[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Season 2 of The Sex Lives of College Girls.]
From co-creators Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble (who can also be the showrunner), the second season of the HBO Max authentic comedy collection The Sex Lives of College Girls continues to comply with Essex College roommates Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet), Bela (Amrit Kaur), Leighton (Reneé Rapp) and Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott), as they fight to determine what’s subsequent, from their lessons and of their romantic lives. With points starting from easy methods to keep at college with no scholarship, to determining who you might be past being on a sports activities group, to beginning a rival campus journal, to brazenly exploring your individual sexuality, irrespective of how critical the issue or wild the get together, this group of pals is at all times there for one another.
During this interview with Collider, co-stars Rapp and Scott talked about what they had been most enthusiastic about with Season 2, the place their characters’ development has come from, what they’ve realized from working collectively as a forged, exploring the completely different sides of their characters, and their favourite moments this season.
Collider: I really like this present. I really like these characters. I’m totally on board for any loopy shenanigans they resolve to rise up to. What did you guys most get pleasure from about Season 1, and what had been you most enthusiastic about with what you bought to do in Season 2?
ALYAH CHANELLE SCOTT: Everything was thrilling in Season 1 as a result of it was like, “What are we even doing?” I really feel like Season 1 was completely different as a result of it was COVID-y occasions. It’s nonetheless COVID-y occasions, however Season 1 was very COVID-y occasions. We had a number of restrictions. We couldn’t experience on golf carts collectively. There had been bizarre little issues like that. I used to be like, “I can’t wait for Season 2, when we can have in-person table reads.” It was simply little issues like that, that I used to be actually enthusiastic about.
RENEÉ RAPP: I used to be excited for this season as a result of it felt like I might simply exist with out the concern of getting fired as a result of I didn’t assume I used to be a very good actor. That was actually simply our concern final season. It was the largest imposter syndrome ever. That’s to not say that it goes away, however I undoubtedly was in a position to sink in a little bit bit extra and assume extra about what I’m doing, and fewer about being concerned.
Where would you say your character’s development comes from this season? Does it come from one thing inside themselves, or does it come from one thing they be taught from another person?
RAPP: I really feel like truly Leighton truly realized so much from Alicia, within the girls’s heart. It feels to me, at the very least, that she learns from observing. Even although she’s going to say actually bitchy issues, I believe she’s at all times taking info in and making an attempt to reassess and consider easy methods to transfer, based mostly off of that. But I believe she realized so much from Alicia in Season 1, which taught her so much about herself and which inherently turns into who she is. I believe that had a very massive influence on her, to be sincere.
SCOTT: Yeah, I really feel like, this season, Whitney is a sufferer of circumstance. Soccer is completed, so now she’s like, “Oh, I’m forced to learn something about myself because I don’t have this thing that I’ve always relied on.” It’s not essentially one thing she selected to do, however I believe she’s higher for it.
What has most shocked you guys about working with this ensemble and about working with one another? Your characters are studying and rising a lot, simply from being with one another, so what’s it like for you guys, as actors, to even be thrown in collectively?
SCOTT: It’s nice. Honestly, I might hate to do it alone.
RAPP: Oh, my God, yeah.
SCOTT: I don’t assume I might, now that I’ve executed it. I don’t know the way I might’ve survived, if not for them.
RAPP: Oh, similar.
SCOTT: I’m personally simply studying from Reneé, continuously, on a regular basis. She’s simply such an icon.
RAPP: Oh, thanks bitch!
SCOTT: Yeah, simply the way in which that she strikes by way of skilled areas is so cool, and I can be taught one thing from that. And I be taught issues from Amrit [Kaur], and the way in which she’s such a critical actor. And I’m studying issues about directing and the way units work. I’m simply continuously studying.
RAPP: I do know. I believe so, too. The extra you do one thing, the simpler it turns into, and perhaps not simpler in all methods, however simpler in a number of methods. We’re all evolving collectively, in our personal methods, which feels very thrilling. We simply spend a lot time collectively, so once we select to spend time collectively, it’s even higher. It’s good as a result of we’re making this lively option to be like, “Let’s hang out. I like you.”
Alyah, what’s it prefer to get to discover a distinct aspect of Whitney, this season? With the main target off of sports activities, she’s actually focusing extra on teachers, and he or she’s realizing that she’s truly good at it. How enjoyable was that?
SCOTT: I cherished it. I cherished it a lot. It was the factor final season that I used to be like, “I love soccer, but I’m sick of it. I’m ready to do other things with her.” We simply didn’t have the time to do different issues along with her and discover different facets of her, and the ins and outs of who she is, her identification, racially, her relationships, Canaan, and what’s happening outdoors of the soccer world. We get all the way in which into that stuff, and I simply cherished that. I really like that she finds out that she’s good at different issues as a result of that’s at all times very affirming that you just’re not only a one-trick pony.
Reneé, I additionally love that we get to see Leighton be a legit math nerd. How was it to embrace that aspect of her, a little bit bit?
RAPP: It’s so wild. It’s enjoyable. I really like the recent lady who occurs to be good at math. That trope is hilarious to me. I fucking suck at math. I used to be by no means good at school, from that standpoint. I used to be fantastic, however that wasn’t my factor. It was fascinating as a result of I used to be like, “I feel like a fraud.” But she is de facto good. I get pleasure from her being very e book good as a result of I believe it additionally makes folks take a look at her otherwise, which is annoying, but additionally simply life. That bitch is sensible.
Leighton can also be clearly making up for misplaced time with the feminine inhabitants on campus, this season. What was it prefer to have her juggling so many various dates, after which to seek out that the one that most catches her curiosity is the individual that appears most like her?
RAPP: I get it. In my private life, I really feel like I want any person who can go to toe-to-toe with me, and I believe that’s what Leighton wants. It’s cool to observe her meet her match, in a approach. And then, it’s additionally good to see how there are particular issues that she doesn’t like about her match. She’s like, “Ooh, maybe I need to check these things about myself.” It’s very cool to observe her discover that. It’s additionally simply humorous that she is actually essentially the most lovely factor in the entire broad world, and he or she seems like Leighton,” and it’s not even a thought in her thoughts. She’s similar to, “Wow, she’s perfect. My God.”
Alyah, we see Whitney discover any person who challenges her otherwise than she’s used to. What did you get pleasure from about that dynamic and her need to actually one-up somebody academically?
SCOTT: This is a horrible factor that I’m realizing about myself, however I used to be like that, as a child. If there was another person in my class, I’d be like, “What grade did you get?” They’d be like, “I got a 93.” And I used to be like, “Dammit, I got a 92. Now, I have to get a 93.” I used to be that child. That’s simply such a enjoyable factor to play, as an actor. That’s only a aggressive, flirtatious factor. I really like that for Whitney. She has complexity academically, and never simply sexually. I additionally love that Charlie Hall is on our present. He’s simply great.
What is your favourite second of Season 2, whether or not it’s particularly about your character or one thing that your character is part of?
SCOTT: Mine is episode 5, for positive. That was my child, brainchild second. That’s the place we get to see Whitney discover the concept of what it’s to be Black at a predominantly white establishment. That was one thing that I needed to do, so badly. I bear in mind, earlier than the season began, I wrote this lengthy, scary e-mail to (present co-creators) Mindy [Kaling] and Justin [Noble], and I used to be like, “I’m just wondering if we can have a little chit-chat.” And they heard me out, and so they made an superior episode. It got here out of the mind of Sheridan [Watson], considered one of our writers, and it was such a singular, particular expertise that I had after I was youthful and in school, particularly. I used to be so happy with the way in which that we did it. I believed we additionally did it with humor and in a approach that didn’t overly victimize Whitney. I’m actually happy with it, and I’m excited for folks to see that.
RAPP: What was thrilling for me was to return out to the opposite women. I preferred that as a result of it was obtained with such an openness, and it was additionally actually pure. You see that Leighton truly actually cares in regards to the women.
The Sex Lives of College Girls is obtainable to stream at HBO Max.