If you’ve watched the teen romance The Kissing Booth, you probably fell in love with Joey King, who plays Elle Evans. She returns in the 2020 sequel, The Kissing Booth 2, ready to tackle the ups and downs of her senior year of high school, not to mention a long-distance relationship.
And if you think you’ve seen her before, you’re probably right. Here’s why she looks so familiar.
King started acting when she was just 4 years old. By age 10, she landed her first starring role in 2010’s Ramona and Beezus, which is based on Beverly Cleary’s classic series of books. In the movie adaptation, King plays the adventurous but accident-prone Ramona, who has a big heart and even bigger imagination, while former Disney Channel starlet Selena Gomez plays her older sister Beatrice, nicknamed Beezus.
The G-rated feel-good film follows the inexhaustible Ramona as she gets into mischief while trying to help save the family home after her father loses his job. Her antics usually get her in trouble at school, and often annoy — or, worse, embarrass — Beezus.
In the years since Ramona and Beezus was released, King has gone from precocious child actor to rising star, but she still cherishes her time working alongside Gomez. King told Entertainment Tonight,
"I’ve always really looked up to her. I’m really proud of everything she’s done. She’s a big inspiration to people, whether she realizes it or not."
