This story contains extensive spoilers for East of Eden. Netflix’s East of Eden miniseries opens with a striking proclamation from Florence Pugh’s Cathy Ames: “I believe there are monsters born in this world to human parents.”

Readers will recognize this from John Steinbeck’s novel as the line that introduces Cathy, one of American literature’s most notorious antagonists. The book’s narrator, a fictionalized version of Steinbeck, doesn’t hide his derision of Cathy, going so far as to remark that “there was a time when a girl like Cathy would have been said to be possessed by the devil.” Steinbeck’s frontier-era epic retells the Bible’s Book of Genesis, making Cathy function as a living embodiment of original sin.

Yet from the beginning of Zoe Kazan’s new adaptation, it’s clear that this Cathy won’t be depicted only as monstrous, an alluring snake lurking at the edges of this familial epic’s version of Eden. This time, she is its focal driving force. Kazan places Steinbeck’s words in Cathy’s own mouth, spoken in voiceover as she drags her beaten, bloodied body to the Trask family’s doorstep. Her arrival further divides brothers Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Charles (Mike Faist), whose ongoing family turmoil forms the backbone of the novel’s sweeping explorations of generational inheritance and self-determination. Ironically, the backlash to Kazan expanding Cathy’s character says more about the black-and-white moralization audiences have come to expect of modern storytelling than East of Eden itself.

For all Netflix’s attempts to market Cathy as an “indelible antihero,” her actions thankfully aren’t watered down or justified. She still murders her own parents (Simon Maiden and Elizabeth Ames), shoots her husband, and kills brothel owner Faye (Martha Plimpton) to run it ruthlessly in her place. Cathy rejects and downright sneers at the novel’s central theme, “timshel”: the idea that everyone has the capacity to be good to themselves and to others, regardless of the circumstances they’re born into.

Kazan and co. devote multiple episodes to her character, dwelling on moments that shaped her own relationship to “timshel.” That’s not to say all of these moments are elegantly done; a flashback in which Cathy’s father proclaims she’s his property and a later monologue in which she lays out the financial freedom she attains through sex work are overly on the nose and clash with the series’ naturalistic, period-accurate dialogue. But even if Cathy is a sociopathic character with no sense of morality, as Steinbeck considers, her worldview is nonetheless one informed by the misogynistic violence that came with being a woman at the turn of the 20th century.

“I think [Cathy’s] viewpoint that the world is bad, that the world is fully evil and folly makes her isolate herself more and more,” Kazan recently told WWD. “She never gains trust in any other person. I think that, for me, was the key to unlocking how an insistence on self-determination can become toxic to herself.”

Cathy’s disinterest in motherhood, too, is framed through a distinctly modern perspective. Sure, her rejection of her sons ultimately unleashes another instance of Cain-and-Abel-like strife within the next generation of Trask brothers. Wisely, though, Netflix’s East of Eden doesn’t cast her lack of desire for motherhood in a positive or negative light. Unlike in 1952, when Steinbeck’s novel was published, being an unfit or ambivalent mother isn’t an instant sign of evil, but much more complicated. In another scene pulled straight from the book, in which a doctor threatens to prosecute Cathy after she nearly bleeds out from a botched abortion attempt, her actions aren’t presented as devilish—if anything, they’re devastatingly relevant.

Predictably, as soon as promotional materials for the Netflix adaptation debuted with Cathy front and center, discourse quickly followed. I sympathized with some—I also hoped that, by centering Cathy, this East of Eden wouldn’t try to redeem her or diminish her actions to make her “likable.” But others took issue with the show’s decision to focus on Cathy, period.

“Cathy is a sociopath who ruins the lives of everyone around her,” one person commented on the show’s teaser trailer. “She is NOT the main character, and to make her ‘misunderstood’ or sympathetic is against everything Steinbeck wrote.”

After East of Eden’s release, some viewers have walked away with competing takes: that in making Cathy sympathetic in any way, the series is wrongfully making people assume she isn’t a villain; or that because Cathy is an assault survivor and a woman who couldn’t access an abortion, she isn’t a monster but a victim of her surroundings.

Paradoxically, refusing to acknowledge the nuances of Cathy’s character disregards “timshel,” which is predicated on choice. (Even East of Eden’s narrator, who initially describes Cathy as evil from birth, later admits that he isn’t positive she is a monster, adding, “It is easy to say she was bad, but there is little meaning unless we know why.”) East of Eden draws inspiration from the Biblical tale of Cain and Abel, but it is hardly a straightforward moral fable. As villainous as Cathy can be, Steinbeck understood that people are too complicated to be defined as simply good or evil—a reality that the Netflix adaptation builds upon.

Of course, conversations about the ethics of enjoying media are nothing new. Whether cultural anxieties over reemergent conservatism and misinformation are stoking fear that media literacy is dead, or audiences are really struggling to dissect complexities more than ever, the issue remains: Too many of us expect fictional stories to have clear heroes and villains whose actions are cleanly rewarded or punished by the end. Within this black-and-white binary, any central character must be the hero, and the writers must endorse their actions. This year alone, some have assumed that Yesteryear author Caro Claire Burke shares the views of her novel’s unreliable tradwife protagonist, that we’re meant to feel sorry for Obsession’s Bear because he’s the lead character, and that Primetime director Lance Oppenheim is sympathetic to child predators because he criticized To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen’s complicity in a subject’s death by suicide. It’s no wonder that an iconic villain like Cathy is so emblematic of audiences’ inability to contend with more complicated themes.

Although East of Eden’s musings on human nature are universal, its existence as an American reimagining of the Bible befits a country whose culture has never fully disentangled itself from its Puritanical roots. It’s uncomfortable to face the fact that some modern viewers are as afraid to acknowledge the nuance of Cathy and other multi-dimensional female villains as many readers were when the book was first released. It’s a shame that this rigid sense of morality still keeps audiences from engaging with the richness of a story like East of Eden. They’d do well to take one of its most famous quotes to heart: “Now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”

This article contains major spoilers for East of Eden. Since East of Eden was published in 1952, John Steinbeck’s sweeping tale of intergenerational conflict and good versus evil has become widely regarded as a great American novel. A retelling of the Bible’s Book of Genesis, set in California’s Salinas Valley, it spans over 600 pages. In other words, faithfully bringing it to the screen is a tall order. Netflix is the latest to adapt Steinbeck’s magnum opus.

Its new East of Eden miniseries is helmed by Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, previously turned the novel into a film starring James Dean. Although the Netflix show follows many of the book’s plot points closely, it also makes some adaptive changes to condense East of Eden’s familial epic into seven episodes. Read on as we break down the major differences between Netflix’s East of Eden and the original novel.

How does Cathy's role change in Netflix's 'East of Eden?'

East of Eden’s central female character, Cathy Ames (played by Florence Pugh), is known as one of American literature’s most infamous antagonists. The book’s narrator even says early on, "There was a time when a girl like Cathy would have been said to be possessed by the devil."

However, from the beginning of the adaptation process, Kazan has been clear about her desire to explore Cathy more deeply, as Steinbeck wrote her to embody the Biblical idea of original sin. Rather than painting Cathy simply as a monster, the show centers multiple episodes around her, exploring what led her to make the dark decisions that she makes throughout the story.

“[Zoe] didn’t want to berate [Cathy],” Pugh recently told Vulture. “We were aware that we were going to have to do so much thinking to make this person watchable, and that was just a beautiful ode to this woman in that era who wasn’t really given much forgiveness.”

The show doesn’t shy away from Cathy’s misdeeds, which include murdering her own parents, as well as Salinas Valley brothel owner Faye (Martha Plimpton), whose business she takes over. Yet it also acknowledges that her worldview is shaped by surviving misogynistic sexual and domestic violence, and by the harsh realities of being a woman at the turn of the 20th century. For instance, she is unable to obtain a safe abortion upon discovering she is pregnant and nearly bleeds out from trying to perform the procedure herself.

“I think her viewpoint that the world is bad, that the world is fully evil and folly makes her isolate herself more and more,” Kazan said during an interview with WWD. “She never gains trust in any other person. I think that, for me, was the key to unlocking how an insistence on self-determination can become toxic to herself.”

How does the Hamilton family's role change in Netflix's 'East of Eden?'

The original East of Eden novel follows two interconnected families: the Irish-American Hamiltons, who are based on the maternal side of Steinbeck’s own family; and the Trasks, whose intergenerational conflicts mirror the Biblical story of Cain and Abel.

Although the Hamilton family patriarch, Samuel Hamilton (Ciarán Hinds), remains a key figure in the Netflix series, his wife Liza and their nine children only appear briefly as minor characters. Their own backstories and relationships are not expanded upon. During an interview with The Independent, Kazan explained that these parts of the novel were omitted to condense its sprawling story into seven episodes.

“There’s so much treasure in [the book] that you couldn’t possibly put it all into seven hours,” she said. “There are things I had to leave behind that hurt my heart—there’s so much of the Hamiltons’ storyline that’s not in there, and the Hamiltons are some of my favorite characters in the book.”

Do we see more of Lee's Story in Netflix's 'East of Eden?'

Yes. Lee (Hoon Lee), a Chinese-American man who Adam hires as a servant soon after moving to Salinas Valley, becomes the novel’s moral and philosophical center alongside Samuel Hamilton. He becomes a key member of the Trask family, acting as a second father to Adam’s twin sons, Cal (Joseph Zada) and Aron (Joe Anders).

At one point in East of Eden, Lee briefly leaves the Trask household and moves to San Francisco with plans to open his own bookstore. In both the show and the novel, he returns shortly afterward, telling Adam he missed home. The show expands upon Lee’s trip to San Francisco, following him as he reconnects with his uncle and struggles to rent a storefront from discriminatory white businessmen. When Lee returns to the Trask home, Adam agrees to listen and lets him run the household as a family member.

Speaking to Vulture, Kazan compared Lee’s time away from the Trasks to “a Wong Kar-wai movie.”

“I thought, ‘This character is so private.' I felt like he was even keeping secrets from Steinbeck,” she said. “I wanted to get to know him better.”

Does John Steinbeck appear in Netflix's 'East of Eden?'

No. Because the Hamiltons are based on Steinbeck’s family, a fictionalized version of the author as a child appears briefly in East of Eden. But because the Hamilton family’s storyline has largely been cut from the Netflix adaptation, he does not make a cameo.

Does Charles haunt Netflix's 'East of Eden?'

Like in Steinbeck’s novel, Adam’s younger half-brother Charles’ (Mike Faist) presence in the Netflix show can be felt long after he dies offscreen. In both cases, Charles haunts Cathy towards the end of her life. Earlier in the story, the two have a complicated relationship; Charles distrusts Cathy, but he sleeps with her—and is therefore potentially the father of her twins.

In the book, Cathy begins to sense Charles around her when she becomes paranoid that Ethel (Amelia Reynolds), a former sex worker at her brothel, will turn her in for Faye’s murder (“On this night, she felt that she was not alone,” Steinbeck writes, “Charles seemed to walk to the side and behind her”). The show takes things a step forward, with Cathy hallucinating entire conversations with Charles’ ghost shortly before her death.

“This is a story about these people who are dealing with their own inner demons and trying to keep them at bay, and some do a better job of that than others throughout the story,” Faist said of the scene while speaking to Netflix’s Tudum.

A Different World is more than a TV show. Since its 1987 debut, the HBCU-set comedy has expanded countless viewers' minds by depicting a Black student body that isn't a monolith.

It was even part of reboot star Maleah Joi Moon’s origin story—unbeknownst to her until she auditioned for the sequel series. She learned that her mother grew up watching the show from her home in Belize; A Different World and other hits from the golden age of ‘80s and ‘90s Black sitcoms inspired her to move to N.Y.C. for college—where she would eventually meet Moon’s father.

“It was inspiring for her to see these young, Black, successful Americans on such a well-represented campus becoming and finding themselves,” Moon tells Marie Claire. “It's so amazing to me that she was miles away and she had the same experience that a lot of Black Americans did, and that I also had growing up, once I started having access to the show.”

The New Jersey native has spent the past three years jumping between two whirlwind moments. As a teen, she briefly attended Pace University before leaving to originate a character based on Alicia Keys in the singer’s semi-autobiographical jukebox musical Hell’s Kitchen. The role netted Moon a Tony and a Grammy by the time she turned 23. Her breakout performance also caught the attention of A Different World mastermind Debbie Allen. She and the sequel series’ creator, Felicia Pride, tapped Moon to play Deborah, the daughter of the original ensemble’s iconic lead couple, Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) and Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison).

Despite her rapid ascension, the 24-year-old appears centered while speaking with Marie Claire over Zoom—joking that fan expectations and the social media frenzy around the show’s premiere are “not [her] business.” She says that she’s been following a kernel of wisdom passed down from one generation of Waynes to the next: “Hold yourself”—or do what you need to do to keep your mind right as you embark on an industry (and a world) that is not always kind to Black artists.

Moon recalls that Hardison and Guy have offered different suggestions for how to do so. Her TV dad encourages her to fill her cup outside of the series. Meanwhile, Guy advised her to have boundaries on when to engage with social media. “She was like, ‘You deserve your own joy and safety within your space.’”

“I care so much about this show,” says Moon, who believes it’s important for her and the contemporary cast to carry on the franchise’s legacy of “creating a safe place for conversation about stigmatized topics.”

So as fans wait with bated breath for news of a possible season 2, the star is right there with them, cherishing its magic and this moment. “It's my responsibility to put my health first so that I can be there for the people who really end up loving it, and I can experience the joy just like they do,” she adds.

Below, Moon chats with Marie Claire about living out an HBCU experience on set, imbuing her own life experiences into Deborah Wayne, and combating the Black community’s stigma against neurodivergence.

MC: The series hired HBCU students as on-set consultants. Did you have any thoughts during filming of What would life have been like if I went to an HBCU?

MJM: I'm a very spiritual person, not even just in the biblical sense, but in the energetic sense. So when I was on set at Atlanta University Center, I was breathing in the campus and getting acquainted with my surroundings. There's a historical energy about walking around that place and the Morehouse MLK statue. Almost 60 percent of the extras were HBCU students and alumni. I was already being embraced by the culture in that way from my job, but then also just being in the atmosphere of it, after not having that experience at Pace. It didn't make me want to change my college experience because, had I went to any other university, I would not have ended up here in this dream. So that part of it is like, Man, I get to do this now. That is my gift.

It's crazy how Deborah and I are very similar, and I think that is why Debbie Allen saw me and thought, Come here for this dream. Deborah has a line in the first episode where she's talking to Dr. Hawthorne, and she's like, 'I was supposed to go to Tisch.' It was a really deep moment for me when I got to share that experience with Deborah as a young Black artist in musical theater. That feeling of, Yeah, there might be college experiences that will make me feel more seen, and still feeling like I had to choose to go to a predominantly white university in order to be successful. I grew up in Franklin Township, New Jersey. It was a very urban, multicultural, hood-adjacent suburban community. When I looked up and I was in the hallways, I saw mainly Black people. Getting to relive my college experience through this show is just so healing for that high school person in me that wanted that type of representation once I got to my PWI.

MC: How much of Deborah’s backstory and traits were on the page when you were auditioning? How much inspiration did writers take from your own real-life experiences?

MJM: They were trying to keep everything as under wraps as possible. I did not have a lot to work with, not because there wasn't good stuff on the page, but because they kept it so small to see what you would do with it. I think that was intentional because of the chemistry that we ended up having once they pulled us all together. The six of us just absolutely fell in love with each other at the chemistry read. Cree Summers calls it “lightning in a bottle.”

It is such a gift when you're given a role where you can be self-indulgent and mix a lot of your own experiences with your character. [Showrunner Felicia Pride] and the writers' room invited me to L.A. in December 2025, as they did with all six of us in the contemporary cast. I got to go in by myself and rap about a lot of my own experiences that I thought would be helpful in creating the character. We talked about my childhood, my experience at high school versus college, authenticity, all the things. I definitely felt a lot of myself in what was on the page, and then it was my job to take it further and use my truth to create hers.

MC: Deborah’s journey with ADHD was a highlight of the series for me. It felt rare to see her work through the cultural stigma and accept that she’s neurodivergent. What was it like performing that arc over the season?

MJM: I have my own relationship with psychiatry. As I started navigating the industry, it became more and more important for me to have resources. As my job needs more from me, I need more of myself, and I'm still kind of in that moment. It's a scary word for the Black community, because there is so much sociopolitical, economic pressure on us to be 10 steps ahead of everything just so we can be given opportunities that everybody deserves in this country. We always have to be ahead of it just to be where we're supposed to be. So when it comes to things like diagnoses about health, mental health, or anything that we feel in a stigmatized view could hold us back, it is very hard, from my own experience, to come into acceptance with that.

I'm so, so, so happy that this show has given me a chance to bring up that conversation, using my own experience and put it into Deborah. In a world where we deal with Black disembodiment, disenfranchisement, the stripping of our rights and our safeties, even on HBCU campuses—this place that, in a utopic view, is supposed to be the wealth of Black safety and cultivation—we're still not safe. If any marginalized culture or race or anything needs and deserves more support there, it would be us. But there are a lot of different nuances that go into how we process that. I get to play a character whose privilege is kind of being stripped away in an authentic environment, and she has to come into herself and really learn who she is beyond what people have told her who she's supposed to be.

We have that moment [in episode 4] where her tutor, Ellington, is guiding her towards, Hey, you deserve more support if these are things that you struggle with and make you feel unsteady as far as the ADHD conversation. We get a vulnerable moment of her being embarrassed, shameful, and angry that he would even bring that up because that means that she’s less than, and that's not true. It's so wonderful and healing for me that I'll get to be part of that safe example for young Black women of This is hard, but you deserve support. It means more to me than I can ever even articulate.

MC: What are your hopes for Deborah heading into a possible season 2?

MJM: I pray that she is, yes, still embarking on finding herself, but also that we see her become more secure little by little. That would be so healing. I keep using that word because it's what this show does. It would be cathartic for people to see that we endure chaos, but we get to take from our experiences and feel good about the fact that we learned.

So often, especially as a young Black artist, I constantly feel the need to push forward. What's next? What's the next audition? Am I going to go back to Broadway? Am I making an album? It even parallels my own experience with this project. It was insane, because it's so well anticipated and there's a lot of energy coming into it, but now I get to sit here and be like, I did that. I don't know what happens in season 2 yet, if we get that, but within the time from [the season 1 finale] to season 2, hopefully Deborah will have gotten to sit and be like, I was a bad bitch and I was crazy and I was chaotic and I still am, but I did that and I get to move forward knowing that that's in my bag now. That freshman year, I put that in the bag. It was crazy and it's done. Now I get to be a sophomore. I get to grow more.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Watching Physical: 100 can often be a bittersweet experience for female viewers. Netflix's international reality franchise has amazed a passionate global fanbase, with its jaw-dropping athletic challenges and heartwarming depictions of determination and sportsmanship. Each season includes several female athletes who become inspiring fan-favorites, but—whether due to challenge design or being disadvantaged in team rounds—these women often fall short of reaching the finale. That is, until Physical 100: Mexico.

The survival show's first North American installment, which debuted on September 16, found an early standout in Mariana Khalil, a CrossFit athlete who was both a fierce competitor in the individual matches and an essential teammate in the group rounds. The first seven episodes ended with a literal cliffhanger during the Gate to the Underworld challenge, as Khalil and Iván Guerrera hung on bars suspended four meters above water pits.

Eventually, Khalil stayed hanging the longest and became the first-ever woman to make it to the finale in a Physical: 100 individual season. (This doesn't include Physical: Asia, which had entirely team challenges, or Physical 100: Italy, which is still airing through October 2.) Though she didn't ultimately win Physical 100: Mexico's prize of 3 million pesos (about $175,000 USD), Khalil represented the women of the show and proved that she was a tough opponent to beat.

Read on to learn more about Mariana Khalil, from the personal tragedy that left her with a scarred arm to her biggest supporter throughout the competition.

Mariana Khalil has won some of the toughest competitions in modern-day sports.

Mariana Khalil is a athlete and fitness coach who does CrossFit, HYROX, kabaddi, and yoga. Per The Cinemaholic, Khalil spent 13 years training as a jazz dancer before discovering CrossFit in college. The sport became a core part of her life, with Khalil even meeting her husband at a competition. She ranked among the top 30 female CrossFit athletes in Mexico across four years, since her competitive debut in 2017.

Khalil is a co-founder and Head Coach of the gym CrossFit Voltage in Aguascalientes, where she coaches and specializes in pregnancy and postpartum fitness. She also has TV experience outside of Netflix. She appeared on the Mexican reality TV show Exatlón in 2021 and earlier this year, competing under the nickname "Voltage."

Mariana Khalil is an outspoken women's-rights activist and burn survivor.

During the Gate to the Underworld challenge in episode 7, Khalil shared the origin of the scars covering her entire left arm and part of her right arm, midriff, and legs. When she was 7-years-old, a gas leak triggered an explosion that left her, her sister, and her mother with severe burns.

"I love my scars," she said in an interview. "I think they make me a very unique person, and they remind me that there's no greater challenge that I've been through."

When she's not sharing fitness tips or personal updates, Khalil also uses her Instagram to speak out about social causes. Earlier this year, she partnered with Telemundo's Mujeres Imparables. The athlete called on women to cultivate their physical and mental strength, saying, "Society has done a lot of harm by making us believe that strength and femininity are contrary."

Mariana Khalil welcomed her first child in 2024.

Khalil has been married to her husband, Rodrigo Guerra, for nine years. On the show, she shared her husband's reaction to seeing her for the first time during a competition. "Why is she standing there so confidently despite her scars, and wearing shorts and a top? I mean, I have to meet her," she recalls him saying to a mutual friend.

Today, the couple work together as coaches at CrossFit Voltage. They welcomed their first child, a son, in early 2024.

In the Physical 100: Mexico finale, Khalil revealed that she worried her relationship to sports would change after she became a mother. When asked if she had seen herself making it to the end of the competition, she said, "Honestly, since my baby was born, I thought there was no room for sports left in my life."

"At some point I said, 'Okay. I'll focus on being a mom. I won't be able to perform at that level," she continued. "[But] I think that as I completed the challenges, I was, like, 'Mariana the athlete still has so much to give.

Lizzie Borden’s life was never the same after she was accused of murdering her father and stepmother in 1892, and Borden lived a mostly private life in the aftermath of the trial in which she was acquitted of the charges. In that time, she became close friends with stage actress Nance O’Neil—a friendship that, among other details of Borden’s life, has been fictionalized in the latest iteration of Ryan Murphy’s Monster anthology series on Netflix.

Ella Beatty and Jessica Barden play Borden and O’Neil in the crime series, respectively, and Beatty has acknowledged some of the exaggerations of the Netflix creation. “I could take all the source material about the real person’s life and translate that into the very fictionalized version of the woman that we created for the show. I was exploring a person that we were imagining and creating using details from the real person’s life to animate and fill in the blanks,” she told Netflix’s Tudum.

The “source material” of Borden’s life includes a real friendship with O’Neil, which was rumored to have been romantic (though Monster does not portray it as such). Ahead, we break down who O'Neil was and what her real relationship with Borden might have been like.

What to Know About Nance O'Neil—And Her Relationship with Lizzie Borden

Borden and O'Neil met in 1904 after one of O'Neil’s performances in Boston.

After her acquittal, public sentiment toward Borden was unfavorable, and she often traveled to cities like Boston and New York to escape the cruelty of her hometown, Fall River, Massachusetts. On one of these fateful trips to Boston, Borden met O’Neil after attending one of her plays. Borden allegedly sent a note backstage asking O’Neil to meet with her, and O’Neil obliged. The two became extremely close following that meeting.

Many believed Borden and O’Neil were romantically involved.

They soon began spending a large amount of time together, fueling rumors of a lesbian relationship. Like Borden’s rumored relationship with her family’s maid Bridget Sullivan, this relationship was never confirmed by Borden, O’Neil, or anyone in their circles. However, their closeness only increased speculation about Borden’s perceived motives for the accused murders, as many believed her parents may have caught her with another woman.

After Borden died in 1927, O’Neil gave an interview with the New Bedford Standard, calling her friend "distinctively attractive" though a “frail, little gentlewoman,” and describing their relationship as “ships that pass in the night and speak [to] each other in passing.” While there’s no outward admission in those words, it could be read as a romantic description of their friendship. But as neither Borden nor O’Neil left behind any diaries, love letters, or other artifacts that would confirm a romantic relationship, this part of Borden’s life remains speculative.

Borden and O'Neil's friendship might have led to Borden's estrangement from her sister, Emma.

Lizzie and Emma Borden (played by Billie Lourd in Monster) used their inheritance from their murdered father to buy a house in Maplewood, Massachusetts, and it’s believed that the parties thrown there for O’Neil’s theater group were the root cause of the sisters’ definitive fight. Many years later, Emma confirmed that something happened at their house, though she never provided details. “The happenings in the French Street house that caused me to leave, I must refuse to talk about,” she said in a 1913 interview with The Boston Post. The sisters never spoke again.

Some thought Borden's wealth was the basis of their friendship.

As Borden spent more time with O’Neil and her artistic circle, she began hosting parties at her Maplewood residence for O’Neil’s theater troupe (though O’Neil later refuted this after Borden’s death, claiming she never visited her home). Borden reportedly also lent money to O’Neil and her friends for various debts.

A San Francisco Call article from the time also suggested that O’Neil and Borden were creative collaborators, with Borden allegedly penning a play for O’Neil, but this never came to fruition. When Borden and O’Neil’s friendship later ended, some believed it was because O’Neil refused to pay back.

Borden and O'Neil were also estranged at the end of Borden's

Money very well could have caused their estrangement, but it's equally likely that their life circumstances did. O’Neil’s career eventually expanded beyond the Boston area, and the women naturally spent less time together; staying in touch was decidedly different from today.

O’Neil later married actor Alfred Hickman in 1916. In her interview with the New Bedford Standard after Lizzie died in 1927, she confirmed that they never spoke about the murders and that their correspondence stopped after their friendship drifted apart.

The 1892 murders of Andrew and Abby Borden were shocking for the Fall River, Massachusetts community—especially when Andrew's daughter Lizzie was accused of the crimes. The story has since been mined for its parts, from a popular recited folk rhyme to novels, and now a Netflix miniseries under Ryan Murphy’s Monster franchise banner.

Ella Beatty stars in the titular role in Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, and the series dramatizes the events and details surrounding the murders and Borden’s enduring legacy. That includes Borden’s alleged relationship with Bridget Sullivan, the family’s Irish live-in maid (also called Maggie) who was present the day of the fatal events. Vicky Krieps steps into Sullivan's shoes on Monster, embodying the key witness of the trial who was later also rumored to have a romantic relationship with the defendant. Here’s what we know about the true story behind Bridget Sullivan and Lizzie Borden's relationship.

What to Know About the Real Bridget Sullivan

A romantic relationship between the women was first suggested by novelist Evan Hunter (who wrote under the pen name Ed McBain).

Evan Hunter’s 1984 novel Lizzie suggested that Borden committed the murders after her relationship with Sullivan was discovered. His theory was that Abby, Lizzie’s stepmother, caught Borden and Sullivan together and reacted poorly, and Borden retaliated by hitting her with a candlestick. McBain further speculated that Borden confessed her relationship with Sullivan to her father, Andrew, later that day, but when he reacted just as poorly as Abby, she killed him too. None of this has been proven true.

The same storyline was dramatized in the 2018 Chloë Sevigny and Kristen Stewart film 'Lizzie.'

In a script by Bryce Kass, Chloë Sevigny takes on the storied role of Borden, with Kristen Stewart as her paramour Sullivan. The film earned acclaim after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Rotten Tomatoes consensus called it “a new look at a widely known true-crime story,” though the events depicted in the film have never been confirmed.

Most likely, Borden and Sullivan were never more than employer and employee.

Despite all the stories—and Monster's depiction of Sullivan as a close mentor to Borden—it’s unlikely that they had anything more than a professional relationship. Similarly, Monster depicts Sullivan as being paid by Andrew Borden for sex, but there is no evidence of this ever happening.

In reality, after Sullivan arrived in the United States, she began working at the Borden household. Andrew and Abby employed her for almost three years before their murders. She lived in an attic room in their home, which gave her a first-hand view into the family’s life and interpersonal relationships. Monster depicts

Though she was a longtime employee of the family, Sullivan reportedly tried to quit on multiple occasions. According to the book Parallel Lives, which documents the history of Fall River, Sullivan sensed tension in the household between Emma, Lizzie, and their stepmother and tried to find work elsewhere. Abby allegedly convinced her to stay by offering higher wages, per The Herald News.

Sullivan’s testimony about that day in the Borden house revealed that she heard a laugh from the stairs, later claiming it to be Lizzie’s. Unbeknownst to Sullivan, Abby had already been murdered upstairs, creating suspicion around Lizzie, who later “found” Andrew’s body downstairs. However, Sullivan's witness testimony never provided concrete evidence to convict Borden. During the trial, Sullivan’s proximity to the murders and lack of knowledge about what actually happened in the Borden house made people speculate about her potential romantic involvement with Lizzie, but there is “no contemporary evidence” to suggest this was true.

Similarly,

Borden is believed to have been a lesbian.

Another element that has fueled the Borden-Sullivan romance rumors was the fact that many believed Borden was a lesbian, due to her close friendships with women (like actress Nance O’Neil, who is portrayed in Monster by Jessica Barden) and her lifelong spinsterhood. But just like her supposed romance with Sullivan, this theory has also not been proven.

Sullivan, meanwhile, left Fall River after Borden’s acquittal in 1983 and settled down in Montana. She married a man named John M. Sullivan in 1905 and largely disappeared from public life. Many years later, Sullivan’s friend Minnie Green spoke to author Victoria Lincoln, who wrote the 1967 book A Private Disgrace, revealing that Sullivan may not have told the full truth while on the stand. “Green said that Sullivan spoke to her about the Borden case late in life. Sullivan allegedly suggested that she had not told everything she knew about the murders and said she had ‘helped Lizzie out’ during the trial,” A&E summarized. What Sullivan may have meant by that will never be known.

When Physical: 100 premiered in 2023, the Netflix hit changed reality TV forever. The Korean survival show—which made 100 elite athletes compete to see who had the "perfect physique"—became a global phenomenon and spawned a new genre of cutthroat reality competition. So it was no surprise when the streaming giant decided to bring the series worldwide, with international spinoffs like the upcoming Physical 100: U.S.A., and the newly released Physical 100: Italy and Physical 100: Mexico.

The latter, also named Habilidad Física 100: México, debuted on Netflix on September 16 with a seven-episode(!) premiere week. Like the original series, Mexico's take on Physical: 100 integrates the nation's culture into its jaw-dropping challenges, with Mesoamerican-themed stages like The Infinite Pyramid and The Monolith. As for the competitors, several members of the show's roster of legendary soccer players, MMA fighters, Olympic athletes, and lucha libre wrestlers are also well-loved in the U.S.

With the season finale out on September 23, read on to get to know the standout contestants of Physical 100: Mexico. Warning: Spoilers for Quests 1-4 of Physical 100: Mexico ahead.

The Final Four of 'Physical 100: Mexico'

Aldo Gutiérrez

Aldo Gutiérrez is a retired Greco-Roman wrestler and former member of Mexico's national team. He currently works as a professor, researcher, and coordinator at the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, where he "develops projects related to horticulture, applied microbiology, hydroponics, biostimulants, and sustainable food production," per the school's Instagram. He and his wife, Ale Romero Bonilla, a fellow wrestler and content creator, welcomed their first child in 2024.

Instagram: @aldin_gtz3_

Ángel Quintero

Ángel Quintero is an obstacle course racer who was one of the first Mexican athletes to popularize Spartan races in the country. Since his first race in 2014, Quintero has ranked among Mexico's top runners and placed 4th in the Spartan World Championship. Recently, the fitness coach and new dad has expanded into HYROX, competing alongside his doubles partner (and fellow Physical 100: Mexico contestant), Aldo Márquez.

Instagram: @angelquinterosr

Jesús Cárcamo

Jesús Cárcamo is part of a group of soldiers competing in Physical 100: Mexico. He's reportedly a Captain in the Armored Corps of the Mexican Army and a former member of the "Bats," a famed special forces group. In 2025, he was part of the team that represented Mexico (and placed second) at Fuerzas Comando, a competition featuring special forces from countries throughout North and South America.

Instagram: @jesuscarcamob

Mariana Khalil

Mariana Khalil is a CrossFit athlete and fitness coach who also does HYROX, kabaddi, and yoga, according to her Instagram bio. On Physical 100: Mexico, Khalil reveals that her family was in a house fire when she was 7-years-old. She says that her burn scars remind her that she's survived harder things.

Instagram: @marianakhaliljacott

The Eliminated Contestants of 'Physical 100: Mexico'

Ámbar Garnica

Ámbar Garnica is a freestyle wrestler who has won a gold medal in her weight class in Mexico's national championships. Since she began competing internationally in 2019, she's won a silver medal at the 2023 Senior Pan-American Championships and another silver medal at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games earlier this year.

Instagram: @ambarmgf

Carlos Salcido

Carlos Salcido is a retired soccer player and legend in Mexico. After making his pro debut in 2001, he went on to play on Mexico's national team for over 10 years and play in three World Cups. He was also part of the team that won the gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics.

Instagram: @carlossalcido30

Daniela Fainus

Daniela Fainus is a fitness and wellness influencer who arrived on Physical 100: Mexico with over 2 million Instagram followers and 1.5 million on TikTok. She also competes in hybrid fitness competitions like HYROX and Spartan DEKA. She also competes on the Netflix series alongside her husband, fellow influencer and fitness coach Omar Zamitiz.

Instagram: @danielafainus

Dominick Ficachi

Dominick Ficachi is a basketball player, model, and content creator. Since 2023, the Mexico City native has played in the semi-professional league Circuito de Baloncesto del Pacífico (CIBAPAC).

Instagram: @dominickdosue

Emmanuel Benítez

Emmanuel Benítez is a Greco-Roman wrestler. Earlier this year, he took home the bronze medal in his category at the Central American and Caribbean Games.

Instagram: @emma_nue1

George Herrera

Bodybuilder George Herrera holds several records for Mexico. He's the first Mexican athlete to turn pro in the IFBB Classic Physique category and the first Mexican to qualify for the Mr. Olympia international competition. He says on Physical 100: Mexico that he's ranked among the top 12 bodybuilders worldwide.

Instagram: @georgeherrerapro

Iván Guerra

Iván Guerrera is a construction worker and fitness influencer who gained fame online for training without gym equipment. Instead, the block maker from a humble background builds muscle through the physical demands of his job.

Instagram: @dethcorexmx

Jahir Ocampo

Jahir Ocampo is a retired Olympic diver who competed in the synchronized springboard event at the Rio 2016 Olympics. He and his partner, Rommel Pacheco, won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games and the bronze at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships. Ocampo was also part of the Mexican team that won silver at the World Championships in both 2023 and 2024.

Instagram: @jahir_ochampion

Jazmín Lira

Jazmín Lira is a bodybuilder and sports nutritionist who competes in the IFBB Pro Women’s Physique division. Outside of athletics, she's also a doctor who has worked on Red Cross USA missions and now has her own clinic.

Instagram: @jaz_ifbbpro

Karen Lara

Karen Lara is a fitness coach and HYROX champion who has ranked as the fastest woman in Mexico. This year, she and her doubles partner—fellow Physical 100: Mexico contestant Mariana Caballero—were among the first Mexican athletes to podium (or come in the top three) in a PRO category at the HYROX World Championships.

Instagram: @karen_cilla

Legendary Bricklayer

Like Iván Guerra, the Legendary Bricklayer (real name Freddy Bautista) is a bodybuilder and influencer known for building his muscles without gym equipment. Instead, the construction worker uses building materials for his strength training and calisthenics regimen.

Instagram: @elalbanillegendariooficial

Liliana Ibáñez

Liliana Ibáñez is a freestyle swimmer who competed in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. She currently holds the Mexican national swimming records for the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter freestyle, and she's part of the team that holds the record for the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

Instagram: @liliyaks

Luis Pride

Luis "Pride" Escudero is a pro MMA fighter in the featherweight class. He currently holds a record of four wins and three losses since his professional debut in 2021.

Instagram: @luispride23

Mau Otero

Mau Otero is an extreme athlete, surfer, and influencer with over 5 million TikTok followers. In his intro, he says he's best known for feats like crossing between two buildings on a tightrope and jet-skiing while being pulled by an airplane. He also founded the company Saturday Living, which runs surf and wakeboard camps.

Instagram: @mauu.otero

Místico

Místico (real name Luis Ignacio Urive Alvirde) is a luchador, or a professional wrestler who competes in Mexico's lucha libre tradition. The masked wrestler is considered an icon in lucha libre and "the greatest box office attraction of the 21st century in Mexico," according to Major League Wrestling.

Instagram: @caristico_official

Pascal Nadaud

Pascal Nadaud is a professional rugby player, model, and TV personality. He was on Mexico's national rugby team for over a decade, but he's best known for appearing on Mexican reality shows like Exatlón México and La Granja VIP.

Instagram: @pascalnadaud

Patrick Alexandre

Patrick Alexandre Loliger is a Swiss-Mexican rower who has won several medals at the World Rowing U23 Championships, the Pan American Games, and several international regattas. He also competed at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He's also a devoted girl dad and the founder of the dog rescue and adoption agency Mexi Perro.

Instagram: @pato_remo

Sonrixs

Sonrixs (real name Jorge Hernández) is a taekwondo athlete and lifestyle influencer with over 23 million TikTok followers and over 14 million on YouTube. He's a former member of Mexico's national taekwondo team and previously ranked among the top 10 in the world in his category. He's also known for his public relationship with Canadian taekwondo athlete-turned-TikTok star, Kim Mingneault.

Instagram: @sonrixs1

Tony Gastelum

Tony Gastelum is a legend in the world of competitive calisthenics. He's a four-time world champion in the featherweight class and a two-time champion in the lightweight class. The athlete and coach recently announced his retirement after getting his sixth world title earlier this year.

Instagram: @tonygaste

Vanessa Huppenkothen

Vanessa Huppenkothen is a German-Mexican model and sportscaster who has worked for ESPN since 2016. She's currently an anchor for the Spanish-language edition of SportsCenter. Off-camera, the fitness enthusiast is also a triathlete who runs marathons and IRONMAN races.

Instagram: @vanehupp

Monster, Netflix's anthology series that retells and dramatizes headline-grabbing murders, returns for a fourth season on September 18, 2026, and will center on a female killer for the first time. The tale of Lizzie Borden, who was accused—and acquitted—of killing her father and stepmother in 1892 in Massachusetts, has been referenced and recreated many times in history, from folk rhymes to radio shows and now television.

Relative newcomer Ella Beatty will step into Borden’s shoes in her second-ever TV role, after appearing in a supporting capacity on another Ryan Murphy-helmed series, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. Beatty told The TODAY Show that she had “been a fan of the show before." She added, "I knew that Ryan [Murphy] and Ian Brennan were interested in exploring female rage and repression, so I just felt really excited to take on the part.” Ahead, get to know Beatty as you tune into Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.

Everything to Know About 'Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story' Star Ella Beatty

Beatty grew up surrounded by Hollywood as the daughter of actors Annette Bening and Warren Beatty.

Ella Beatty was born in 2000, the youngest of the four children of iconic Hollywood couple Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, and the niece of actress Shirley MacLaine. She told The TODAY Show that her famous parents have given her a lot of acting advice over the years, but “listen” is the best tidbit yet. “What the other person is doing is always more interesting than what you could create,” she recounted to the daytime talk show hosts.

In an Interview Magazine interview, Beatty said she never considered changing her name, though she understands why others feel the pressure to do so. “I do feel a kind of responsibility towards an artistic legacy that I don’t feel ashamed of. I would hope that my work would be powerful enough to offer something specific. I’d hope that my work would be enough to make me separate, but I also understand why people do that,” she said.

She always wanted to be an actor.

Beatty reveals in Interview Magazine that she never acted professionally until after she graduated from school, but playing make-believe “was who I was before I knew it was going to be my profession.” She added, “Playing pretend, make-believe, that was the way that I contextualized the world. I think there was a part of me that thought everybody did that. When your friends come over, doesn’t everybody want to play make-believe?”

Beatty is best friends with her 'Monster' co-star Sarah Paulson.

Beatty attended The Juilliard School for drama and began her career on Broadway in 2024 in the play Appropriate. The star-studded ensemble also featured actors like Corey Stoll and Sarah Paulson—Beatty's future Monster co-star.

Beatty calls Paulson “one of my very best friends in the world” and says they “kind of fell in love immediately” after their experience together on Broadway. Paulson has reiterated that fact, mentioning in their Interview Magazine conversation that they fell in love “in a way that was incredibly real and powerful and magical.”

In that same interview, Paulson admitted that Beatty’s "nepo baby status" was not common knowledge when they met. “I had no idea who your parents were,” Paulson said to Beatty during their Zoom call. “My interest in you, my estimation of you as a performer, had nothing to do with that.” On The TODAY Show, Beatty also revealed that they call each other every 15 minutes and that she often goes to Paulson for advice.

She also starred opposite Hugh Jackman in a theater two-hander.

After wrapping her role on Appropriate, Beatty appeared in the play Ghosts before joining Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, which starred Hugh Jackman and ran twice in 2025 and 2026. She told Interview Magazine in 2025, “The closer we get to each other and the more familiar we become, I have thought about how important it is to maintain a certain amount of that awe that I have for him as a performer, because it’s in the play.”

Next, she’ll co-star in the film adaptation of 'The Bell Jar.'

Helmed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Sarah Polley, Beatty will star as Joan in the adaptation of Sylvia Plath's seminal novel The Bell Jar opposite Billie Eilish, Carey Mulligan, and Connor Storrie. She told The TODAY Show hosts that she “loved the book growing up” and that being part of the cast is “a dream come true.”

Production wrapped on the film in September 2026, but it does not yet have a release date.

It’s time to get in the water with Crew Girl.

The new teen drama, about a star rower (Miku Martineau) who has to find her place at an East Coast prep school after a family scandal implodes her life, arrived on Netflix on Sept. 10. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t know your way around a boat. The sports-romance from creator Vivian Lin gives you the full download on competitive rowing—you’ll know port from starboard and coxswain from stroke seat in no time—while also diving deep into the rivalries, romances, and all-around drama happening Easton Prep.

As Martineau told Netflix's Tudum, the show has "a lot of drama, a lot of abs, a lot of rowing." Read on to learn more about her and the rest of the crew grabbing the oars on this series, from an Off Campus star to a Mad Men alum and more.

Everything to Know About the Cast and Characters of 'Crew Girl'

Miku Martineau as Teagan Tao

Teagan is a talented 16-year-old rower who’s forced to relocate with her mom after her father is accused of financial crimes and goes on the run. She arrives at Easton Prep only to find out there’s no girls’ crew team — so instead, she becomes the coxswain (the person responsible for setting the pace and strategy for his or her crew) for the dysfunctional boys’ team. Not only is she trying to steer her way through a new life and a new school, she also has to get her new team to trust her out on the water.

Martineau, 21, is a Toronto-born Canadian actress who starred in the Netflix murder-mystery series Bet, which was renewed for a second season. You've also seen her in the 2021 action-thriller film Kate, the Paramount+ coming-of-age comedy Honor Society, and as the younger version of Michelle Yeoh's character, Phillipa Georgiou, in the sci-fi series Star Trek: Section 31.

Miku Martineau's Instagram: @miku.martineau

Jessica Paré as Ella Tao

Teagan's mother, Ella, is also figuring out how to start over. After her husband’s alleged crimes come to light, she moves them both back to her childhood home in Eagle's Cove to start this next phase of their lives, and enrolls Teagan at Easton Prep.

Paré, 45, is a Canadian actress and singer best known for playing Megan, Don Draper’s secretary-turned-wife, on the acclaimed series Mad Men. Born in Montreal, Paré has also landed roles on the CBS series Seal Team and films like Wicker Park, Hot Tub Time Machine, and Brooklyn.

Jessica Paré's Instagram: @jesspareforreal

Samuel Braun as Josh Regis

Josh is Easton Prep’s golden boy, a wealthy legacy student (his grandfather owns an airline) and the team’s coveted “stroke” seat. He isn’t exactly welcoming to Teagan when she joins the team, and they butt heads when he thinks he knows better than the new coxswain.

Samuel Braun got his start playing young Luke in 2013’s Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. Since then, the Canadian actor has gone on to appear in Voices For Isabelle, Superman & Lois, The Way Home, Time Cut, and more.

Samuel Braun's Instagram: @samhbraun

Kyle Clark as Cam Dillinger

Cam is a quiet but determined local who attends Easton on a rowing scholarship and refuses to be underestimated. His working-class background makes him very different from the posh Easton students he (and Teagan) interact with on- and offshore.

Another Canadian-born actor, Clark has appeared in episodes of Riverdale (in an uncredited role as a young version of Jughead’s father, Forsythe “F.P.” Jones), The Baby-Sitters Club, and Home Before Dark.

Kyle Clark's Instagram: @itskyleclark

Thomas Cadrot as Coach Matt Hayden

Coach Hayden is the coach of the Easton Prep boys’ crew team, which means he’s juggling the chaotic team members, school administration, and very rich parents with a lot of opinions. He also grew up with Teagan’s mother, Ella, but stayed in town after graduation to start his own family.

Thomas Cadrot was born in Paris and can be seen in Scream VI, Family Law, So Help Me Todd, and more.

Thomas Cadrot's Instagram: @thomas.cadrot

Connor Paton as Ryder Regis

Ryder (above, right) is Josh’s cousin and fellow Easton crew teammate. He’s sick of being stuck in his cousin’s shadow.

Connor Paton made his acting debut in the TV movie Away & Back and has gone onto appear on Riverdale, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, iZombie, Happy Face, and the recent Netflix adaptation of Little House on the Prairie.

Jude Wilson as Bronson "Baloo" Garner

Bronson, aka "Baloo," is a good-natured member of the crew team. His sister, Britney (more on her below), is also an Easton student.

Jude Wilson is a Canadian actor based in Vancouver. You’ve seen him in the 2019 Are You Afraid of the Dark? reboot, Riverdale, Firefly Lane, A Million Little Things, and Fellow Travelers.

Jude Wilson's Instagram: @juderwilson

Olga Petsa as Juliet Morny

Juliet (above, right) is Teagan's new friend at Easton. Like many of their classmates, she comes from a wealthy family and boards at school — as opposed to Teagan, who lives at home and commutes.

Olga Petsa, 20, is a Cyprus-born actress who moved to Canada with her family when she was 9. In addition to Crew Girl, her onscreen credits include Mixtape, I Used to Be Funny, and Black Mirror. According to IMDb, she'll also be seen in the upcoming Netflix movie The Mosquito Bowl and season 4 of Yellowjackets.

Olga Petsa's Instagram: @olgapetsa

Vincent Muller as Damon Quaid

Damon is a member of the Easton Prep crew team with a propensity for starting trouble.

Vincent Muller, 21, has acted on shows like Riverdale, Watson, Murder in a Small Town, and Hope Valley: 1874.

Vincent Muller’s Instagram: @_vincentmuller_

Riley Davis as Noah Bainbridge

Straight-laced Noah is another member of the Easton Prep crew team.

Off Campus fans will recognize Riley Davis as Sean, Allie’s ex-boyfriend, on the hit Prime Video series. The Canadian actor has also been seen in Fire Country, the Curious Caterer Mysteries, The Copenhagen Test, and more.

Riley Davis' Instagram: @rileydavisfilm

Sage Linder as Britney Garner

Britney (above, center right) is Easton's resident Queen Bee and the "twibling" of Baloo. (Their mother, a senator, used two different surrogates at the same time.) She’s also Josh's girlfriend.

Sage Linder, 25, was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. She appeared in episodes of Riverdale and Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, and The Good Doctor, along with starring in the miniseries Harlan Coben's Shelter. She also plays Bronte in the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Sage Linder’s Instagram: @sagelinder

Alaska Leigh as Amber

Amber (above, center right) is a friend of Britney's and a fellow member of the cool-kid crowd at Easton.

Alaska Leigh began her career at the age of 3 through dancing and modeling work, according to her IMDb page. Originally from Queensland, Australia, she's appeared in the TV movie Dying for a Family and series like Fire Country, Creepshow, and Dead Boy Detectives. She's also been cast in national tours for the musicals Chicago and Rock of Ages.

Alaska Leigh's Instagram: @alaskaleigh

Connor Wong as Perry Chou

Another member of the crew team at Easton Prep, Perry (above, center) is described as "always on trend, never on rhythm."

Connor Wong got his start in dance and theater, per his IMDb, and made his acting debut in 2020's The Baby-Sitters Club. He’s also been seen in Home Before Dark, Monster High: The Movie, and the second season of Cruel Summer.

Connor Wong's Instagram: @connor.wong

Jarrett Carlington as Chris "Crab Catcher" Padmore

Chris Padmore is another Easton rower. His nickname, "Crab Catcher," refers to his rowing ability, or lack thereof. (A "crab" in rowing-speak, is when your oar gets stuck underwater mid-stroke.)

Jarrett Carlington is a Canadian-born actor raised in Bermuda. He's landed roles on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Resident Alien, and Fire Country, as well as in the 2020 film Spontaneous.

Jarrett Carlington's Instagram: @jarrettcarlington

Niall Matter as Richard Regis

Richard Regis is Josh's entitled father, who's an Easton alum and former rower himself. He also knew Teagan's mother, Ella, and Coach Harvey from back when they all were students.

Niall Matter is a Canadian-American actor who’s appeared in films like The Predator and Watchmen. On TV, he's appeared in Primeval: New World, Melrose Place, The Good Doctor, and Supernatural, in addition to Hallmark shows and movies like When Calls the Heart and We Met in December.

Niall Matter's Instagram: @officiallyniallmatter

When the season finale of Let’s Marry Harry dropped on August 12, 2026, the Netflix Reality Universe entered a new phase. Pop culture fans didn’t wonder which lucky lady the bachelor in question—in this case, notorious dating-show player Harry Jowsey—chose, as is typical of reality finales. Rather, they wanted to know whether he had actually gotten legally wed at all. They got their answer days later: Jowsey himself admitted the answer was no.

But the reveal didn't feel all that surprising. It simply proved the fundamental paradox behind Netflix's hit reality slate is catching up with the streamer: Dating shows shouldn't involve marriage.

The pursuit of love on reality TV has always been a conundrum, but Netflix takes dissonance to the next level. Since Love Is Blind became a cultural phenomenon amid the COVID lockdowns, the streamer has fashioned its most popular unscripted shows around the notion that marriage is the ultimate prize. Despite its abysmal success rate, each Love Is Blind reunion boasts at least one married couple to espouse that the show can bring contestants love. The most recent season of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On—another toxic show from the same production team behind LIB—ended with the NRU’s first reunion wedding. (Fear not: The happy couple signed the marriage certificate on-screen.) And it’s not just the Lachey-hosted shows: Temptation Island and Age of Attraction both touted engagements. Never mind that the age-gap series notably included commitment ceremonies rather than proposals; the couples still exchanged promise rings.

So why did Let’s Marry Harry, which came out less than a month after The Ultimatum’s impromptu nuptials, end with a wedding but not a marriage? According to a production source, the lack of a signed certificate was to avoid spoilers. This choice meant that the competition ended with an empty prize, if not for the contestants, then for viewers lacking media literacy who took the happy ending at face value. Jowsey spends the entire series expressing that his father's death was a wake-up call that made him long for commitment. During the finale wedding, he dons his father's glasses while reading his vows. When he never truly had anything on the line—unlike his contestants, who subject themselves to social-media scrutiny for the chance at a husband—all of those assertions of growth ring hollow.

Only Jowsey himself knows his true intentions, but after the LMH reunion, it seems that he didn’t take the symbolic lifetime commitment very seriously. He and his “ex-wife,” Amber Mozo, broke up less than two months after the wedding. Amber has accused Harry of cheating on her while they were together, with both runner-up Dannelle Davidson and an influencer who he’s now dating.

Over my five years covering Love Is Blind and other shows, I’ve become increasingly cynical that these marriage-pilled dating shows are anything other than a new frontier of the outrage economy. Each season has presented more “fairy tale” pod love stories; more jaw-droppingly toxic men; more controversies that reach new levels of horror when you realize that the unwitting party (usually the woman) may be legally bound to the cheater, gaslighter, or misogynist at the end. The entire dating-show genre was built on a foundation of indignation; however, many of Netflix’s predecessors—from Joe Millionaire to Flavor of Love to the best seasons of The Bachelor—gave a self-aware wink to the audience that contestants saw love as more of a “would-be-nice” prospect compared to fame, financial security, or a free vacation. Even in the most misanthropic LIB season, there’s at least one person (typically a woman) who was earnestly looking for a life partner and ends the show genuinely heartbroken.

At a time when many young people (myself included) are trying to build lives outside of patriarchal norms, it’s hard for me not to see these shows as preying on a universal desire for partnership, at a time when marriage is on the decline. The producers—with married hosts like the Lacheys, the Willises, or the Vialls as their mouthpieces—ascribe marriage and babies as life’s biggest goal and then instill a scarcity mindset, via public humiliation, in women desperate to reach that next stage in life. Forget trad wives—these dating shows are the most effective way to reinforce gender norms to viewers trying to escape politics.

The dating show that proves marriage isn’t needed for high stakes or swoonworthy romance is the same one that threatens Netflix’s reality supremacy. Love Island USA’s endgame is much less dramatic; becoming boyfriend and girlfriend is the highest level of commitment the contestants make. LIUSA is not without its flaws (and is inevitably an influencer talent incubator), but proves that you don’t need an on-screen marriage or engagement to create a can’t-miss season of television and a pop-culture phenomenon.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that Netflix is lightening up on its marriage-pilled reality shows any time soon. The streamer recently announced Netflix, Will You Marry Me?, an interactive dating competition where subscribers will vote live on a potential wife for a to-be-announced bachelor. The announcement promises, “The thrill of swiping on friends’ dating apps just got amplified”—a telling pitch, considering dating apps have arguably destabilized modern dating culture. I’m expecting Netflix, Will You Marry Me? to take over social media when it comes out, as it spurs the latest monocultural argument of heterosexual mating norms. I’m also praying that viewers will look beyond the urge to argue which of the contrived, edited relationships are marriage-worthy. Instead, we should all question why marriage is seen as a measure of worth, and why reality TV wants women to covet it.

Every few months, a new season of Love Is Blind arrives on Netflix like clockwork. (Every month if you count the many international versions.) While the main U.S. series is between seasons, Love Is Blind: UK swoops in to provide the same controversial formula with different regional accents and societal nuances. With the help of gorgeous European filming locations and hosting couple Matt and Emma Willis, LIB: UK historically gives viewers a bit more of an earnest, mature ride than the chaos the U.S. seasons have provided. (Just a bit, as mess is inherent to the reality hit's formula.)

For its third season, premiered on Wednesday, August 19, Love Is Blind: UK has recruited a diverse cohort of primarily England-based singles in their late 20s and early 30s, per Tudum. A whopping eight(!) episodes dropped on premiere day, setting up a sure-to-be-dramatic August 26 finale and August 30 reunion. Below, read on to learn more about the cast of Love Is Blind: UK season 3, including which couples made it out of the pods.

Your Guide to the Cast of 'Love Is Blind' Season 3

The Women of 'Love Is Blind: UK' Season 3

Chevanique, 29

Instagram: @chevanique_t

Location: Birmingham, England

Occupation: Sexual health nurse

Backstory: Her last relationship started over the phone during the pandemic and lasted five years.

Motto: "I want my eggs cracked. I need my name dropped. I need a hubby."

Gets Engaged? No, but she's part of a love triangle with Joseph and Francesca.

Ciara, 29

Instagram: @ciaramurphyldn

Location: London, England

Occupation: Pilates instructor

Backstory: She's been cheated on in all of her past relationships.

Motto: "I have expensive taste, but I'm worth the investment."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Ajay.

Cuba, 29

Instagram: @cubariggs

Location: London, England

Occupation: Yoga and fitness instructor

Backstory: She was previously engaged, but left her fiancé after discovering he was cheating on her.

Motto: "I have some soul connections with my best friends, but I do wanna find that romantically as well."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Ryan.

Faye, 28

Instagram: @fayedomaille

Location: London, England

Occupation: Executive assistant

Backstory: Her last serious relationship happened when she was a teenager.

Motto: "I need someone who's gonna be my cheerleader, because I am not about a man putting me down."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Jack.

Francesca, 29

Instagram: @francescaemmanuel_

Location: London, England

Occupation: HR associate

Backstory: She says her dad is her gold standard for men.

Motto: "Dating is awful. I hate it. I don't use dating apps."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Joseph.

Hannah, 27

Instagram: @hannahlouissee

Location: Leeds, England

Occupation: Chartered accountant

Backstory: She's a self-proclaimed "daddy's girl," and he helped create her Hinge profile.

Motto: "I'm a black cat, but I'm not looking for a golden retriever. I want a Doberman—a loyal, strong man who is committed to me."

Gets Engaged? No.

Katie, 30

Instagram: @katiejlinsky

Location: Doncaster, England

Occupation: Project manager

Backstory: She's a single mom with a 7-year-old son.

Motto: "I've put my heart into being a mum, and now I'm ready to share it with someone else."

Gets Engaged? No.

Komel, 34

Instagram: @komelwaqar

Location: Glasgow, Scotland

Occupation: Senior finance officer

Motto: "I'm easy going but a bit chaotic. I've lost my phone three times in the past year!"

Gets Engaged? No.

Lydia, 31

Instagram: @lydiaejames

Location: Cardiff, Wales

Occupation: Senior product manager

Motto: "There is no romance in dating apps. Swiping based on looks—it's giving nothing."

Gets Engaged? No.

Monum, 29

Instagram: @monumsabirrr

Location: Bury, England

Occupation: Audiologist

Backstory: She's a hobbyist and spends her spare time reading, crocheting, and thrifting.

Motto: "I believe in the law of attraction. I'm certainly trying to manifest my husband."

Gets Engaged? No.

Neive, 27

Instagram: @neivexo

Location: Perth, Scotland

Occupation: Luxury car salesperson

Backstory: She dumped her last boyfriend because he was always going out instead of spending time with her.

Motto: "If my ideal man was a car, he'd be a Mercedes G-Wagon. Big, strong—he'd do the work and be fun to look at."

Gets Engaged? No.

Sammy, 33

Instagram: @sammy.harper_

Location: Manchester, England

Occupation: Wellbeing coach and entrepreneur

Backstory: She's a trained opera singer.

Motto: "I'm looking for an alpha male to lead a family and make decisions."

Gets Engaged? No.

Sophie, 27

Instagram: @sophietregaskiss

Location: Greater Manchester, England

Occupation: Operations team leader

Backstory: Her previous relationship began when she was 19 and lasted seven years.

Motto: "I don't know how to date. I haven't been on a date since I was 18."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Taylor.

Yasmin, 32

Instagram: @yasmeenstagram_

Location: London, England

Occupation: Physician associate

Backstory: She has mixed Ghanaian, Egyptian, and Lebanese heritage. She also has vitiligo and has never had an "official boyfriend."

Motto: "I've got a lot of love to give, and I'm just ready to find the right person to give it to."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Jordan.

Zelania, 29

Instagram: @zelaniaaaa

Location: London, England

Occupation: Marketing manager

Backstory: Her last relationship ended when her partner moved to Australia out of nowhere.

Motto: "If I can find my husband here and our children can watch it back, I'd be living my own rom-com."

Gets Engaged? No.

The Men of 'Love Is Blind: UK' Season 3

Ajay, 33

Instagram: @ajaycheema

Location: London, England

Occupation: Fitness coach

Backstory: He's a former basketball player who left a banking career to pursue travel and fitness.

Motto: "I've spent the last 10 months living in Australia, and now I'm ready to settle down."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Ciara.

Alex, 33

Instagram: @alexbegyinah

Location: Birmingham, England

Occupation: Business development manager

Backstory: He's half Ghanaian and half Sri Lankan. After his parents' separation, he's determined to get married only once.

Motto: "I'm not a player. I find it difficult to juggle different girls. I'm a lover boy."

Gets Engaged? No.

Blue, 32

Instagram: @blue.braithwaite

Location: London, England

Occupation: Plasterer

Motto: "I would prioritise my wife. I'll cook, I'll clean—I'll even put your knickers in the wash!"

Gets Engaged? No.

George, 32

Instagram: @georgemorgan_1303

Location: Derby, England

Occupation: Bank relationship manager and wine bar owner

Backstory: He was with his last partner for 10 years, but he broke things off before they got married.

Motto: "I'll keep you interested and on your toes. You won't get bored of me."

Gets Engaged? No.

Jack, 30

Instagram: @jackbradshaw

Location: Cornwall, England

Occupation: Chef at the U.K.'s only beach club

Backstory: His previous long-term relationship ended when his ex moved away.

Motto: "I know I'm not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but I'm one of a kind."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Faye.

Jacob, 32

Location: Colchester, England

Occupation: Business owner

Backstory: He broke up with his previous girlfriend of seven years after they moved in together and lost their spark.

Motto: "I don't believe in gender roles. Merge that energy and unite as one couple."

Gets Engaged? No

Jonathan, 32

Instagram: @jonharrold

Location: Hertfordshire, England

Occupation: Tech recruiter

Backstory: He's the youngest of five children and a self-proclaimed "mummy's boy."

Motto: "If you're a short king like me, it's tough. This will take the pressure off."

Gets Engaged? No.

Jordan, 29

Location: Birmingham, England

Occupation: Teacher

Backstory: Though he's ex-military, he's willing to put his favorite hobby, exercise, aside to raise a family.

Motto: "My granddad met my nan on waltzers. The love they had is the love I'm looking for."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Yasmin.

Joseph, 33

Instagram: @josephsubuola

Location: London, England

Occupation: Senior project manager

Backstory: He's a "committed Christian," and his guilty pleasure is anime.

Motto: "The only thing that's missing from my life is a wife."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Francesca.

Luke, 29

Instagram: @lukeawats

Location: Doncaster, England

Occupation: Planning officer

Backstory: He's been single his whole adult life, and his Jamaican family is pressuring him to settle down.

Motto: "I've had flings, but I'm tired of it—and my mum is tired of hearing about it! I want to find the one."

Gets Engaged? No.

Met, 35

Instagram: @metemir

Location: London, England

Occupation: Technology recruiter

Backstory: His parents, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew all live just 10 minutes away.

Motto: "My parents have been married for 40 years. They've set a blueprint for what I want."

Gets Engaged? No.

Mike, 32

Instagram: @mikejamesmitchell

Location: Preston, England

Occupation: Teaching assistant

Backstory: All of his previous relationships ended at the three-year mark, mostly due to the unpredictability of his former military life.

Motto: "I'm the only one in the group chat not married. It's wedding season, and I keep showing up by myself!"

Gets Engaged? No.

Ryan, 33

Instagram: @ryanlewisroberts

Location: Manchester, England

Occupation: Public speaker and entrepreneur

Backstory: He doesn’t own a television and hasn’t watched TV in 15 years.

Motto: "I don't enjoy surface-level connections. I'm looking for a deeper connection."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Cuba.

Si, 36

Instagram: @sibucknell

Location: Gloucestershire, England

Occupation: Motorsport technician

Motto: "I love hard because if anything's worth doing, it's worth doing right."

Gets Engaged? No.

Taylor, 31

Instagram: @taylorburgen93

Location: Hertfordshire, England

Occupation: Head of sales

Backstory: He was with his last girlfriend for seven years and often compares new flings to his ex.

Motto: "Even though I come across all cocky, I'm the biggest softie you'll ever meet."

Gets Engaged? Yes, to Sophie.

Calling all period-drama fans: Netflix's My Brilliant Career introduces your new favorite heroine. Out on August 13, the new Australian series adapts one of the country's seminal books, the titular 1901 semi-autobiographical novel written by then-21-year-old Miles Franklin. It follows Sybylla Melvyn, the daughter of a poor rural family who's sent to live with her wealthy grandmother in hopes of finding a rich husband. The rebellious writer is determined to build a fulfilling life outside of society's expectations, but her convictions are tested when she accidentally falls in love.

Since its debut, showrunner Liz Doran's adaptation has become a word-of-mouth hit, with countless fans falling for star Philippa Northeast's performance as the headstrong feminist heroine. Now that the Australian actress is on the verge of a major global breakout, read on to learn more about Philippa Northeast, from her early career to her special connection to Sybylla.

Everything to Know About Philippa Northeast

Philippa Northeast is an Australian actress who started her career in soap operas.

Philippa Northeast, 31, was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, where she grew up with four siblings. Northeast first became interested in acting as a teenager, but not as a career; she had planned to study criminology at the University of Melbourne. Instead, after her first term at the university, she got the chance to audition for Home and Away, the iconic soap opera that launched the careers of actors like Naomi Watts and Chris Hemsworth.

"I moved out of home for the first time, went to Sydney, and suddenly had a full-time job," she told RUSSH Magazine of joining the series at 18. "It felt like an apprenticeship. I was working, but I was also figuring out how to live."

After starring as Evelyn MacGuire on Home and Away from 2013 to 2017, Northeast went on to appear in Australian shows and movies like Standing Up for Sunny, The Newsreader, Paper Dolls, and The Family Next Door. She also crossed over to the U.S. with starring roles in the 2022 Hallmark movie A Royal Runaway Romance and the CW series Good Cop/Bad Cop. Netflix fans may recognize her most for playing Susie Lawson in the 2024 country series Territory.

Philippa Northeast's boyfriend stars in one of TV's most cult-loved shows.

It turns out that Northeast is one-half of an Australian acting power couple. The My Brilliant Career star has been in a relationship with The Vampire Lestat star Sam Reid since at least 2018, at least according to her Instagram. The pair co-starred in the rom-com Standing Up for Sunny in 2019, so it seems that they fell for each other while filming. (Northeast and Reid later reunited onscreen in seasons 2 and 3 of The Newsreader.)

Reid is notoriously private and off social media, so the pair haven't said much about their relationship publicly since they made their red-carpet debut in 2019. In 2025, Northeast gave some rare details in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald. She told the outlet that she and her partner (who she declined to name) share a pup named Rani and split their time between Sydney, Australia, and a farm in a rural community southeast of the city.

"She is our everything, and the hardest thing to be away from when we’re working," Northeast said of Rani. She added about her relationship, "We keep the personal details of our life pretty quiet, because it’s just for us."

Philippa Northeast thinks 'My Brilliant Career' is a "vital" story among "reversals of women’s rights around the world."

While promoting My Brilliant Career, Northeast has praised the series for telling a feminist story at a time when women's rights have been challenged worldwide.

"I feel so proud we’re putting this story out right now," she said in an interview with ELLE Australia. "We are seeing reversals of women’s rights around the world. It is a pretty fragile political space in a lot of countries. A story like this, told in the way we are telling it, is vital—especially for young women coming through and realising that there is still a need to fight for your own independence and agency. It’s not a matter of sitting back and hoping these things will come to you."

Northeast also opened up about relating to the character, as someone who also pursued their dream career at a young age.

"Because I came into acting in an unconventional way, there was always a part of my mind asking when this path was going to run out,” she explained. “Doing Sybylla lit a creative fire within me. There will be ebbs and flows, but now I know who I am as a creative. Sybylla really gave me my voice."

Netflix recently debuted Let's Marry Harry, a Bachelor-like dating series where 20 women competed for the heart of former playboy Harry Jowsey. In its August 12 finale, the reality show finished with Harry choosing between two women, 33-year-old Vegas cocktail waitress Dannelle Davidson and 30-year-old Hawaiian travel photographer Amber Mozo. Despite finding an early and steady connection with Dannelle, Harry ultimately felt his and Amber's slow-burn was the stronger choice, leaving Dannelle dumped and heartbroken in a wedding dress.

With a reunion heading to Netflix on August 26, fans are speculating over some big questions, including whether Harry and Amber are still together. However, Dannelle has already begun sharing her thoughts on her reality-show experience. Below, read on to learn more about the woman who almost married Harry, including how she found out about his and Amber's nuptials.

Dannelle Davidson is a Las Vegas cocktail waitress and rising influencer.

According to her Tudum bio, Dannelle Davidson is a 33-year-old Scorpio (making her four years older than Harry) who works as a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas. "Dannelle likes to say she runs on intuition, ambition, and 'a little bit of delusion,' the bio reads. "When Dannelle isn’t working, she’s trying new restaurants, hitting a gym class, or relaxing at home with her dogs.

Over the past year since Let's Marry Harry was filmed, Dannelle has continued working in the Vegas nightlife industry while also diving more into the influencer world, sharing stories from her shifts on TikTok. She has also done modeling for LIV Nightclub, LIV Beach Club, and Yasmin Swimwear.

Dannelle got a secret ring from Harry Jowsey early in filming 'Let's Marry Harry.'

It took a bit of time for Dannelle to become a frontrunner once Let's Marry Harry started filming. She first got the spotlight in episode 2, when she celebrated her birthday in the mansion. After sharing a quick kiss while cutting her birthday cake, they went upstairs to his suite to chat. In the show's edit, some risqué sounds ensued as the pair went into the closet for privacy, but Harry has accused producers of adding the sound effects when he and Dannelle were "just making out."

The next day, though Harry continues to get to know the rest of the girls, he says he can't get Dannelle out of his head. After they have a second, streamier evening together in episode 3, Harry becomes concerned that she could think that their connection is just about sex. To show her how he feels, he gives her a second, secret ring that he bought before the show. (All the women already got engagement rings from production in the premiere.)

After the secret ring, Dannelle takes a bit of a back seat in terms of screen time, but she and Harry still find moments to get closer. During the group date in episode 6, she tells him that she's falling in love with him, and he replies that he's "already there." The meet-her-mother lunch goes pretty well. Dannelle's mom is surprised to learn that there may be a wedding, but Harry gets through her grilling and gets her approval. And when the show goes to New Zealand, Dannelle says, "I love you," to him before meeting his sisters. Still, heading into the finale, Harry admits he doesn't know who to choose.

Dannelle thought Harry wouldn't get married after their split.

Both Dannelle and Amber spent the finale getting fully ready for a wedding, with dress shopping and all. On her final date, Dannelle meets Harry's dogs and reiterates how she's ready for kids ASAP. Meanwhile, while Amber still seems lukewarm about the whole marriage thing, she and Harry also exchange "I love you"s. In the end, Dannelle is surprised by Harry in the bridal suite, where he tells her they aren't getting married.

"I’ve really fallen in love with you. But this past week, I started second-guessing everything," Harry tells her. "I'm gonna be honest—I don't think we're getting married today."

In a Tudum interview, Dannelle admitted the choice blindsided her. "I just felt so sure in our connection that I couldn't wrap my head around anything else," she explained. "I just remember saying, ‘If he’s not marrying me today, he’s not getting married.'"

However, Harry did marry Amber (or, at least they had the ceremony). Dannelle revealed to Tudum that she didn't find out about the wedding from Harry. Her family and friends were staying at the same hotel as Amber's, so "it was pretty easy to figure out that everyone was on their way to the wedding." Dannelle also admitted, "I didn’t sleep that whole night. I was up till 4:00 a.m."

Dannelle spent a lot of time "processing" after 'Let's Marry Harry' finished filming.

While fans will have to wait until the August 26 reunion to get the full retrospective on Let's Marry Harry, Dannelle has broken her silence about her time on the show. In an Instagram Q&A posted the day of the finale's airing, per The Tab, the finalist opened up about watching the show back for the first time, admitting that the episodes were "really hard to watch."

In response to a submitted question about how she remained so composed during the breakup, Dannelle admitted that she was "in a state of shock and too stunned to speak." However, she added that now, after spending a good amount of time "processing" the split, she believes that "everything happened the way it was supposed to."

Spoilers ahead for the Let's Marry Harry reunion. So, who married Harry? 20 women competed to win Harry Jowsey's heart on the latest Netflix dating series (which felt very similar to The Bachelor), and at the end of Let's Marry Harry, only one got to say, "I do," at the altar. 30-year-old Hawaiian travel photographer Amber Mozo outlasted the competition and said her vows to the 29-year-old reality TV star in the show's finale.

But did they live happily ever after? Rumors were swirling before the show even premiered about whether notorious playboy Harry was still married to the winner of the series. Now that the Let's Marry Harry reunion is out on Netflix, read our breakdown of his and Amber's journey and whether they are still together after the cameras stopped rolling.

What happened between Harry and Amber on 'Let's Marry Harry?'

Amber Mozo, who was married before this competition, entered the house alongside the 19 other contestants vying for Harry's attention. Amber and Harry had immediate physical chemistry, but their emotional connection took a bit longer to form. At first, Harry admitted that he wasn't even sure if Amber liked him, calling her a "mysterious little cat." He explained in episode 2, "She makes me feel like she hates me, but also loves me, and I think that’s kind of exciting."

It wasn't until Amber opened up about her father's death during their one-on-one date in episode 5 that she and Harry began to form a deeper bond. Harry called it the best date he's ever had. Later in the season, he revealed that he sees bees as a symbol of his late father and that he'd only seen them flying around Amber—a sign of his dad's stamp of approval.

Amber's time living with the other girls came with some drama. First, she got into an argument with 30-year-old Juliana Melchor after Amber interrupted her alone time with Harry. Juliana claimed that Amber pulled Harry away right as she was having a serious heart-to-heart with the eligible bachelor, while Amber said she didn't realize what she was interrupting. The two eventually patched things up, but not after some lingering tension in the house.

The most controversial moment of the season occurred when, in episode 5, Amber and Harry have sex in the shower in Harry's bathroom. (Yes, he also lives in the main house.) In the episode, Amber can be heard saying, "Get naked. You gotta drive the car before you buy it." The other remaining girls overhear and jump to the right conclusion, though Harry initially lies to them about what happened behind the closed door.

Do Harry and Amber actually get married on 'Let's Marry Harry?'

In the finale, Amber calls their relationship "two imperfect people who are perfect for each other," before expressing her love for Harry. Though she was previously married and divorced, Amber says in a confessional that she feels at peace and has clarity about walking down the aisle towards Harry.

Harry breaks things off with finalist Dannelle Davidson in the dressing room while she's in her wedding dress (ouch!) and proceeds to the ceremony, where he meets executive producer Alex Cooper for a quick pep talk before taking his place at the altar.

Harry and Amber exchange heartfelt vows, with him noting their slow-burn romance. "On the first day of this, I didn’t think we’d be here,” he recites from handwritten vows at the altar. “Somehow you made me slow down, soften, and believe in something real. And here you are, and you make me feel like home.” Harry even dons his dad's glasses so that his late father can "see how beautiful" Amber is.

Amber replies, saying, "This whole process with you has been a process of surrendering, letting my guard down… You are so special and so unique, and I always said that unique souls have unique timelines, and it just feels like you were always meant to be on mine from my first date."

Despite the pair getting through their marriage ceremony officiated by Amanda Kloots without a hitch—and an official claim from Netflix that the wedding was legit—it seems that Harry and Amber's union was less than legally binding. Following the finale's release, TMZ reported that sources claimed the pair "intentionally held off on making the marriage official to avoid spoiling the ending before it aired." As one source reportedly claimed, the show was "preventing a Love Is Blind situation" in which sleuthing fans reveal spoilers by digging into marriage records.

Four days after TMZ's report, Harry himself confirmed that the wedding paperwork was never filed. He revealed via TikTok that he and Amber did sign papers following the ceremony, but that production "held onto the paperwork" to "save the whole experience" from spoilers. He added, "It is out there. But now you will see once the reunion is done and out there, if it gets submitted, or if it gets torn up."

It looks like we can now add Let's Marry Harry to Netflix's track record of redefining the sanctity of marriage. The arguably bigger question is whether Amber and Harry's relationship is still going strong, nearly a year after the show was reportedly filmed in late 2025.

Are Harry and Amber still together after 'Let's Marry Harry?'

Neither Amber nor Harry has explicitly commented on the fate of their marriage in the days between the August 12 finale and the August 26 reunion. However, the odds didn't seem great.

Before the show even aired, notable reality TV spoiler hound Reality Steve claimed that Harry and Amber had gotten "TV married," meaning they said "I do" but never signed a marriage certificate. The post, published three weeks prior to Let's Marry Harry's premiere, also dropped the alleged bombshell that the pair are no longer together, breaking up "earlier this year."

In the lead-up to the premiere, Amber teased her involvement on the series with an Instagram post that said, "24 hours until the world gets to witness the biggest man hater attempt to date the world's [sic] biggest red flag." While it doesn't explicitly refer to their fate, it could provide a peek into her feelings toward Harry post-show. Harry, meanwhile, told US Weekly that life after the show is "the best I’ve ever been. Everything that I’ve dreamed of is happening."

Another solid clue towards the couple's status so far has come not from Amber and Harry themselves, but from Harry's bestie Sonny Hetty. In an interview with The Swooon released on August 6, Hetty admitted that he was not happy with Harry's choice of bride. "I don’t really want to elaborate," Hetty added. "I just don’t think it was the right idea. I don’t think whoever was the winner, or the chosen, or if there was one, was the right one."

Fan speculation became so widespread that Amber did directly debunked one theory. In the finale, viewers briefly see Amber's friend Makoa Da Silva attend her wedding. Makoa has dated Harry's close friend and influencer Tana Mongeau for over two years, and a Reddit user speculated that Harry and Amber may have already known each other through Tana.

However, Amber told The Tab, "I have never met Harry before filming, no, but we have a mutual friend! My first time meeting him was on the show!"

Meanwhile, fans found potential evidence on Amber's Instagram that she has already found a new love post-Harry. On July 2, 2026, Amber posted an Instagram carousel recapping a trip to Ibiza, which includes one picture of Amber being carried to a private jet by a man who is not Harry. It's unclear whether the display is romantic or platonic; the pic was also featured in an Instagram Story highlight, which was seemingly deleted after The Tab first reported on it.

The final word on this rumor came not from Amber, but from her cousin, and fellow reality star, Litia Garr. The runner-up on Grant Ellis' season of The Bachelor, defended her cousin on Instagram, per The Swooon.

"That guy is not her boyfriend," the Bachelor alum explained. "She’s this big. She weighs 15 pounds. She’s literally the size of a Labubu. She gets picked up all the time, and that’s not her boyfriend."

What did Harry and Amber reveal at the 'Let's Marry Harry' reunion?

To the surprise of no one, Amber and Harry arrived to the Let's Marry Harry reunion as "ex-spouses." The pair revealed that their relationship became rocky pretty quickly after filming the wedding in November 2025. They set out on "honeymoon" travels to Hawaii and Australia soon after; by the end of the Australia trip, they had broken up. They disagreed a bit on the timeline following the trip, but according to Amber, Harry had completely ghosted her by February 1st, two or three months after the ceremony.

Both on the reunion and in a subsequent PEOPLE interview, Amber claimed that Harry "gaslit, manipulated and emotionally abused" her during their short-lived nuptials. Most notably, she accused Harry of having a wandering eye while they were together. According to Amber, while they were in Australia, Harry spent time with a female influencer instead of prioritizing her. Harry countered that the unidentified woman was a cover since he and Amber had to stay hidden.

Also, Dannelle revealed that she had reconnected with Harry last January, and that they were intimate when she visited him in L.A.. Amber claimed that she and Harry were still talking and that he effectively cheated on her with Dannelle. (Also, she apparently found out about them just days before the reunion.) All in all, Amber told PEOPLE that she felt Harry had "completely disposed of her."

During the reunion, Harry said that the need to keep their relationship public put a strain on them, and that he and Amber ultimately weren't meant to be. Despite him and Amber not working out, he claimed that he was still ready to be a husband.

"Maybe [the show] just wasn’t the perfect environment for me,” he said, per Tudum. “But it was a wild, beautiful journey, and it really taught me to slow down and just to take it day by day."

In fact, Harry may be currently dating his future wife. (No, not Dannelle, or any of his other ex-fiancées.) "I am in the most amazing relationship right now, and I think that I got very lucky to have this person in my life," he revealed. "I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I found the perfect person that makes me want to be a husband."

Turns out we won’t be leaving Silver Falls any time soon: Netflix has officially renewed the coming-of-age drama My Life with the Walter Boys for a fourth season, with the news coming before the now-streaming third season premiered on August 6, 2026. Based on the Wattpad sensation-turned-novel by Ali Novak, the series follows Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez), who moves in with her mom’s best friend’s family in small-town Colorado after her family is tragically killed in a car crash. As Jackie acclimates to the change of pace from her Manhattan roots, she finds herself in a love triangle with two of the brothers living under the roof.

While the first season of the series is largely lifted from Novak’s novel, the subsequent seasons have evolved the story across many different characters and plot points—and season 4 will be no different. Ahead, we break down everything we know about the forthcoming My Life with the Walter Boys season 4.

Everything We Know About 'My Life with the Walter Boys' Season 4

Is 'My Life with the Walter Boys' renewed for season 4?

In May 2026, a few months ahead of the season 3 premiere, Netflix officially confirmed My Life with the Walter Boys will return for a fourth season, signaling the popularity of the YA series. The Tudum announcement noted that this is the second consecutive year in which My Life with the Walter Boys was renewed before the forthcoming season’s premiere.

When will 'My Life with the Walter Boys' season 4 come out?

The streamer has revealed that new episodes can be expected in 2027. “I know I speak for the writers, the cast, and the crew when I say that it is beyond exciting to be returning to the world of Silver Falls for a fourth season,” showrunner and executive producer Melanie Halsall told Tudum. “We are all incredibly grateful and are thrilled to dive in.”

Seasons 2 and 3 of the hit romance series have been released in the summer, and it seems like season 4 could do the same. In early August—just as the new slate of season 3 episodes hit streaming—Netflix announced that the show had already picked the cameras back up. It shared a sweet photo of the main trio back on set on social media, along with a caption confirming season 4 was in production.

With filming already underway, it definitely seems feasible for season 4 to arrive in summer 2027—though we probably won't have an official release date until sometime next year.

Who in the 'My Life with the Walter Boys' cast will return for season 4?

My Life with the Walter Boys wouldn't be the same without the leads—Nikki Rodriguez (Jackie Howard), Noah LaLonde (Cole Walter), and Ashby Gentry (Alex Walter)—so they'll inevitably return. Netflix confirmed as much, based on the photo it shared of them back on set at the ranch.

Much of the supporting cast will also likely return, including the Walter matriarch and patriarch played by Sarah Rafferty and Marc Blucas, as well as the other Walter siblings (and cousins) portrayed by Corey Fogelmanis (Nathan), Connor Stanhope (Danny), Dean Petriw (Jordan), Lennix James (Benny), Alix West Lefler (Parker), Myles Perez (Lee), and Isaac Arellanes (Isaac). The various significant others and friends amidst the Walter family will also likely return, meaning we’ll see more of Jaylan Evans (Skylar), Alisha Newton (Erin), Ellie O'Brien (Grace), Mya Lowe (Kylie), and Kolton Stewart (Dylan). Jackie’s uncle Richard, played by Alex Quijano, could continue to recur in season 4—and his intern Eliot (Naveen Paddock), whom Jackie kisses in the season 3 finale, seems likely to return after that major cliffhanger.

Eldest son Will and his fiancée Hayley, played onscreen by Johnny Link and Zoë Soul, are question marks, as their plans to move to Atlanta were announced in season 3. Similarly, Erin Karpluk, who appeared in season 3 as Lee and Isaac’s mom Hannah, could reappear in season 4, though it’s unlikely given the conclusion of her arc.

What would 'My Life with the Walter Boys' season 4 be about?

Like previous seasons, season 3 ends on a few cliffhangers: Following Jackie and Cole's mid-season break-up, Jackie sees her childhood friend Eliot in a new light and shares a kiss with him, while Cole's life is in danger after a drag race gone wrong. The series also introduces a new love triangle with best friends Alex and Kiley kissing despite her dating Dylan.

The exact plot of season 4 has not yet been revealed—but with Cole's fate hanging in the balance, his pre-race clarity, and the amount of miscommunication that fueled Jackie and Cole's break-up, we're sure to see those lovebirds find their way back to each other in season 4. Halsall told Tudum, “Our story’s about love and romance and love triangles and all those teenage trials and tribulations around those things, and we’re not going to divert from those—so much, much more of that to come in season 4.”

Halsall also spoke to Deadline about her choice to end season 3 with so many stories up in the air. "We like to subvert expectations and make people desperate for more and make people shout at their screen because they can’t believe it’s over," she explained. "It felt like the right place to leave the characters for now after everything that’s happened in this season."

The showrunner shared that the team always knew season 3 would end how it did—and that they know where the entire series is headed. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Halsall said, "I definitely have a story in mind...Obviously things adapt and change while you’re writing. But the overall sense of where we’ll end up remains more or less the same." It hasn't been confirmed whether season 4 will be the show's final installment, but it sounds like there will eventually be a satisfying conclusion to its ultimate will-they-won't-they.

For now, continue to check back, as we'll keep this story updated as more information becomes available.

Netflix reality star Harry Jowsey is ready to settle down, and he’s turning to his inner circle for help finding a wife. The newest reality series from the streamer, Let’s Marry Harry, finds the Australian heartthrob dating a group of women at the same time, The Bachelor-style, sending contestants home as the series progresses until Jowsey finds “the one.” Along for the ride as his confidantes are his ex-girlfriend, Perfect Match star Georgia Hassarati, his “honorary brother” Sonny Henty, and his best friend Amanda Kloots.

This isn’t Kloots’s first foray into reality TV, so she's no stranger to being on camera, but there’s a lot you might not know about Jowsey’s best friend. Ahead, we delve into what you need to know about the former dancer and television personality.

Everything to Know About Amanda Kloots

Kloots grew up in Ohio and is a trained dancer.

Hailing from Canton, Ohio, Kloots is the second-youngest of five children. She began her career as part of major Broadway ensembles including Good Vibrations, Young Frankenstein, and Follies. She became a member of the Rockettes in 2004 and performed two seasons with the iconic troupe. On YouTube, she revealed that she auditioned twice before making the cut, fulfilling a childhood dream. Kloots later appeared on season 30 of Dancing With the Stars, placing fourth.

In 2016, she launched AK! Rope, a jump-rope-based fitness method, which she later expanded into AK! Dance and AK! Body. Eventually, she molded AK! Fitness, a digital fitness brand with cardio, dance, and toning exercises.

She was a co-host of the CBS talk show 'The Talk' until it ended in 2024.

In 2020, Kloots began appearing as a guest host on the CBS talk series, aptly titled The Talk. In 2021, she was bumped up to a permanent host, joining Sheryl Underwood, Jerry O'Connell, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, and Natalie Morales to discuss current events and human interest stories. For both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Kloots was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host along with her co-hosts. After 14 years and 15 seasons on-air, CBS ended the series in April 2024.

Her second husband Nick Cordero died from COVID-19 in 2020.

Kloots was married to her first husband, David Larsen, a theatre actor, for six years before meeting her second husband, Broadway star Nick Cordero. They met in 2014 while working on Bullets Over Broadway, a stage musical adaptation of Woody Allen’s 1994 film. Kloots and Cordero got married in 2017 and became parents to a son named Elvis in June 2019, and were together until Cordero’s death after a 95-day illness attributed to COVID-19 during the pandemic in 2020. Kloots went viral for documenting Cordero’s illness online—especially during the early days of the global pandemic when misinformation was prevalent—as well as her grief after his death.

In 2021, she co-authored a memoir titled Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero with her sister Anna about her experience. On the sixth anniversary of his death on July 5, 2026, Kloots posted a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, remembering him as a “magnificent person.”

Kloots and Jowsey bonded over their grief.

The best friend duo initially met via Dancing With the Stars, though they appeared in different seasons (Kloots in season 30 and Jowsey in season 32), and immediately bonded over their grief. Kloots opened up about losing Cordero, while Jowsey had just lost his father. “Amanda is one of the most incredible, powerful humans I’ve ever met,” Jowsey told US Weekly. “She navigates grief and talks about it with so much grace.”

In the press leading up to the premiere of Let’s Marry Harry, Jowsey has noted that the loss of his father was a motivating factor in his desire to settle down. “My whole dating life for the past 10 years has been in some sort of spotlight...losing my father was obviously the biggest turning point," he told E! News. “The biggest thing I was upset about was I didn't have kids and a wife to meet him. So, that was really difficult, and it made me take everything in life a little more serious.”

Ahead of the Let’s Marry Harry premiere, Kloots announced a new podcast called "Good Grief" that will center on conversations about grief with celebrity and expert guests. Jowsey is one of the announced guests scheduled to appear on the podcast, which officially launched on August 5, 2026, via Dear Media.

She is currently dating former tennis player Justin Gimelstob.

In April 2025, Kloots made her red-carpet debut with new beau Justin Gimelstob at An Unforgettable Evening event, held in support of breast cancer research. The former professional tennis player told PEOPLE, "She's just an incredibly special person. Obviously, she's physically beautiful, but the way she handles everything, she's so classy and has so much grace and is an amazing mother." The pair first met at a Formula 1 race, but didn't go on their first date until a year later when friends intervened.

Kloots has previously mentioned that she's had readings by mediums to communicate with her late husband Cordero, who has assured her that her time is coming. "He has definitely given me his blessing,” Kloots shared in 2024. “And he always says it's coming. That's one of the running themes from readings that I've had, that it's coming: 'I know you're lonely. It's coming.' I don't know. We'll see.”

Gimelstob has a few skeletons in his closet: He received a felony battery charge in April 2019, to which he pleaded no contest. Additionally, he and his ex-wife Cary Sinnott have previously accused one another of domestic violence, setting up a mutual restraining order within their divorce settlement.

In March 2026, Kloots posted a birthday photo dump, thanking Gimelstob for "loving me and spoiling me rotten, treating me like a queen every single day but especially yesterday," noting that it "feels really good to be so full of hope and happiness again."

Netflix's new reality series asks a question that has befuddled dating-show fans: Can Harry Jowsey settle down? After rising to fame on shows like Too Hot to Handle and Perfect Match, the Netflix Reality Universe's biggest breakout star has returned to the streamer for Let's Marry Harry, a Bachelor-like series in which 20 women vie for the chance to wed the self-described "podcast host, entrepreneur, and reformed player."

In the eight-part series, the "Boyfriend Material" host moves into a house full of interested women in search of his bride. With the help of his closest confidants—fitness pro Amanda Kloots, businessman Sonny Henty, and fellow Netflix star (and Harry's ex) Georgia Hassarati—the goal is for Jowsey to leave the show a husband, with a legally binding marriage taking place during the finale. (Of course, any Love Is Blind fan knows that's easier said than done.)

To fill the Let's Marry Harry mansion, the team behind the Alex Cooper-produced series recruited 20 women who are ready to tie the knot. The roster ranges in age from early 20s to early 30s and over-indexes on Geminis, Aries, and Capricorns. (Jowsey is a 29-year-old Gemini, for those wondering.) From aspiring housewives to small-business founders to a single mom (and even a former Bachelor contestant), the house that Jowsey shares with these women is packed with personality (and drama).

With the finale out on August 12, read on to get to know the women of Let's Marry Harry, including the finalists and standouts. Spoilers for all episodes below.

Who were the finalists of 'Let's Marry Harry?'

Amber

Instagram: @ambermozo

Age: 30

Hometown: O'ahu, Hawaii

Occupation: Travel photographer

Astrological Sign: Aries

Background: "Married and divorced at a young age, Amber knows firsthand the importance of giving each other the freedom to grow."

Why Harry? "An adventurous spirit will always catch her attention, which is why meeting Harry feels so exciting to her."

Dannelle

Instagram: @dannelle_davidson

Age: 33

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Occupation: Cocktail waitress

Astrological Sign: Scorpio

Why Harry? "Dannelle is ready to choose Harry for his kindness and for how close he is to his family. 'The accent definitely doesn’t hurt!'"

Sam

Instagram: @samkruseee

Age: 24

Hometown: Chico, California

Occupation: Indoor soccer arena owner

Astrological Sign: Virgo

Background: "What started as an impulsive decision to get back at an ex turned into a highly successful OnlyFans account."

Why Harry? "She loves being around people with big personalities, which is what drew her to Harry."

Who were the notable contestants of 'Let's Marry Harry?'

Abby

Instagram: @abigaileasterling

Age: 24

Hometown: Lafayette, Louisiana

Occupation: Medical esthetician

Astrological Sign: Capricorn

Why Harry? "Abby is charmed by Harry’s big smile and infectious laugh, and hopes to see the more family-oriented side of him."

Emma

Instagram: @emma.pio

Age: 26

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Occupation: Marketing manager

Astrological Sign: Cancer

Dating Non-negotiable: "She’s not giving up her guy friends to appease her partner. 'You should absolutely be allowed to have friends of the opposite sex.'"

Juliana

Instagram: @julsssmelchor

Age: 30

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Occupation: Account manager

Astrological Sign: Virgo

Why Harry? "It’s [her] sense of play that draws her to Harry. Juliana likes that he’s 'a silly goose,' someone who doesn't take himself too seriously."

Mya B.

Instagram: @myabenway

Age: 23

Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona

Occupation: Clothing brand owner

Astrological Sign: Gemini

Why Harry? "Warm, approachable, and easy to talk to, Mya believes she’s found a kindred spirit in Harry."

Most Controversial Take: "She’s big on trust and transparency—so much so that she believes couples should know each other’s phone passwords."

Rickiyah

Instagram: @rickiyahm

Age: 26

Hometown: Humboldt, California

Occupation: Health care recruiter

Astrological Sign: Aquarius

Why Harry? "Rickiyah has zero interest in settling and is curious to see how Harry has moved past his reputation as a player. 'I can respect someone who graduated from the streets.'"

Most Controversial Take: "'I shouldn’t be touching any door handles or public surfaces...'If I wash my hands after a date and there’s any dirt on them, I’m never seeing you again.'"

Who are the contestants of 'Let's Marry Harry?'

Charlie

Instagram: @hustlelikehare

Age: 29

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Occupation: Digital entrepreneur

Astrological Sign: Gemini

Dating Style: "Charlie has high standards, low tolerance, and lives by the immortal words: 'If he wanted to, he would.'"

Debralee

Instagram: @debraleetomberlin

Age: 26

Hometown: Kings Mountain, North Carolina

Occupation: Medical device sales

Astrological Sign: Scorpio

Ideal Partner: "She hopes to build a family someday, and is searching for someone who values stability, effort, and emotional awareness."

Elli

Instagram: @e_schryver

Age: 32

Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona

Occupation: "Micro-retired"

Astrological Sign: Gemini

Why Harry? "A fearless leader, she’s not afraid to grab Harry for a chat to flirt or discuss her favorite hobby: sports betting. Her only concern with dating the charismatic bachelor is 'that he is a naughty little chicken.'"

Emily

Instagram: @emily_stonee

Age: 27

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Occupation: Aesthetic nurse injector

Astrological Sign: Capricorn

Why Harry? "She’s aware of Harry’s reputation, but she’s excited to learn more about his desire to become a dad."

Faith

Instagram: @thefaithlove

Age: 24

Hometown: Elkton, Kentucky

Occupation: Marketing

Astrological Sign: Capricorn

Background: "Faith thrives on being pushed outside her comfort zone, and her career proves it: modeling, late nights in the hospital, and currently, corporate marketing."

Jade

Instagram: @jadeeinnes

Age: 25

Hometown: Thousand Oaks, California

Occupation: Software sales

Astrological Sign: Aries

Looking For: "She wants someone who can keep up with her lifestyle and isn’t shy about it. 'Financial stability, success, and ambition are legitimate standards, not shallow preferences.'"

Lauren

Instagram: @laurenhollinger_

Age: 30

Hometown: Dover, Delaware

Occupation: Nurse

Astrological Sign: Aries

Background: She and her sister competed on Joey Graziadei's season of The Bachelor.

Most Controversial Take: "'Men should support women, and women shouldn’t work.'"

Lindsey

Instagram: @linclarkk

Age: 27

Hometown: San Francisco, California

Occupation: Yacht stewardess

Astrological Sign: Taurus

Why Harry?: "It was Harry’s charisma that hooked her. 'Everyone seems to love him right off the bat.'"

Maya

Instagram: @mayaavery23

Age: 25

Hometown: Armonk, New York

Occupation: CEO and founder of a talent management agency

Astrological Sign: Virgo

Why Harry? "Maya wants a genuine partner, and she's paying close attention to whether Harry has actually grown from his past, or 'just gotten better at talking about it.'"

Samantha

Instagram: @samanthaamadsenn

Age: 23

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Occupation: Recruiter

Astrological Sign: Gemini

Why Harry? "Samantha describes herself as 'equal parts confidence, equal parts chaos,' and is drawn to Harry’s exciting lifestyle and sense of fun."

Dating Style: "The man should always like you more than the other way around."

Sammy

Instagram: @sammygotay

Age: 29

Hometown: Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

Occupation: Pilates instructor

Astrological Sign: Taurus

Background: "A devoted mom, she wants a partner who'll step up as protector for her and her son."

Shaine

Instagram: @shainehinson

Age: 24

Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska

Occupation: Medical sales

Astrological Sign: Leo

Why Harry?: "Shaine is drawn to people who don’t take themselves too seriously and knows how to make her laugh, which is why she’s interested in Harry. 'I love a funny guy.'"

Netflix's wholesome Korean reality show Better Late Than Single returned for its second season this month, with a new cast of eternal singles (or "모태솔로" in Korean) dipping their toes into the dating pool for the first time. Over 10 episodes, the 20- and 30-something singles lived together in a retreat on Jeju Island where they got to know each other in the hopes of finding their first relationships. The dating show ended on July 28 with the final couples walking off to continue their romances in the real world, leaving viewers to wonder whether their new faves are still together.

Thankfully, Netflix won't leave fans waiting for too long! The streaming giant has announced a reunion special for Better Late Than Single season 2, which will bring the cast back together for relationship updates and answers to some lingering questions. Below, read on for everything to know about the upcoming reunion, titled Better Late Than Single: After Service.

When does 'Better Late Than Single: After Service' come out?

Netflix has confirmed that the Better Late Than Single reunion special will arrive on the streamer on Saturday, August 1, 2026, just five days after the season 2 finale. The exact timing of the release is unknown, but fans have noticed the special may seemingly arrive a day early in the U.S.

With After Service, Better Late Than Single becomes the third Netflix Korean reality show to get a reunion spinoff, after Single's Inferno Reunion and Physical: Welcome to Mongolia.

Which cast members will return for 'Better Late Than Single: After Service?'

Netflix has yet to confirm which cast members will appear on Better Late Than Single: After Service. All of the season 2 cast members are likely to return to some extent, including Kim Jae-seo, Jeon Seo-yoon, Yoon Jung-yun, Choi Hyun-seo, Lee Han-ju, Ahn Seung-hyun, Kim Soo-hyun, Choi Hyuk-joon, Lee Jin-woo, Han Su-ji, An Jeong-eun, and Kim Tae-hoon. However, there's a chance some stars may only appear for part of the special, if there are scheduling conflicts with their real-life jobs.

As for the show's hosting panel, who provide both commentary for viewers and pre-show dating advice for the cast, comedian Lee Eun-ji and singer Car, the Garden are set to return for the special. (No word yet on whether actors Seo In-guk and Kang Han-na will also make an appearance.)

Finally, the Better Late Than Single: After Service trailer teases something that fans have been teasing for a while. In the clip, the season 2 cast sits down for blind dates with some familiar faces from season 1, including Kang Ji-su, Kim Seung-li, Lee Min-hong, and Yi Do.

Is there a trailer for 'Better Late Than Single: After Service?'

The Better Late Than Single: After Service trailer promises some awkward-yet-charming drama once the season 2 cast gets back together. In addition to updates from the final couples—Hyun-seo and Hyuk-joon and Han-ju and Jin-woo—it seems that there may be an update on the love triangle between Soo-hyun, Seung-hyun, and Tae-hoon.

Other notable clips in the trailer include a light-hearted "Dating IQ game" hosted by Lee Eun-ji and Car, the Garden; a presentation of dating tips given by season 1's Noh Jae-yun; and the aforementioned blind dates between season 1 and season 2 cast members. We'll have to wait and see whether the "second chance at love" the trailer promises will lead to success.

When Netflix's Western-romance series Ransom Canyon premiered in April 2025, it cemented itself as the next must-watch for fans of the soapier side of Netflix originals. Based on author Jodi Thomas' book series, the show follows several locals in a West Texas ranching community as they deal with business rivalries, conman plots, and love triangles that make The Summer I Turned Pretty seem tame. And to cement its "Texas, Forever" bona fides, Minka Kelly leads an ensemble cast that has garnered the show the nickname "Handsome Canyon."

Ransom Canyon's second season, which just arrived on Netflix, turns up the heat with several new rivalries and suitors guaranteeing that the titular town is always on its toes. And of course, it ends with some cliffhangers to leave fans wondering what's next. Below, read on as we keep track of any and all updates on the fate of Ransom Canyon season 3.

Is 'Ransom Canyon' renewed for season 3?

No. Unfortunately, Netflix canceled Ransom Canyon and announced that it won't return for a season 3 in September, according to Deadline. The news came a month and a half after season 2 arrived on the platform.

According to the outlet, the romance series had been "on borrowed time" for a while, due to its "respectable but not massive" viewership numbers in season 1. Season 2's debut, which had a reduced eight episodes instead of 10, ultimately saw a 43 percent decline in viewership compared to season 1's opening week.

(Deadline noted that Netflix has recently renewed other shows that had sophomore-season dips, including Running Point, The Four Seasons, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder.)

Minka Kelly reacted to the news with a heartfelt tribute. via Instagram. "Appreciating this little trip down memory lane as we say farewell. All good things must come to an end. And so it is," she wrote.

Who in the 'Ransom Canyon' cast would have returned for season 3?

Minus some major shakeups, Ransom Canyon season 2 solidified the main cast for Netflix's romance hit. The main cast were all likely to return for season 3, including Minka Kelly (Quinn O'Grady), Josh Duhamel (Staten Kirland), Lizzy Greene (Lauren Brigman), Philip Winchester (Dan Brigman), Garrett Wareing (Lucas Russell), Casey W. Johnson (Kit Russell), Marianly Tejada (Ellie Estevez), Jack Schumacher (Yancy Grey), and Justin Johnson Cortez (Kai Flores).

It was unclear whether supporting players like Heidi Grace Engerman (Sidney), Kenneth Miller (Freddie), and Steve Howey (Levi) would return for more episodes.

What would 'Ransom Canyon' season 3 have been about?

Season 2 ends by resolving most of the show's big questions. Quinn and Staten finally get together, with the blessing of her previously disapproving mother Claire. Ellie gives birth to a healthy baby girl, but even though Yancey successfully kept his ranch away from Sidney, Ellie breaks up with him to protect their child. And after a season of Lauren being torn between two brothers, she makes amends with her ex Lucas and stops her new beau, Kit, from leaving Ransom. (Yes, that means she's now dating the guy her mom was having an affair with in season 1.) Staten even gets control back of the Double K, and Quinn's music festival saves Ransom. Happy times (mostly) all around.

After season 2's release, April Blair teased a bit of what she had in mind for season 3. Speaking to Deadline, she said that, unlike the six-month gap between seasons 1 and 2, Ransom Canyon season 3 would start without a time jump, so viewers can "see all the fallout of where we left off in season 2."

It also seemed that Staten and Quinn were fully out of their will-they-won't-they era for the foreseeable future. "I think, moving forward, there will be hurdles and challenges, but it’s not about breaking them up," Blair told the outlet. "I wanted, ‘Okay, now they’re together, but what are those challenges moving forward?’ A relationship, finding each other and falling in love, is actually the easy part. It’s making a life with someone and figuring out who they really are deep down, what are the skeletons in their closets, and ‘Can you love someone at their worst?'"

Ransom Canyon viewers would still have had other love triangles to watch. In addition to Yancy and Kai's interest in Ellie, Blair also hinted that the Lauren-Lucas-Kit saga isn't over yet (despite the Ashley of it all).

"Lucas is struggling to figure out who he wants to be, and for me, I don’t know if it’s even within the life of the series, but I think Lauren and Lucas are endgame in the way that Staten and Quinn were and are," Blair told Deadline. "They need to have loves and other lives and figure out who they are, and before they can be together, and I would love the show to go on long enough to see that. But even if it doesn’t, that’s, in my mind, where they end up. They’re the Staten and Quinn, and they just have to have a lot of other journeys and figure out who they are."

She added that Lucas may have been headed towards "his own bad boy era" in future episodes. "Moving forward, in our idea of season 3—we’re just in the room—it’s a potential Season 3 right now, but the idea is that Lucas is hurt, but he’s trying to put on [a brave face]."

Lovers of the romance genre have been absolutely spoiled in recent months with a steady stream of film and TV adaptations of beloved novels and book series. From Off Campus to Every Year After to the first onscreen version (so far) of an Emily Henry novel, romance readers and watchers alike have been booked and busy. And it’s not stopping: Still to come this year are adaptations of Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis and Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard. At the same time, this summer has also heralded the arrival of the second season of Netflix’s Ransom Canyon.

The Netflix show is based on a long-running series of cowboy romance novels by prolific author Jodi Thomas. Each dives into the life and love stories of a broad cast of characters throughout a West Texas ranching community. With the next set of eight episodes arriving on the streaming service on July 23, there’s no time like the present to dive into Thomas’ books—and, just in time, we’ve compiled a guide to help you on your journey through the neo-Western saga.

How do the 'Ransom Canyon' books compare to the Netflix series?

The first season of Netflix’s Ransom Canyon hews fairly close to the first book in Thomas’ book series, with its primary focus on Staten and Quinn. However, it also expands the roles of certain characters, such as Lucas and Yancy, who only briefly appear in the first book before having their stories fleshed out in later installments. Similarly, other characters, like Lauren, debuted in the show right away, while their arcs are introduced much later in the novels.

But beyond season 1, expect the show to veer off in a pretty drastically different direction from Thomas’ novels. Showrunner April Blair has said that the series essentially used the first Ransom Canyon book as a jumping-off point and will continue expanding the primary characters' lives and stories, instead of turning its attention to a new couple each season, as Thomas' books do.

“In Jodi’s series, each novel introduces a whole new cast of characters. It’s almost kind of anthology-like, and some characters reappear from time to time, but it really is like a whole new group of people,” Blair told Deadline when season 1 premiered. “That wasn’t really an achievable thing for us in series. We wanted to stick with one cast, so we stuck to the single book as this jumping-off point.”

So—spoilers for the first Ransom Canyon book and season ahead!—while the first novel in Thomas’ series ends with Staten and Quinn deciding to be together and preparing to welcome a baby, the TV show is stretching out their relationship into a will-they, won’t-they. After Quinn heads off to New York at the end of the first season, she returns to Texas in season 2 to figure out where she’s meant to be. She even has a new love interest (Ben Robson’s Oliver), making things even more complicated between her and Staten.

Everything to Know About the Main 'Ransom Canyon' Series

Book 1 — 'Ransom Canyon'

Thomas’ initial entry in the series arrived in 2015 and primarily follows an older Staten who’s haunted by memories and often turns to the artsy, reclusive Quinn O’Grady for comfort. In the Netflix series, this core couple is played by Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly. The book also charts the coming-of-age story of the ambitious Lucas (Garrett Wareing in the show) and the potential start of a new life for petty criminal Yancy (played by Jack Schumacher).

Book 2 — 'Rustler’s Moon'

The main romance in Book 2 centers on Angela Harrell, a woman who ends up in Ransom Canyon while on the run from her past life, and Wilkes Wagner, who has also recently landed back in town to take over his family ranch. The novel also picks back up with Lucas, who’s keeping his high school sweetheart Lauren (portrayed by Lizzy Greene) in a frustrating situationship instead of committing to the full-fledged relationship he’s long promised.

Book 3 — 'Lone Heart Pass'

Lone Heart Pass introduces yet another ranch in Ransom Canyon: The rundown Lone Heart farm, which Jubilee Hamilton inherits. Still reeling from a career crash-out and a breakup to boot, Jubilee soon finds sparks flying with the gruff new foreman she’s hired, Charley Collins. They’re also joined on the farm by Thatcher Jones, who needs a safe place to land while tangled up in a murder investigation.

Book 4 — 'Sunrise Crossing'

Yancy’s back in Book 4, focusing on getting his life together and rebuilding his old house in Crossroads, Texas. There, he crosses paths with an artist, Tori, who’s hiding out from her controlling parents. Intertwined in their love story is that of Parker, Tori’s gallery manager, who hitches a ride with strong, silent cowboy Gabe to come to the artist’s aid.

Book 5 — 'Wild Horse Springs'

Thomas’ fifth book in the main Ransom Canyon series also circles back to some OG characters, as Lauren returns to her hometown and finds herself right back in the orbit of her first love, Lucas. Elsewhere, her dad Dan (played by Philip Winchester in the Netflix series) just might decide it’s time to spice up his steady life with the help of free-spirited singer Brandi.

Book 6 — 'Indigo Lake'

We’re back at the Lone Heart farm, now inherited by Blade Hamilton, who rides into his ancestors’ dusty Texas town on a motorcycle. He finds a star-crossed lover in Dakota, who can’t seem to resist Blade’s charms, despite the longstanding feud between their families. Meanwhile, Lauren is struggling to figure out where she really belongs: pursuing a big-city life or getting back to her comfortable roots in the canyon.

Book 7 — 'Mistletoe Miracles'

The penultimate novel in the main Ransom Canyon series centers on three separate people, each of whom ends up with a Christmas miracle on their hands. There’s Griffin Holloway, who’s decided the best way to save his family’s Maverick Ranch is by marrying a wealthy bride by the end of the year; Jaxon O’Grady, who learns from an unexpected visitor that maybe he actually isn’t as content in his solitude as he thought; and Jamie Johnson, who discovers a mysterious man sleeping on her couch—and claiming to be her husband.

Book 8 — 'Christmas in Winter Valley'

The eighth and final book in Thomas’ core series is another wintry tale and centers on two more of the Holloway men. Cooper, trying to avoid family Christmastime chaos, retreats to the remote Winter Valley, only to be visited by two strangers who each deeply impact his life. Elliott stays put at Maverick Ranch, where he’s juggling farm finances, an overbearing family, and the re-emergence of a past love.

Are there any 'Ransom Canyon' prequel novels?

You could start your Ransom Canyon reading journey by diving into the prequels, which Thomas published in 2015 and 2025—or you could read them later on after you've been introduced to some of the characters, considering these feature more of their and the town's origin story.

The first prequel, Winter’s Camp, is set in the frontier era and explains how the Ransom Canyon community came to be by following a young James Randall Kirkland on his journey west, where he comes across a beautiful Apache woman named Millie and is quickly smitten.

Silverleaf Rapids, Thomas’ latest addition to the series, picks up several generations later and further sets up the stories to come. A young Staten Kirkland leaves college early to take over his family’s Double K Ranch in the wake of his grandfather J.R.’s illness, forcing him to grow up quickly and shoulder quite a bit of responsibility. Meanwhile, two other couples you’ll soon come to know and love—Peggy and Duke, and Charlotte and Wade—are also finding each other in the small Texas town.

Are there any other books in the 'Ransom Canyon' series?

Thompson simply can’t get enough of Ransom Canyon Christmastime tales: In 2017, between Indigo Lake and Mistletoe Miracles, she published A Christmas Affair, a novella telling the very sweet love story of Maria, a hopeless romantic who makes jams and jellies to be sold at the local grocery store, and Wes, the store’s shy owner.

Otherwise, Thompson hasn’t said anything about publishing any other Ransom Canyon books. But while we continue to hold out hope for still more installments, there are plenty more series and standalone romance books from the author to dive into, most of which are also set in Texas and span both contemporary and historical love stories.

Netflix's reality TV series The Ultimatum holds an awkward place in the world of dating shows. While, like its sister show Love Is Blind, the Lachey-led series glorifies marriage as the ideal happy ending, its path towards said marriage is via a diabolical "social experiment" that's only rivaled by Temptation Island.

The Ultimatum season 4, which just wrapped on Netflix, took that dissonance to the next level, as five out of its six couples left the show engaged...before the reunion revealed that a good number went on to meet brutal ends. Add on the whiplash of season 4's finale and reunion dropping on the same day, and you get a sense of why The Ultimatum's rollercoaster can quickly go from thrilling to harrowing.

Below, read on to learn which of The Ultimatum season 4 couples are still together, from the pairs who split up soon after the finale, to the couple that's already married.

Are Alex and Jebin still together after 'The Ultimatum' season 4 reunion?

The first sign that season 4 would be the messiest yet was when Jebin and Alex became the first couple to be kicked out of the "experiment," rather than leaving of their own accord. Arriving on the show, the couple of six years were stuck in limbo due to cultural differences and Jebin's immaturity, which seemed to turn off most of the female cast members. Alex began to click with Killian during the dating stage, but once she admitted to Jebin that she may have been "falling for" Killian, Jebin passed her a secret note where he accused her of making him look dumb and wrote, "There is no way we are getting married." With the whole cast (and the Lacheys) turned against him, Jebin was asked to leave the show at the recoupling dinner, and Alex had to leave with him.

Despite that wild exit, Jebin and Alex revealed at the reunion that they continued to date for another few months before they eventually split, partly due to "Jebin’s expectations around finance and fitness." As for the note, Jebin has no regrets, and Alex says she understood that Jebin's note was fueled by insecurities. That's despite the fact that both of them told Tudum Jebin had written a second, worse note that he planned to share at the dinner. (And Alex eventually read it!) Nowadays, the pair are single and on good terms (which is more than you can say for some of the other couples), and Jebin has apparently moved to Puerto Rico. Sure.

Are Jessica Grace and Edris still together after 'The Ultimatum' season 4 reunion?

Most seasons of The Ultimatum include one couple who doesn't make it to the partner-swapping stage, with one of them (often the man) coming to their senses and making a show of commitment at the recoupling dinner. For season 4, it's Edris who gets down on one knee and proposes to Jessica Grace, his ultimatum-giving girlfriend of two years, in episode 3. Though this was in theory exactly what she wanted, the look on Edris' face as they left the dinner didn't seem to match the joy of the occasion.

After leaving the show early, Jessica Grace and Edris returned for the reunion. As it turns out, they're no longer engaged, nor in contact. Edris admits that he proposed because he had no potential trial partner left after Alex was kicked off the show. After a frosty first night together as an engaged couple, Jessica Grace and Edris did go to couples' counseling—but one of her final straws was him accusing her of only becoming friends with Alex because he was attracted to her. (After his major concern entering the show was that Jessica Grace was "too friendly with other men.") Also, Edris hit on Alex via text while he and Jessica Grace were in the process of breaking up but still physically intimate. (Edris explains this more graphically.)

So yeah, Jessica Grace and Edris are both single, and after he got so crass and she got so heated at the reunion, it seems to be for the best.

Are Hayley and Blake still together after 'The Ultimatum' season 4 reunion?

In a very messy season, Hayley and Blake were half of season 4's most dramatic foursome. They joined the show two years into their relationship, with Blake giving the ultimatum. From the start, they both admitted they were complete opposites, and emotional Hayley felt that logical Blake wasn't showing her love the way she needed (by employing all five love languages). For their first trial marriage, they swapped partners with Ashley and Killian. Those trial marriages were mostly dominated by Killian's chaos (more on that below), but by the time Hayley and Blake reunited, they hadn't made much progress on their own issues.

Ahead of the finale, the pair seemed to go around in circles having the same argument about who's putting in more effort. After one blowout, Hayley admitted that she had been following unhealthy patterns in relationships and had felt some resentment about being emotionally neglected. On the day of the finale, Blake promised to love Hayley the way she wanted, and Hayley was ready to say yes to his proposal. But the happy mood didn't last once cameras stopped rolling.

Even before the finale and reunion dropped, TMZ reported that Blake had been arrested for allegedly assaulting Hayley several months after filming ended. Though Hayley didn't press charges, she hints during the reunion that Blake convinced her to sign an affidavit that he didn't put his hands on her. The pair have very different stories regarding the incident, with both accusing the other of getting physical. (Though Blake mostly talked over Hayley during the reunion, she shared her side of the story on Love Is Blind alum AD Smith's "What's the Reality?" podcast.) Per Tudum, they were able to come to a bit more of a resolution after the reunion ended; they are now both single.

Are Ashley and Killian still together after 'The Ultimatum' season 4 reunion?

Ashley and Killian are the second couple supplying season 4's drama. When the former competitive cheerleaders arrived on the show four years into their relationship, Ashley was ready to get married, but they both agreed that they needed her father's approval. But we learned throughout the season that Killian had been disrespectful towards Ashley before, and he even briefly admitted to cheating on her. (Why didn't this come up again?!)

Though Killian's trial marriage with Hayley was pure mess—and Blake and Hayley warned Ashley about Killian's gross comments in Killian's group chat and his comment that he would've slept with Hayley if she wasn't "modest"—Ashley still claimed that she'd seen some growth in Killian once they reunited. Once he put in the work to win Ashley's dad's blessing, the couple walked away from the finale an engaged couple.

When they walked back onto the reunion stage a year later, Ashley revealed that she ended things with Killian two or three months after filming wrapped. They both recalled dealing with lingering jealousy about their time with Blake and Hayley once they got home. Ashley even claimed that in one incident, a drunk Killian threw her phone and put his hands on her. Though Killian owned up to treating her horribly and apologized, he also argued that she wouldn't take accountability for her part in the split, and that she didn't pour as much into him as she did into her.

In the end, Ashley admitted that her dad "was right," and they weren't meant to be together. They're both now single; Ashley, who moved back to Texas, told The Swooon that she's in her "dating era" (and may have her eyes on Perfect Match).

Are Monica and Luke still together after 'The Ultimatum' season 4 reunion?

Monica and Luke had a pretty smooth journey throughout the season. The childhood-neighbors-turned-lovers arrived on the show with Luke ready to get married, but Monica had financial concerns and was frustrated that Luke considered her perfect and put her on a pedestal. In their trial marriages, they worked on meeting in the middle, with Monica learning to be vulnerable and Luke being more confident about taking charge.

At the reunion, Luke and Monica reveal that they've spent the year since filming traveling, hustling, and redoing their proposal (a private moment with just the two of them on their fifth anniversary). Luke says that after the show, he had more confidence in both their relationship and his career; he's gotten certified and is now applying to become a lineman. The couple is currently planning their wedding in Santa Barbara and seems happier than ever.

Are Casey and David still together after 'The Ultimatum' season 4 reunion?

Casey and David are another one of two success stories of this tumultuous installment. Coming onto the show, they were five years into their relationship, and David was more hesitant about marriage as a whole than about Casey. David and Casey went into trial marriages with Monica and Luke, respectively, and the time away from Casey helped David get vulnerable about his parents' divorce and subsequent rocky relationships. Though Casey and David still had issues to work through once they reunited—including David not paying his student loans—he realized, thanks to a heart-to-heart with Casey's dad, that he wasn't doomed to repeat his parents' history. In the finale, David fully opened his heart to Casey, and the couple shared an emotional proposal.

Fast-forward a year later, and Casey and David are still together and happy. They explained at the reunion that they've grown stronger since David began sharing his worries and fears with Casey, and that they'd learned how to argue productively. David even shared that his mom told him, "You made me believe in love again."

If that isn't enough of a happy ending, Casey and David have also made The Ultimatum history. The pair are getting married on the Amalfi Coast this September, but for the legal stateside nuptials, the pair asked Nick Lachey (who's ordained, because of course he is) to marry them during the reunion! It's not a baby, but it still brings Vanessa to tears, and Nick sings a bit for the first(?) time on Love is Blind and The Ultimatum. What a way to cap off a reunion.

Love Island USA may be over (aside from the reunion), but Netflix is extending this summer of reality TV. The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, the streaming giant's controversial dating show, has returned for a fourth season of partner-swapping chaos. From the producers of Love Is Blind, The Ultimatum recruits couples at a crossroads to test whether they're really meant for marriage by splitting them up to see if the grass would be greener with someone else. After two trial marriages—one with a new match and another with their original partner—each couple has to decide whether to get engaged or part ways.

Season 4 of the divisive reality show brings three couples to Sin City to work out issues ranging from broken boundaries to parental pushback to emotional barriers. (This installment also marks the first time a couple has been kicked off the show.) Below, read on for a primer on the stars of The Ultimatum season 4, ahead of the July 22nd finale.

Hayley and Blake

Hayley's Instagram: @hayleydinae

Blake's Instagram: @theblakerobertson

Who Gave the Ultimatum? Blake

26-year-old Capricorn Blake and 23-year-old Sagittarius Hayley fell for each other two years before joining the show, while Hayley was nannying Blake's stepbrothers. Practical Blake is ready to take the logical next step and start his ideal big family, but Hayley still wants Blake to open up more and meet her emotional needs.

Ashley and Killian

Ashley's Instagram: @ashleywilsonxoxo

Killian's Instagram: @thekilliangrondin

Who Gave the Ultimatum? Ashley

26-year-old content creator Ashley and 29-year-old real estate agent Killian first met as teenagers on rival competitive cheer teams and then reunited by chance in Miami. After four years of living together and raising two dogs, Ashley's ready to start building a life with him. However, after a "family altercation" that compelled Ashley's dad to rescind his blessing, the couple has been concerned about having her family's full support.

Casey and David

Casey's Instagram: @caseycdouglass

David's Instagram: @davidatkinson_1

Who Gave the Ultimatum? Casey

Over the five years they've been dating, 33-year-old basketball player David has given 34-year-old entrepreneur Casey three promise rings. In addition to "running out of finger space," Casey is ready for marriage, kids, and the kind of long-term partnership that she grew up seeing with her grandparents. However, David is still worried that even if he fully devotes himself to her, she may wake up one day and leave.

Monica and Luke

Monica's Instagram: @monicapaynee

Luke's Instagram: @lukaswesselhoff

Who Gave the Ultimatum? Luke

33-year-old Luke and 28-year-old Monica may be five years into their relationship, but he's had a crush on her since they were kids living down the street from each other. They reunited when they both went home during the pandemic and have been together ever since. Though lover-boy Luke says they can get through anything together, Monica is an admitted "high maintenance girlie" who wants to have her career and finances in line before she ties the knot.

Jessica Grace and Edris

Jessica Grace's Instagram: @jg_booker

Edris' Instagram: @escissorsman

Who Gave the Ultimatum? Jessica Grace

Former NBA dancer Jessica Grace, 35, has been ready to marry her boyfriend of two years, 38-year-old actuary Edris, for a while. She's also on a timeline, between wanting to have kids and her dad's declining health. Though Edris is on the same page about children, he told Tudum that he "wasn’t sure Jessica and I shared the same values around boundaries, respect, and emotional safety in a relationship."

Alex and Jebin

Alex's Instagram: @alexandriajohnsen

Jebin's Instagram: @jebinjohn

Who Gave the Ultimatum? Alex

Hairstylist Alex and hedge-fund manager Jebin, both 23, have spent the past six years together after meeting as co-workers at a Chicago grocery store. Alex is ready to move to the next step in their relationship, but Jebin faces unsupportive parents who are wary because Alex isn't of Indian descent. With The Ultimatum also marking his first time living outside of his parents' home, Jebin wonders if building a new life could mean losing his family in the process.

Netflix's Little House on the Prairie revives Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic novels—and the hit 1970s drama—for a new generation. Created by Rebecca Sonnenshine, the new adaptation follows the Ingalls family as they set out to start a new life on the American frontier during the 1860s and 1870s. By the end of the delightful eight-episode season, released on July 19, Laura, her Pa Charles, her Ma Caroline, and her older sister Mary settle in Independence, Kansas, and make new friends—until a shocking revelation prompts the family to seek out a new home.

Thankfully for eager fans, the team behind Netflix's reimagining is already working on new episodes. Below, read on for what we know about Little House on the Prairie season 2 so far, including which book will inform the basis of the next installment.

Has 'Little House on the Prairie' been renewed for season 2?

Yes! Netflix confirmed Little House on the Prairie season 2 in early March, four months before the series' debut.

"We are delighted to renew this beautiful reimagining of Little House on the Prairie for a second season ahead of its Netflix debut." Jinny Howe, Netflix’s head of US and Canada scripted series, said at the time. "The exceptional work by Rebecca Sonnenshine and the entire cast and crew on season 1 has established a rich foundation of storytelling for years to come. With its hopeful spirit and emotional authenticity, we’re confident that Little House will deliver even more of what fans truly love.

When will 'Little House on the Prairie' season 2 come out?

Though Netflix hasn't revealed when Little House on the Prairie season 2 will arrive, the show's journey to the next installment is already underway. According to Radio Times, season 2 began filming in early June in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and is expected to continue through mid-October.

This filming schedule matches the production for season 1, which began in June 2025 and wrapped in October. That means there's a very good chance the series could return at the same time next year, in summer 2027.

Who in the cast will return for 'Little House on the Prairie' season 2?

Netflix has yet to confirm the season 2 cast, but Little House on the Prairie wouldn't be the same without the Ingalls family and their closest friend. That said, we're expecting Alice Halsey (Laura Ingalls), Luke Bracey (Charles Ingalls), Crosby Fitzgerald (Caroline Ingalls), Skywalker Hughes (Mary Ingalls), and Warren Christie (John Edwards) to return to lead season 2.

Unfortunately, since the Ingalls have left Independence, Kansas, behind, it's unlikely that the rest of season 1's cast will return. However, there's always the chance of cameos.

Who are the new cast members in 'Little House on the Prairie' season 2?

Get ready to meet some more beloved characters from Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. Deadline has confirmed three new actresses set to join Netflix's reimagining. The Runarounds star Willa Dunn has signed on to play Nellie Oleson, Laura Ingalls's childhood bully and the fan-favorite villain from the original 1970s TV adaptation. (Fans of the earlier show may have spotted the original Nellie actress, Alison Arngrim, had a cameo in the Netflix series.)

Per the outlet, Netflix's take on Nellie may be a more layered look at the character. Her description reads, "On the surface, Nellie (Dunn) is a world-class spoiled princess and a playground bully. Smart and supremely confident, sharp-tongued but easily wounded. Lives and breathes to make Laura Ingalls (Halsey) miserable. But beneath her mean-girl persona is tenderness and a yearning for true friendship—even if she doesn’t know exactly how to get it."

Meanwhile, Charlotte Sullivan has signed on to play Margaret Oleson, Nellie's mother. "Beautiful, high-energy, charming, unfiltered, fun and funny, with a quick wit and gallows humor, Margaret adores her daughter fiercely and completely, but also fears losing her love," her description reads.

And rounding out the new cast, Rachelle Lefevre is set to play Eva Beadle, the beloved town schoolteacher who instantly wins over Laura and Mary. The character is described as "open-minded, passionate, forthright and brave...well-educated, well-read, adventurous, generous of spirit, a world-traveler."

Which Laura Ingalls Wilder book will 'Little House on the Prairie' season 2 adapt?

Spoilers for Netflix's Little House on the Prairie season 1 finale ahead. By the end of season 1, the Ingalls family (plus new baby Carrie and an honorary Ingalls, John Edwards) has set off for a new adventure. Though they spent the season settling in Independence, Kansas, the family's forced to leave when the government orders them to pay for the land they'd been promised for free. At Mr. Edwards' suggestion, the group heads to a little town called Walnut Grove.

Walnut Grove—a real-life Minnesota town that boasts the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and the annual Wilder Pageant—is best known as the primary setting of the 1970s series. However, the Ingalls only spent one installment of the source book series in the town: the fourth entry, On the Banks of Plum Creek. We'll have to wait and see how long Netflix's adaptation will stay in Walnut Grove, but season 2's guaranteed to at least cover part of the novel.

The official description for On the Banks of Plum Creek reads: "The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they leave their little house on the prairie and travel in their covered wagon to Minnesota. They settle into a house made of sod on the banks of beautiful Plum Creek. Soon Pa builds them a sturdier house, with real glass windows and a hinged door. Laura and Mary go to school, help with the chores around the house, and fish in the creek. Pa’s fiddle lulls them all to sleep at the end of the day. But then disaster strikes—on top of a terrible blizzard, a grasshopper infestation devours their wheat crop. Now the family must work harder than ever to overcome these challenges."

What will 'Little House on the Prairie' season 2 be about?

Though most of the plot details for season 2 are under wraps, creator Rebecca Sonnenshine has spoken out about the influences she wants to balance throughout her reimagining of Little House on the Prairie. Speaking with The Wrap, the Vampire Diaries and The Boys alum explained that she’s interested in depicting the books’ version of the Ingalls, who were more nomadic than shown in the '70s TV series.

“A part of my pitch was that we were going to follow the ebbs and flows of the books, and they are fairly nomadic for quite some time,” she told the outlet. “I missed that from the original show, which was an amazing show and everyone loved it, and it was very special. But it didn’t have the opportunity just because of the realities of television, and it didn’t have the opportunity to do this. And we do now.”

While that means leaving behind season 1’s supporting characters, Sonnenshine added that she’s “always going to look for a way to bring those characters back” if the story allows. “I hope that it runs for a long time so that we get the opportunity to organically do it...We’re trying to be faithful to historical truth and still look for ways to keep our characters alive, however we can.”

As for the future of the series, the showrunner also added that she would “love to do all the books and then look beyond [at Wilder’s] fascinating life.” She added, “When I think about Laura Ingalls Wilder, it’s kind of amazing that someone lived through times that started in covered wagons and no electricity, and lasted all the way into airplanes and the atomic bomb.”

Nearly a century after the source novel's debut, Netflix's Little House on the Prairie offers a new take on an essential piece of American pop culture. Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's autobiographical book series, the new show follows a young family in 1860s and 1870s America, as they settle in the burgeoning frontier town of Independence, Kansas. Created by Rebecca Sonnenshine, the new series introduces a new generation to the pioneer family, while also expanding the story to include Black homesteaders and members of the Indigenous Osage tribe.

To bring the Ingalls family and co. into the 21st century, Netflix recruited a cast of rising actors. Read on to meet the actors bringing Little House on the Prairie back to life.

Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls

Laura, who is eight at the start of the Netflix series, is a bright, fearless, observant child who enjoys playing in the outdoors much more than ladylike hobbies. Though her questioning nature can rub some adults the wrong way, she mostly makes friends everywhere she goes (including her loyal dog, Jack).

11-year-old actress Alice Halsey made her television debut as the intelligent daughter of Elizabeth Zott (played by Brie Larson) in Apple TV's adaptation of Lessons in Chemistry. Since then, the child actress has starred as Rachel Black in the soap opera Days of Our Lives and voiced twin sisters in the Disney Junior cartoon Kindergarten: The Musical.

Luke Bracey as Charles Ingalls

Pa Ingalls, Laura's handsome father, is many things: a farmer, a poet, an optimist, a romantic, and a devoted family man. He's also determined to lead his family to a better future, despite the danger.

Luke Bracey, 37, is an Australian actor and Home and Away alum who made his big-screen debut starring alongside Selena Gomez and Leighton Meester in 2011's Monte Carlo. He has since appeared in movies like 2015's Point Break, 2016's Hacksaw Ridge, 2020's Holidate, and 2022's Elvis, as well as the Hulu series Little Fires Everywhere. (Though he doesn't speak publicly about his romantic life, Bracey has been linked to both Gomez and Eiza Gonzalez.)

Luke Bracey's Instagram: @lukebracey

Crosby Fitzgerald as Caroline Ingalls

While Pa is an idealist, Caroline, or Ma, is the patient, practical backbone of the family. Her playful side comes out with Charles, but often she has to be the strict parent. A former teacher who quit to raise her children, she's also determined that her girls will receive an education.

Crosby Fitzgerald, 36, is a Georgia-born actress and comedian who got her start in TV with guest spots on comedy shows like Awkwafina is Nora from Queens and Abbott Elementary. Before her first lead role in Little House, she had recurring roles as Sylvia in Apple TV's Palm Royale and Madison in The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.

Crosby Fitzgerald's Instagram: @crosberryfitz

Skywalker Hughes as Mary Ingalls

Laura's older sister Mary is her opposite in every way: studious, ladylike, obedient, and a responsible rule-follower who doesn't love the outdoors. Though they often butt heads, the sisters are each other's best friends and always have each other's backs.

14-year-old actress Skywalker Hughes grew up in Toronto and made her acting debut playing daughter Sheridan Pickett in the Paramount+ crime drama Joe Pickett. Since then, she has also appeared in the Nickelodeon show Blues Clues & You! and the 2026 sci-fi film In the Blink of an Eye.

Warren Christie as John Edwards

John Edwards, a mysterious settler and Civil War veteran hailing from Tennessee, befriends the Ingalls family when they settle near Independence. Per Tudum, he's in a dark place when he meets them; his friendship with family eventually inspires him to heal.

British-Canadian actor Warren Christie, 50, plays the fan-favorite character in the Netflix series. The prolific TV actor has appeared in shows including The L Word, October Road, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, Chicago Fire, The Resident, and Batwoman. He has also recently starred in multiple Hallmark holiday movies. (Christie and his wife, actress Sonya Salomaa, have been married since 2007.)

Warren Christie's Instagram: @thewarrenchristie

Jocko Sims as Dr. George Tann

Dr. George Tann, a kindhearted doctor who lives in Independence, is based on the real-life man who treated the Ingalls family's malaria around 1870. Though the character appeared in only one chapter of Ingalls Wilder's books, the Netflix series fleshed out Dr. Tann by researching the physician's history.

Jocko Sims, 45, is a Houston native best known for his main and recurring roles in series such as Crash, Masters of Sex, The Last Ship, How to Die Alone, and Grosse Pointe Garden Society. He has also played doctors on medical dramas like The Resident and New Amsterdam.

Jocko Sims's Instagram: @jockosims

Barrett Doss as Emily Henderson

Emily Henderson runs her family's general store on her own and is great at dealing with people. A lot happens with Emily in season 1; in addition to befriending Caroline, she takes an orphan named Caleb (Kowen Cadorath) and begins a romance with Dr. Tann.

Barrett Doss, 37, was born in Minneapolis and began her career acting off-Broadway before making her TV debut in an episode of 30 Rock. She has divided her career between Broadway and television, with appearances on shows like Person of Interest, Girls, and Iron Fist. She also played Vic Hughes across several seasons of Station 19 and Grey's Anatomy.

Barrett Doss's Instagram: @dontgo_jasonwaterfalls

Meegwun Fairbrother as William Mitchell

William Mitchell is a successful, mixed-blood Osage farmer who has the largest homestead in the county. Per Tudum, he, his wife, White Sun (Alyssa Wapanatâhk), and their daughter, Good Eagle (Wren Zhawenim Gotts), are meant to mirror the Ingalls, with their undying love despite disagreements.

Meegwun Fairbrother is an actor of Ojibwe and Scottish heritage who was among the first Indigenous students to graduate from York University's acting conservatory. The film, TV, and stage actor is best known for his roles in shows like SYFY's Helix, CBC's Mohawk Girls and Burden of Truth, and Paramount+'s Skymed. Most recently, he appeared in the final season of Outlander and played Avatar Kuruk in Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Meegwun Fairbrother's Instagram: @meegwun_fairbrother

Netflix's Better Late Than Single returned this summer to bring another dose of fresh air into TV's dating show landscape. The Korean reality show debuted last year, with a refreshing concept centered on the 모태솔로 (which the show translates as an "eternal single"). Cast members in search of their first love story underwent makeovers ranging from wardrobe overhauls to communication coaching, before arriving at the "Solo Village" on Korea's Jeju Island. There, dates and challenges pushed them out of their comfort zones, resulting in clumsy-yet-earnest attempts at finding connections. (Like in Single's Inferno, their ages and professions are kept secret.)

Now, Better Late Than Single is back, with hosts Seo In-guk, Kang Han-na, Lee Eun-ji, and Car, the Garden returning. For the show's highly anticipated sophomore season, producers chose several earnest singles to watch after more than 17,000 people applied. Debuting on July 7, season 2's cohort skews older than the average dating show, with singles in their late 20s and early 30s ranging from workaholics ready to prioritize love over career to fangirls ready to swoon IRL to shy homebodies working through their social anxiety.

Now that season 2 has wrapped up with the July 28 finale (and the August 1 reunion), read on to meet the cast of Better Late Than Single season 2, from their MBTI and what they're looking for in a relationship to whether they're still single after the show. Spoilers for the Better Late Than Single season 2 finale ahead.

Who are the singles on 'Better Late Than Single' season 2?

Ahn Seung-hyun

Age: 30

MBTI: ISFP

Hobby: Hiking

Ahn Seung-hyun applied for the show after watching season 1 with a friend. He says that he feels he's falling behind because his friends are getting married. He also tends to ramble and trip over his words when nervous, so he works with a communication coach before entering the Solo Village.

Is Seung-hyun Still Single? Yes, Seung-hyun left the retreat alone.

Seung-hyun's Instagram: @2_a_s_h_2

An Jeong-eun

Age: 30

MBTI: INFP

Hobby: Watching movies and documentaries

Other dating shows have previously recruited An Jeong-eun, but she chose Better Late Than Single after her family watched season 1. Since she was picked on as a kid, she expects to be judged by new people and struggles to make connections. She says that she does not want to run away, and instead hopes to be truthful and give this experience her full effort.

Is Jeong-eun Still Single? Yes, Jeong-eun left the retreat alone.

Jeong-eun's Instagram: @_stability._.is_._

Choi Hyuk-joon

Age: 31

MBTI: INTJ

Hobby: Hiking, watching movies, and visiting cafés

Choi Hyuk-joon admits that he may be over-cautious about dating, after having his heart broken by an unrequited first love in college. His makeover consists of meeting with a dating coach, who encourages Hyuk-joon to be more proactive and drop the "dismissive-avoidant mask" he uses as a defense mechanism. Hyuk-joon also undergoes voice training to make his voice a bit deeper.

Is Hyuk-joon Still Single? Yes. Though Hyuk-joon left the retreat with Hyun-seo, they later decided to stay friends.

Hyuk-joon's Instagram: @hyukgoodjob

Choi Hyun-seo

Age: 27

MBTI: INTJ

Hobby: Reading, gaming, and watching anime

Choi Hyun-seo describes herself as a major otaku (an anime and manga fan); her favorite character is Toushirou Hijikata from Gintama. Since she went to arts school, she says she hasn't had a chance to meet men in real life, but she became interested in dating in her mid-20s after meeting a man who resembled one of her favorite characters. But she also says that guys don't tend to like her mellow, low-energy personality, and that guys have considered her a dongsaeng, or little sibling. She describes her "ideal 2D man" as someone with dark hair, cat-like eyes, and a serious personality.

Is Hyun-seo Still Single? Yes. Though Hyun-seo left the retreat with Hyuk-joon, they later decided to stay friends.

Hyun-seo's Instagram: @ee.at.night

Han Su-ji

Age: 26

MBTI: INTP