The addictive Hulu drama Tell Me Lies has kept viewers hooked with its web of toxic relationships, shocking betrayals, and college-era chaos since debuting in 2022. Based loosely on Carola Lovering’s 2018 novel, the series follows the tumultuous eight-year entanglement between Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White), pulling their friends into a spiral of lies and consequences. After Season 2’s explosive finale in October 2024—complete with a wedding sabotage and a tragic death—fans were desperate for more. Hulu delivered the good news just two months later, renewing the show for Season 3 on December 19, 2024. As production ramps up, here’s the latest on what to expect from this next chapter of Baird College drama.
Release Date Updates: When Can We Expect Season 3?
Hulu hasn’t locked in an official premiere date yet, but based on the production timeline, early 2026 looks promising. Season 1 dropped in September 2022, and Season 2 followed in fall 2024 after delays from the 2023 Hollywood strikes. With filming already underway by late May 2025 and wrapping in August, a late 2025 release feels optimistic but unlikely—post-production, editing, and marketing typically take several months.
Cast News: Who’s Returning and Who’s New?
The core ensemble is expected to return, as the show’s heart lies in Lucy and Stephen’s orbit and the ripple effects on their friends. Van Patten and White—who are dating in real life—have both expressed excitement about diving back in, with White manifesting the renewal even before it was official. Here’s a breakdown:
Returning Stars
- Grace Van Patten as Lucy Albright: The wide-eyed freshman turned vengeful schemer. Van Patten teased to E! News that Season 3 captures “the peak of all these young people’s worst decisions.”
- Jackson White as Stephen DeMarco: The manipulative charmer whose revenge plot hit overdrive in Season 2. White told E! News he’s ready for more, joking he’d start filming immediately post-finale.
- Catherine Missal as Bree: The sorority sister grappling with infidelity and ambition. Her storyline exploded in the finale, and Missal’s performance has been a standout.
- Spencer House as Wrigley: The party-loving athlete dealing with family tragedy. House shared with TV Insider that keeping his character’s “constant spiral” fresh will be a challenge after Drew’s death.
- Sonia Mena as Pippa, Branden Cook as Evan, Alicia Crowder as Diana, and Natalee Linez as Lydia: All key supporting players whose backstories (like Pippa’s assault and the group’s lingering secrets) demand resolution.
- Tom Ellis as Oliver: The shady professor whose affair with Bree wrapped in Season 2, but Ellis hinted to Entertainment Tonight that Season 3 might be his last, as the story builds to closure.
Fresh Faces
Season 3 introduces new blood to shake up the dynamics:
- Costa D’Angelo as Alex (series regular): A psychology grad student and part-time drug dealer with a “complicated past” tied to Bree. The Australian actor joins fresh off roles in Neighbours and The Deb.
- Iris Apatow as Amanda (recurring): A college freshman harboring “a few secrets of her own.” The Euphoria alum (and daughter of Judd and Leslie Mann) brings Gen-Z edge to the mix.
Notably, Benjamin Wadsworth’s Drew won’t return following his shocking exit, and Jacob Rodriguez’s Leo might expand if his arc with Lucy deepens—actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark told Us Weekly there’s “a lot to do with him.”
Plot Teasers: What Lies Ahead for Lucy, Stephen, and the Gang?
Tell Me Lies thrives on dual timelines—college flashbacks and present-day fallout—so Season 3 will likely pick up right where the chaos left off. The Season 2 finale dropped bombshells: In 2008, Drew’s overdose death devastates Wrigley; in 2015, Stephen anonymously sends Bree a voicemail of Evan confessing his hookup with Lucy, tanking her wedding and exposing a decade-old revenge scheme. Showrunner Oppenheimer has expanded beyond the book, teasing “there needs to be blood” as consequences catch up.
Expect:
- Lucy and Stephen’s Endgame: Their reconciliation in both timelines sets up more manipulation. Van Patten told Elle it’s “the peak of all of these people’s worst decisions,” with “more chaos” and unpredictable endings—even the cast theorizes about it. White wonders if Stephen finally gets “stuck with nowhere to run.”
- Bree’s Fallout: Will she confront Lucy? Her professor affair ended, but Alex’s arrival hints at new temptations or revelations.
- Wrigley’s Grief and Pippa’s Trauma: Drew’s death and unresolved assault could fracture the group, with more focus on 2015’s emotional toll.
- Macy’s Shadow: Stephen’s role in her death still haunts—will it surface?
- Amanda’s Secrets: As a freshman, she might uncover old lies, adding fresh intrigue.
Oppenheimer envisions Season 3 as potentially the finale, wrapping the core arcs while leaving room for spin-offs. One thing’s certain: The toxicity is dialed up, blending heartbreak with “juicy juice.”
