Peter Thurnwald is an accomplished actor in his own right. The fast-rising actor, director, and producer's roots remain a mystery. He was adopted as a baby in South Korea and raised in Australia. Even though it's unclear who Peter Thurnwald's parents are, the actor won't give up on searching for them.
While in school, Peter Thurnwald's main focus was on academics and sports. The thought of pursuing acting full-time had never crossed his mind. But after his first public performance, he was scouted by a casting agent.
The opportunity led him to several featured extra roles, his most notable being in the 2017 action-adventure film "King Kong: Skull Island," where he starred as Iwi Prince, an uncredited role.
Peter Thurnwald arrives at the Los Angeles Special Screening Of Netflix's "XO, Kitty" at TUDUM Theater on May 11, 2023, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images
In "King Kong: Skull Island," he acted alongside stars including Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, and others. After discovering his passion for working on set, Thurnwald decided to pursue his dreams and enrolled at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
He dedicated himself to honing his craft and graduated with a Bachelor of Acting from the academy in 2019. The Australian actor has since appeared in several movies and TV shows. His most recent role is in Netflix's romance-drama series, "XO, Kitty," where he plays Alex Finnerty. In the show, Finnerty is a young Australian teacher who is adopted.
Eager to learn about his roots, he travels to South Korea to search for his biological parents. In Thurnwald's character's quest to find out more about his origins, he ends up teaching at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS), a Korean boarding school where he becomes friends with Kitty, one of the students.
The show's storyline is a wild drama, with Kitty delving into her mother's secrets, the possibility of Finnerty being Kitty's sibling, the revelation of a secret relationship between Professor Lee and Jina, and finally, the unexpected twist of Finnerty being the offspring of the two teachers.
Peter Thurnwald Was Adopted by Australians, like His 'XO Kitty' Character
Thurnwald's portrayal of a character that closely mirrors his background adds an extra layer of authenticity to his performance in the show. Like his onscreen persona, Australian parents adopted the actor from Korea at a young age. This personal connection enhances the actor's ability to bring depth and genuine emotion to his role.
The actor found depicting a character whose circumstances paralleled his own challenging and enjoyable. "I am an adopted Korean, so playing an adopted character brought its challenges in the sense that it was very close to home," the actor told Korean Times during an interview.
He then said that as an actor, he enjoyed immersing himself in roles that differed from his persona. Thurnwald explained that the clear distinction between himself and the character created an intriguing boundary to explore facets of his personality which he was excited to share with people on the screen.
The actor remains optimistic about finding his biological mother and hopes to travel to Korea someday to look for her.
During filming "XO, Kitty," a spinoff of the well-known Netflix film series "To All the Boys I've Loved," the actor found it effortless to connect with his character.
In the series, which focuses on Kitty Song Covey, played by Anna Cathcart, the protagonist embarks on a journey to discover her deceased Korean mother's past and reunite with her long-distance Korean boyfriend, Dae, portrayed by Choi Minyeong.
Thunwald's sister has been a significant influence on the actor. He revealed during an interview that his loving sister has always been there for him. He also opened up about his parents, noting they did a good job raising him.
While growing up as a Korean kid, his parents wanted him to remain connected to his culture. The actor revealed that they had a small community of Koreans where they would regularly meet and celebrate their rich culture.
Peter Thurnwald Experienced Identity Crisis for Not Knowing His Roots
At 19, Thurnwald encountered a premature crisis of self-discovery. Being raised in a predominantly Caucasian community in Australia, he grappled with a sense of unfamiliarity regarding his own identity.
Despite numerous Korean individuals in his school, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was missing from him. Not that he didn't love his adoptive parents, it was more about him finding his roots.
Questions about him having any siblings or if his mother loved him crisscrossed his mind. So he thought of leaving the country to locate his biological mother. However, he was disheartened to discover that the orphanage in Korea, where records might have existed, had tragically burned down.
Thurnwald has openly shared how acting has helped him cope with the uncertainty surrounding his identity, allowing him to find comfort in embracing who he truly is. With his chosen career path, he was able to vent those feelings.
While he still grapples with questions about his origins, he has found peace in accepting those thoughts. Despite this ongoing journey of self-discovery, the actor remains optimistic about finding his biological mother and hopes to travel to Korea someday to look for her.
In a candid interview with Wonderland Magazine, he said, "Maybe one day I will travel back to Korea with the sole goal of finding my mother, but I don't think I'm quite ready to embark on that journey yet."
Nonetheless, the actor still has unanswered questions about who he is. However, he remains determined to pursue his acting career, finding fulfillment in being on set and creating compelling stories that resonate with audiences on an emotional level.
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