana is in real life. I mean she has the biggest heart and is everyone's best friend, which I think you see a little of in the show. But we had a great time, having fun after work and stuff," she shares.
Based on the young adult novel by Kirsten "Kiwi" Smith, who serves as executive producer for the show, 'Trinkets', the series, comes from Amy Andelson and Smith and goes on to look at kleptomaniacs, shoplifters in particular, in a very non-judgmental light, almost as if understanding why they do what they do but never glorifying their actions or urges. Because of this unique portrayal of people with the condition, and because of its matter-of-fact hype-less portrayal of Led's queerness, the show has managed to gain a lot of attraction from viewers, and all of them are looking forward to a second season.
But is it coming any time soon? "I had a meeting with the writers not too long ago and I was trying to pick their brains (for season 2)," reveals Hildebrand. "Like, what are you guys thinking? But they're just like, 'We've been brainstorming for three days.'" Let's just hope the official greenlight comes soon!
'Trinkets' premiered on Netflix on June 14 and is available for streaming now.