We’re halfway through the final season of Freeform’s The Bold Type. This show has given us five years of stories ranging from workplace harassment to the trials of new and old marriages. The Bold Type has covered a lot of ground, but one story was particularly impactful for one of the series’ stars.
After working on a show for five years, I can only imagine how difficult it must be to say goodbye. Especially on a set that was telling stories as poignant as those on The Bold Type. I spoke with Katie Stevens, who plays Jane Sloane, for an interview with CinemaBlend, and she shared the following about the series’ most impactful storyline:
The one that I feel is most impactful, not only to me, but from messages that I get from fans would be the BRCA storyline. That was something that I had no idea was a thing or a test that you can get to find out if you carry the gene. I think that the awareness that it brings to women checking themselves and being ahead of their medical history or, personally, I was starting to check myself every day when I learned that that was important. And getting to know your breasts as a woman so that you know if they change or if something new pops up, and I did. Because I had that information, I was able to get it checked out and find out quickly that I was fine, but it's really wonderful to be telling a story that feels so personal to me for many reasons, but also that I know is so personal for so many people.
In Season 1 of The Bold Type, we learn that Jane lost her mother to breast cancer. Jane gets tested to learn if she has the BRCA mutation, and once she finds out that she does, this storyline continues through subsequent seasons as Jane makes various medical decisions and discusses her condition with friends and romantic partners. The story is told with great care in a way that is both emotional and informative, and according to interactions Katie Stevens has had with various fans, it’s clear that it resonated.
The majority of The Bold Type takes place in the office of Scarlet Magazine, where Kat (Aisha Dee), Sutton (Meghann Fahy), and Jane (Katie Stevens) first meet. As the three friends navigate various work and life challenges, the two aspects are expertly interwoven, to the great credit of the writers. The Bold Type recognizes that people spend the majority of their time at work, so it’s only natural that deep bonds would be formed there. Katie Stevens shared the following about portraying these friendships that began at work and remained beyond it:
One of the things that is my favorite part of the show is the friendship between these three girls and how we portray that because I feel like I grew up where high school and middle school were really cliquey. And I feel like that in part is because of what people are seeing and the content that they're digesting. And a lot of that when I was growing up was high school mean girls and leaving people out and not being supportive of each other as women. Thankfully, that's never been the truth about any of my friendships. So I was really happy when I saw that the show was portraying female friendship in the way that I've always experienced it.
If you’re a viewer who feels like Jane, Sutton, and Kat are your best friends and are sad to see them go, you’re not alone. The final season of The Bold Type is now airing on Freeform with new episodes on Wednesdays and streaming the next day on Hulu.
