Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3, episode 2!The cast ofThe Sex Lives of College Girlshas addressed Reneé Rapp’s season 3 exit, explaining how well they believe her final episode of the comedy-drama was handled. InThe Sex Lives of College Girlsseason 3, episode 2, Leighton (Rapp) decides to leave Essex College, having been accepted into MIT and deciding to take advantage of her new opportunity. While she tries to hide the info from her friends at first, she eventually tells them, leading to a heartfelt sendoff for her character.
Speaking withPeople, several cast members commented on Rapp’s exit fromThe Sex Lives of College Girlsseason 3. Whitney actor Alyah Chanelle Scott was happy with the emotional goodbye sequence, while Amrit Kaur, who plays Bela, likes how her character exit reflected why she left the series in real life.Creator Justin Noble also discussed the importance of creating a perfect final episode for Leighton, reflecting her determination in the process. Scott also added just how difficult it was to say goodbye. Check out what Scott, Kaur, and Noble had to say below:
Scott:There’s a million ways it could have gone and I really appreciate and respect and I’m amazed by how they were able to do it. They thought of all of the different sides of it — her love life and friend life and how hard that moment was for her character to deal with, and seeing us say goodbye to her in real-time and how emotional [it was]. We got to have that moment that I think fans want us to have. The goodbye scene, but also it gets to end on terms that are positive. It’s not a big explosive friendship break up. It’s like, ‘You’re doing what’s best for you and your life — on the show and outside of the show — and we’re proud of you and we’re excited for you and we’re sending you off into the world.’ The way that it was handled was so thoughtful.
Kaur:I liked that she transferred for something that was important to her career. Life imitates art, and she’s [leaving the show] because she wants to pursue her singing career. So I liked that it was an intelligent reason…. It was sad. We got to put how we felt into the words and say goodbye.
Noble:This is Leighton Murray. And Leighton Murray — she wins. We started talking about how she came into the series, and if you think about it, she came in kind of knowing herself the least. She was projecting a different personality than she probably truly felt, and over 22 episodes, we watched her become incredibly confident with who she genuinely is. [She] choose what’s best for her in the future…. We believe that she’s just going to kill it wherever she goes. It doesn’t take much of a stretch to imagine that she’s the C-suite boss who’s running a company, killing it at life, having no problems — except the ones that she creates for herself.
[There’s a] moment on set that I think I’ll just never forget, because it was real. It wasn’t even fiction after a while. This cast was really saying goodbye to this member of it, and it was deeply emotional, and I think that comes across on the screen and I’m so happy with the way that that scene turned out, and that we could lend the words to kind of give them — as performers — this memory together. I think it meant a lot.
Scott:As sad as I was to say goodbye to her, it never felt like I was actually saying goodbye because we literally live three minutes away from each other. So I was like, ‘I’m crying because you’re not going to be at work, I guess, but I’ll see you at home.’
[T]hat moment for the friend group is really important. I think it makes us all realize that this time and this space isn’t forever… You can’t ever get fully comfortable. You just have to appreciate the time that you have with people and then appreciate when it’s over. And I think that playing that emotion was very cathartic and bittersweet.
What The Cast & Creator’s Statements Say About Reneé Rapp’s Sex Lives Of College Girls Exit
Her Character Will Be Missed After Such An Important Role
Out of allRapp’s movie and TV show roles, her appearance as Leighton has been a mainstay of the comedy-drama since the very start. A lesbian from a rich family in New York City, she struggles to live up to her mother’s expectations while carving out her own path in life.This is what leads to her eventual application to MIT and subsequent success of getting in, something she decides to pursue to ensure her future. While this means the departure of one of the four main characters, it opens a new path for season 3 going forward.
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In real life,Rapp is both an actor and singer-songwriter early into her career, meaning she wasn’t going to stay on the series forever. Leaving means she can pursue new roles beyond the series, a bittersweet moment because of just how well she portrayed Leighton from the very start. However,The Sex Lives of College Girls' storywill continue to develop beyond her absence, leaving a hole in the show that can no doubt be filled as storylines of other characters progress. Even so, her presence in the series will be missed.
Our Take On How Rapp’s Sex Lives Of College Girls Exit Was Handled
A Strong Transition Into A New Era
While it’s disappointing Leighton’s story won’t be continued inThe Sex Lives of College Girlsseason 3, her exit marks a new era for the show after she decides to prioritize her college career. Though her absence is bound to be mentioned across the rest of the season, it likely won’t define upcoming storylines, which will instead remain focused on Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet), Bela, and Whitney. But it doesn’t take away from Rapp’s memorable time on the series, while building hype around whatever her next project will be.
New episodes ofThe Sex Lives of College Girlsseason 3 arrive Thursdays on Max.
The Sex Lives of College Girls
Cast
This comedy-drama series follows four diverse college roommates navigating life at New England’s prestigious Essex College. As they experience newfound independence, they encounter personal and academic challenges. Created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, the series captures the complexities and humor of self-discovery and campus life.
