Fun facts about Kitty Chicha, the actress who portrays “Nanno”
Known to the world as the devil’s daughter, Chicha “Kitty” Amatayakul, a.k.a. Kitty Chicha, is the actress behind the beloved character “Nanno” in the recent Netflix hit, Girl From Nowhere.
Although Nanno might not be the vigilante you see in most movies, it’s her unique brand of justice and how she brought unspoken social issues to light that won over the hearts of many fans around the globe.
For over two seasons, we’ve witnessed the many facades that Nanno possesses: from a devil incarnate, an angel who rekindled the connection between TK and his father to a mortal being capable of doubtful feelings, and perhaps death. Yet, we still can’t get enough of her.
Hence, here are 12 facts about Kitty Chicha, the actress who portrays Nanno, as well as how she moves her way into becoming the Girl From Nowhere.
More Girl From Nowhere content:
- Shows like GFN to binge on Netflix if you miss Nanno
- GFN episodes ranked by karma delivered in Nanno laughs
- “Who is Nanno?” theories
1. Her nickname “Kitty” has roots in Japan
Whilst it’s common for celebrities to come up with a stage name, Chicha Amatayakul’s nickname “Kitty” was actually given to her by her parents.
Kitty declaring that she didn’t make up her name in an interview with “Loukgolf’s English Room” – a Thai TV show on GMM25
Screenshot: นางแมวป่า
Kitty explains that her father was in Japan for work when her mother gave birth to her. Seeing that “Hello Kitty” was extremely popular at the time, he decided that it was “a nice name for [his little] girl”.
2. She graduated at the age of 18
Despite her role as a high school student in Girl From Nowhere, Kitty is already 27 years old IRL.
Image credit: Netflix via GMA Network
She’s also a badass graduating as early as the age of 18 with two certifications: a business degree from Assumption University and a law degree from Ramkhamhaeng University – both institutions are known for their studies.
3. Kitty Chicha is a cat person
Kitty could, perhaps, be the incarnation of a cat. Not only does her name suggest it, she also revealed to Gossip Star – an entertainment news outlet in Thailand – that she’s a cat person.
Kitty’s cat-like personality might be one of the factors contributing to the mysterious vibe given off by Nanno
Screenshot: Netflix
She’s currently a parent to two felines: “Monster”, a Thai cat, and “Nightmare”, a Persian mix. The latter said to have been with Kitty for 11 years and was even featured in GFN’s “Lost & Found” episode as the stolen cat.
Kitty even compares herself to a cat saying she’s someone who enjoys doing things alone, such as going to the theatre or having a meal.
4. She has many tattoos
It’s quite rare for Thai celebrities to show off their tattoos to the public, but what we can learn from watching Kitty playing Nanno for over two seasons is that she isn’t one to shy away.
Image credit: Cat Dumb
In a few of her photoshoots, Kitty can be seen showing off her tattoos. One being Panic! At The Disco’s studio album title “Too weird to live, too rare to die” inked onto her ribcage.
Kitty explaining that people might mix up her tattoo with the illegal drug “heroin”
Image credit: Cat Dumb
Another of her tattos is the word “heroine” on her right arm. She shared in an interview with ELLE that it was to commemorate her favourite roles in the movie Daughters and the series Girl From Nowhere.
Plus, she has a tiny cat paw beside one of her ears, but people often mistake it for a mole. *Cries*
5. Nanno’s actress is a former member of Kiss Me Five girl group
You could say that Kitty went through a metamorphosis. Before becoming the devil’s child, she was in a girl group called Kiss Me Five under RS Music – a pop group known for its sweet, innocent vibe.
Kitty was 17 when she joined the band
Image credit: Line Today
The group debuted with the song “Morning Kiss” and released a couple more hits such as “One Last Chance” and “Sensitive”. Kitty later left the band in 2011 to pursue her other ambitions.
6. Fun fact: she’s not just the actress that plays “Nanno”
Kitty appeared in various works before landing the role as Nanno in Girl From Nowhere, tracing her way from music videos, TV series such as Love Blood and Lhong Fai, to movies like The Serpent’s Song, a short film that was featured at the Shanghai Queer Film Festival.
Kitty Chicha as a nun in The Serpent’s Song
Image credit: MyDramaList
Another film that Kitty starred in that’s worth mentioning is Net I Die, in which she plays a net idol who livestreams her suicide and haunts those who have done her wrong. Sounds familiar?
Kitty’s character doing a product review in Net I Die
Image credit: Sanook
Not only are many works of the horror and thriller genres, Kitty is also often seen taking the roles of a high school or university student with a playful persona, as can be seen in the series Daughters where she plays a schoolgirl with family problems. With this, it’s apparent why the casting team thought Kitty was the perfect fit for the one and only, Nanno.
7. Kitty wants to take up the role of “Joker”
Ever since Kitty began her acting career, she’s known to have taken up more than a couple challenging roles, and it’s obvious that she’s into it. *Laughs in Nanno*
The suicide scene in Net I Die
Image credit: South China Morning Post
This fact is further confirmed when she shared to Lifestyle Asia that she wants to play as “Joker” in the future. In her own exact words, “I feel that it’s every actor’s dream role. It’s really amazing!”
8. Kitty plays a part in the creation of Nanno
According to Kitty, GFN started out much like a fun project, but was met with tremendous success, leading to another season.
We also heard that Nanno’s actress played a huge part in that.
Image credit: Reddit
In an interview with Preview, Kitty revealed that Nanno was a “joint creation” between her and the GFN team and that everything from the stretching, hair-twirling up to what we know as the iconic, yet bizarre Nanno’s laugh were all happy coincidences – caught on camera when Kitty was off guard, but “somehow” make it to the screen.
Image credit: @kittychicha via Cosmopolitan
The laugh is, however, a little special from the others. Kitty explains that the intention behind the laugh was supposed to be a something off-putting motif about Nanno, as she’s an otherworldly being who tries to blend in with humans. But, TBH, the fans are loving it.
9. Kitty claims that “Nanno” revives her
Image credit: TG Time
Before her success that followed the release of GFN, Kitty’s reputation was not quite an image of sunshine and rainbows. She was often dubbed as a female casanova having been the topic of many rumours surrounding her relationships with other celebrities.
“And because of the fact that my reputation had come crashing down for so many years, when this role came out. When the series came out, it broke through everything.” – Kitty answers a question about Nanno in Loukgolf’s English Room
Screenshot: นางแมวป่า
Thanks to the birth of the series, Kitty expressed during many interviews that she feels like Nanno gave her life a second chance. Nanno also gave the actress a chance to be seen for who she really is.
10. Kitty’s also into scriptwriting
A more surprising fact about Nanno’s actress is that she’s also a scriptwriter. Kitty Chicha started writing a couple of years ago following her teacher’s recommendation. After the teacher saw the talent in her, they immediately hooked her up with production companies.
Image credit: Siam News
Aside from writing screenplays, Kitty has also been an assistant in productions as well as a consultant for TV programmes and films like Chiang Khan Story, and of course Girl From Nowhere.
According to one of the directors of GFN, “If Kitty Chicha says Nanno thinks like this, I believe her”.
11. Harry Styles follows her on Instagram
Kitty Chicha and former One Direction member, Harry Styles, might be friends IRL.
Image credit: @5DTo1D
Not only does Harry Styles follow Kitty on Instagram, but there is a picture out on the internet where the two are seen hanging out with each other.
Some of the fans have even commented on how they would def be a cute couple. Sorry, Nannai.
12. Nanno is not “dead”
Whilst many are solving the dilemma of whether Nanno is dead, here’s “proof” that she might not be.
Image credit: @jamyjamess
Just last week, James Teeradon, a.k.a. Nannai, received a friendly video call from a pal he labeled as the “Girl From Nowhere”. As one of the fans who’s waiting for Nanno’s return, we’re hoping that it’s true.
A woman with many talents
“Kitty Chicha” and “Nanno” might just be the two sides to one coin, as the actress once shared herself that she feels like Nanno is her – and everyone’s – dark side, unchained by the laws of the society. They’re also both multitalented and unafraid of the world, but are shy beings when it comes to sharing their intimate and affectionate feelings (see her interview with ELLE).
Like Kitty who claimed to receive a second chance in life from Nanno, let’s hope that the same goes to Nanno, where she’ll show up in the third season of Girl From Nowhere to show Yuri once and for all what a real killer queen she is.
More Netflix content:
- Films to educate yourself about racial equality
- Thai TV shows to watch besides the usual K-dramas
- Thai movies that will make you laugh & cry
Cover images adapted from (clockwise from left): @kittychicha via Cosmopolitan, TG Time, Fanpop
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