‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ Co-Creator Confirms Leighton’s Story Continues

The Sex Lives of College Girls co-creator Justin Noble has reassured fans that they haven’t seen the last of Reneé Rapp’s character Leighton. She will return for several episodes in Season 3 to complete her storyline.

News broke last year, via a Deadline exclusive report, of the actress’ departure from the Max dramedy. At that time, it was revealed Rapp would not continue as a series regular, but she would appear in a few episodes to wrap up her character arc.

“[She] definitely still has some lessons and room to grow ahead of her,” Noble said in a recent interview with Teen Vogue previewing the upcoming third season. “She’ll be faced with a couple of big choices and she’ll have to make a couple of big decisions in all aspects of her life.”

Leighton, a wealthy, New York-raised legacy student, experienced several pivotal moments last season, including coming out to her father, leaving her sorority, and reuniting with her ex. Noble’s comments suggest that her storyline will not end abruptly, even as dramatic changes loom for each main character in Season 3, which kicks off with their sophomore year.

“[Co-creator] Mindy [Kaling], myself and the writers, we definitely chose chaos at the end of Season 2. And I think that is also a real thing that relationships in college go through. You have to learn your boundaries. You have to learn where you’re going to assert yourself with friendships [and] telling them what is and isn’t okay and what your needs are,” Noble elaborated.

Set at the fictional Essex College in New England, Sex Lives follows the trials and triumphs of four roommates navigating their freshman year. Stars Alyah Chanelle Scott, Pauline Chalamet, and Amrit Kaur experience relationship drama, struggles to fit in, class headaches and gross frat parties.

Since her TV debut, Rapp has embarked on a successful music career. She released her debut album Snow Angel last summer, which debuted at No. 44 on the Billboard 200 through Interscope. She also made her Broadway debut as Regina George in Mean Girls in 2019, and reprised the character in the musical film remake set for release in 2024.

Sex Lives, a top performer for the streaming platform, will also introduce a new cast of characters this season. Among them are Devin Craig ( Queen Sugar), Ruby Cruz ( Bottoms), Michael Provost ( Insatiable) and Roby Attal ( Haunting of Bly Manor). Additionally, Mia Rodgers and Gracie Lawrence will join as series regulars, with recurring appearances from Nabeel Muscatwalla, Rebecca Wisocky, and Michael Hsu.