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Still from Netflix\'s \'My Life With The Walter Boys\'
Still from Netflix\'s \'My Life With The Walter Boys\'
Netflix
Culture > Entertainment

The Love Triangle In ‘My Life With The Walter Boys’ Was Actually Inspired By This Teen Drama

Leia Mendoza

If you’ve been scrolling through the internet lately, chances are you’ve seen a lot of Team Alex or Team Cole edits from Netflix’s new series My Life With the Walter Boys. Ever since the series debuted on Dec. 7, fans have been talking about the characters, the storyline, and of course, the love triangle nonstop. My Life with the Walter Boys follows a teenager named Jackie after she’s forced to uproot her life in Manhattan to live in a small town in Colorado with a family that has 10 kids. It’s no shock that My Life with the Walter Boys has been making fans swoon, especially when it comes to the romantic leads. 

Even though the show is set in the modern day, there are elements of comedy and drama that make this a must-watch for anyone who’s obsessed with 2000s rom-coms or love stories. My Life with The Walter Boys is based on a Wattpad novel written by Ali Novak, who began writing the book at just 15 years old. While writing the novel, Novak drew inspiration from a fan-favorite teen drama series, and you might be shocked to hear what aspects of the show inspired her story. 

Ali Novak credits The Vampire Diaries as inspiration for the My Life With The Walter Boys love triangle. 

In a Dec. 7 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Novak shared that one of the biggest inspirations for Jackie, Cole, and Alex’s love triangle in My Life With The Walter Boys was none other than The Vampire Diaries. “There’s always something to be said about love triangles, but it was inspired by Damon and Stefan from The Vampire Diaries. There’s just something so compelling about a love triangle, and there’s so many YA books that have been influenced by the show,” Novak said. 

In the beginning stages of writing her novel, Novak made sure that each love interest was equal so the audience wouldn’t prefer one over the other. “We wanted to make sure that both boys have equal weighting. And I think there’s so much more to this story than just the love triangle,” Novak told EW. 

Ali Novak wanted to tell a story about coming of age amid tragedy. 

Even though Jackie, Cole, and Alex’s love triangle takes the forefront of the series, Novak wanted the story to still be about Jackie’s journey of navigating a new life.

While speaking to EW, showrunner Melanie Halsall explained the importance of adding these elements in a story about a love triangle. “It’s coming of age. It’s discovering yourself. It’s coming to terms with the difficulties life can bring you. It’s found family,” Halsall said.

Since fans are eagerly awaiting news about season 2, it’s safe to say that everyone is going to be talking about what will happen next in My Life With The Walter Boys. Fans already have theories about what this next season could bring and are enthusiastic to see what’s in store. 

Leia Mendoza

TX State '24

Leia Mendoza is a national entertainment & culture correspondent and writer at Her Campus, where she writes and talks about the latest entertainment news and pop culture updates. As well as updating timely news, she covers a broad aspect of film, television and music for Her Campus Media. She is also a contributor to Offscreen Central, where she covers award shows and future Oscar contenders. In 2024, she created Director Brat, a website centered around film and television reviews and exclusive industry interviews for the next generation of creatives. In addition, she is a Film Production and Fashion Merchandising student at Texas State University. In the past, she has covered events conducted by Texas State University, Austin Film Festival's On Story, & SXSW. She has conducted interviews for Paramount, MGM, and A24. You can find her in her spare time talking about bridging the worlds of film and fashion together, cinema preservation, indie darlings, and fabulous shopping sequences.