Katie Stevens

Starring as go-getter Jane Sloan on Freeform’s The Bold Type, Katie Steven’s perfect portrayal of a young adult trying to navigate today’s dating/ internet/work culture is one that’d resonate with anyone who tunes in. “I was so excited to see a show that’s all about female empowerment,” she says. “At the same time, it’s also about the struggles of your 20s and what a mess that can be. It’s about women making mistakes and owning them. Nothing is wrapped in a pretty little bow; the show allows these women to be messy and not have their lives figured out. That really spoke to me and I knew right away that I wanted to be apart of it.”

Three seasons in, the actress’ on-screen evolution is undeniable. “It’s funny because I feel like Jane has grown tremendously but there are still times where I question her and why she’s doing what she’s doing,” she laughs. “She’s grown a lot in terms of her career and learning how to speak up for herself and how to stop apologizing for who she is. In the first season, she wanted so badly to impress Jacqueline and write the things that she thought Jacqueline wanted to see, rather than finding her own voice. After leaving and going to Incite, she finally realized what it was that she was passionate about and the kind of writer that she wanted to be. I’m happy that she ended up back at Scarlet because she’s definitely flourished there.”

With the heart of the show being centered on friendship, Katie notes the importance of showcasing such powerful and supportive relationships. “I love the way that friendship is portrayed on The Bold Type,” she says. “Friendship is about supporting one another and being there for each other, no matter what. I think it’s important that we show a friendship like Jane, Kat, and Sutton’s because they never judge one another. If they mess up, they immediately talk about it and figure out how to make it better; that’s what a true friendship should be. They’re each other’s biggest fans and are always rooting for each other’s success – female friendships like that are so important.”

Having grown close to her on-screen besties, the actress credits their chemistry as the result of genuine friendship. “It doesn’t even feel like work when we’re shooting scenes together,” she gushes. “The writers give us a lot of creative freedom and there’s been so many moments where we’ve been able to ad-lib and make the scenes our own. One of the most memorable moments was in season one during the Yoni egg scene. There’s a part where Sutton is trying to distract Jane and she ends up mentioning drinking and puppies; that entire bit was adlibbed by Meghann [Fahy] because she knows how much I love puppies! We have such a great chemistry and it’s always fun when we’re able to add bits and pieces of our real friendship into the show.”

Though The Bold Type likes to keep things fun and light, the Freeform series is never one to shy away from heavy and important topics. “One of the great things about having so many different characters on our show is the fact that we get to touch on so many different storylines,” Katie explains. “One of my favorites was Alex’s ‘Me Too’ moment. He was unaware of his actions and behavior and wanted to course-correct to ensure that it didn’t happen again. Living in such a cancel culture right now, it’s important that we allow second chances to those who want to take the time to better themselves. If we don’t allow people to course-correct, it doesn’t allow us any room to grow. I love that Alex acknowledged his actions and listened to and learned from the women around him – he was given a chance to make things better and he did.”

In regards to Jane, the actress adds, “I love being able to showcase Jane’s medical struggles because I don’t think people realize the different ways that breast cancer can affect you. I’ve learned so much about what women in their 20s have to deal with if they’re diagnosed with BRCA and how much planning goes into their futures. I think the storyline is important because it shows women that you have options. There’s always this expectation that’s put on women about having or wanting to have children and that’s just so much pressure – it’s important to know all your options and know how to ask the questions that you need answers to. I’m proud of this storyline because it’s about taking control of your life and choosing your future.”

Katie’s hopes for the fourth season? “I want to see how Jane’s going to take what she’s learned from being so assertive and sure of herself as a writer, and apply it to her personal life,” she says. “In the finale, we saw her make the decision to stay with (and forgive) Ryan after his act of infidelity. I think it’s going to be interesting to see how she’s going to move past that and how she copes with it, moving forward. We also ended this last season with a cliffhanger at the Scarlet office. It’s possible that things are about to change for everyone but I hope Jane manages to maintain her confidence because she’s made such great strides over the years.”

Recalling her times on set, the actress describes the series as one big learning experience. “Working on this show and bringing Jane to life has definitely instilled more confidence in myself,” she says. “I’ve never been the type to truly own my sexuality and I remember getting these sex scenes on the show and wondering how/why they thought I could pull it off. Having to step out of my comfort zone and be comfortable and confident in those scenes has allowed me to find that confidence in my own life. I’m owning the fact that I am sexy and that my sexuality is okay and that it’s natural and apart of life. I think I’ve definitely found a balance in my personal life and that empowerment has come from being on this show.”

Outside of work, Katie makes sure to prioritize her well-being. “I love health and fitness but, honestly, I think I initially got into it because I wasn’t happy with who I was when I looked in the mirror,” she explains. “I think that’s something a lot of people deal with and it’s definitely been a journey for me, both physically and mentally. At first, I was just working out because I felt like I had to; I thought it would make me thinner and happier. I was creating this unhealthy relationship with my body and with the gym and because I was doing it all for the wrong reasons, I hated everything about it. Once my mentality changed, so did everything else. I started finding workouts that I actually enjoyed and fueled my body in ways that made me feel good about myself. Once I realized that prioritizing health/ fitness was actually an act of self-love and not a way to punish myself for any imperfections, I was able to use that time to calm my mind, center myself and just be present. I love the life that I live and I want it to be a long one; taking care of myself and my mental health is so important to me.”

By sharing bits of her health journey online, Katie hopes to encourage anyone who needs it. “I hope that I can inspire people who’ve gone through the same struggles of self-acceptance,” she says. “It’s still a journey and it’ll always be a journey. There are days where I wake up and I’m just not feeling great about the way that I look. I think that’s okay and there shouldn’t be any shame in waking up and not feeling awesome all the time; it happens to everyone. Bad days come with the good days and self-love and acceptance is a choice we have to make everyday. If I can inspire people to try and figure out the best way to take care of themselves, that’s amazing.”

Words by Vanessa Salles

Photos by Laura Thompson

Styling by Cristina Tederick

Makeup by Megan Lanoux

Hair by Muriel Vancauwen for Exclusive Artists Using Wella Professionals and Hot Tools