Olivia Holt has been a household name ever since she starred in Disney Channel’s Girl vs. Monster, I Didn’t Do It, and Disney XD’s Kickin’ It. The actress and singer played fairly predictable characters until she was seen as Kate Wallis in Freeform’s Cruel Summer. The psychological thriller won hearts and Holt’s incredible performance was one of the highlights of the first season.
Cruel Summer’s first season was met with high viewership, but Holt did not announce anything new after being the talk of the town for her intense lead role. Fans were left wondering whether Olivia would be returning to acting or exploring other genres in her music career. On the other hand, she did not announce anything new after the upbeat pop song "Next." There was also news about Holt changing her record label from Hollywood Records to WME.
Olivia has been entertaining audiences with her acting and singing projects ever since her Disney Channel days. So, fans have been trying to figure out what exactly has been happening behind the scenes and when they can expect Holt to return.
Olivia Holt Was A Smash Hit In 'Cruel Summer'
Holt’s powerhouse performance as Kate Wallis made Cruel Summer one of the most successful series in 2021. Her portrayal of a missing Texas teen, accompanied by Chiara Aurelia’s portrayal of Jeanette Turner, who may or may not have known about Wallis' plight, kept everyone glued to their screens until the end of the season.
For those unversed, the story showed Kate’s disappearance after being kidnapped by her high school vice principal Martin Harris, played by Blake Lee. Kate returned after a year and accused Jeanette of failing to send help to her despite knowing about her disappearance. Cruel Summer's first season centered around the trauma the two adolescents underwent due to some life-changing events.
During an interview with Seventeen, Holt discussed how difficult it was for her to prepare herself for a dark role after being known for acting in the comedy genre as a Disney girl.
She explained, “I have a hard time compartmentalizing heavy scenes that I'm in versus real life. So when I have to go to that emotional space, I have a really difficult time getting out of it.”
Olivia also mentioned how she had to educate herself on many topics that were discussed in the show including manipulation, gaslighting, and dealing with severe trauma. She shared having had to “up [her] knowledge in a real way.”
While fans expected Kate and Jeanette’s story to continue, the second season of the show premiered on June 5, 2023, with a completely different plot and new characters.
Neither Olivia Holt nor Chiara Aurelia reprised their roles as the ‘90s teenagers everyone was extremely curious to know about. Cruel Summer's second season takes place in the early 2000s with Sadie Stanley as Megan Landry and Lexi Underwood as Isabella LaRue.
Olivia Said She Was Putting Acting Aside For A Music Career
In an interview with Glamholic, Holt once admitted that she tries to find a balance between her acting and singing schedules to carry on with both. She opened up on “prioritizing and paying attention” to the two careers separately while being able to connect with her fans.
However, Holt has been missing in action as an actress for quite some time, since Cruel Summer’s smashing success.
The same happened in 2019 when Holt took a break from acting after completing her famous series Cloak & Dagger. When asked about her decision back then, Olivia mentioned taking a “breather” from acting but also ensured that she “wouldn’t want to take a break ever again.”
Holt also released a few of her songs after that, the most famous being her collaborative track with R3HAB, love u again. She also covered some of the most famous ‘90s songs for Cruel Summer, including Today and Disarm by The Smashing Pumpkins and Creep by Radiohead.
Holt has not been seen on screen after Cruel Summer, but she has never completely denied her return to shows and movies.
What Is Olivia Holt Doing Now?
The actress-singer made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago on April 10, 2023. She played the aspiring actress at the Ambassador Theater for eight weeks, until she wrapped up her run on June 4.
Speaking about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Holt told MTV Fresh Out that she was initially rejected for the role. However, the Kickin’ It actress made it a point to turn the frown upside-down and grab the role with hard work.
Holt said, “I wanted it so bad. They allowed me to audition again. I worked even harder. So many Roxies have played this role and put a spin on it and I feel very lucky that they allowed me to do the same thing.”
As stated earlier, after leaving Hollywood Records, Olivia Holt is currently represented by WME and Management 360. While the decision was taken in 2021, audiences have been wondering if Holt would ever come back with new music while working with her new agency.
In the same interview with MTV Fresh Out, Holt opened up about preparing new music for fans who have waited long enough. She mentioned having found her “sound” after exploring her likes and interests. She revealed having experimented with music to delve deeper into her nuances as an artist.
While fans have been waiting for Holt’s new music, it would be interesting to note how she approaches acting after performing on Broadway. No matter what, Olivia’s new ventures would definitely be as captivating as her artistry to date.
