The actress talks to ET about the upcoming explosive finale and rumors about a real-life romance with co-star Jackson White.
If you thought Hulu's dark and twisty drama, Tell Me Lies, was already a roller-coaster ride, according to leading lady Grace Van Patten, the season 1 finale promises to be even wilder.
Adapted from Carola Lovering's best-selling 2018 novel of the same name, the series charts the tumultuous love story of Lucy Albright (Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White), who meet at college and spans the course of eight years. As the freshman season reaches a boiling point, Lucy and Stephen -- who are blinded by their love for each other to recognize their toxic relationship -- attend the final party of the semester where everything changes.
Van Patten recently sat down with ET's Deidre Behar to preview the explosive season ender, warning viewers that the final episode of the season is one she herself is still digesting. "I don't feel satisfied," the actress admitted, elaborating that viewers will be left "wanting more" once they finish the episode.
"I'm biased. I love Lucy and Lucy doesn't get the best ending," Van Patten hinted, adding that "no one does." "What I really like about the show is that... none of it is stereotypical or is going the way you think it's going. It's very twisty and turn-y, and it's going to take you for a ride. But I would say there's still some hope at the end." She added later, "It's going to make sense why there's hope at first, but I think there's hope."
Van Patten promised the intensity of the finale is dialed up and, of course, there may be a shocker or two. "Your jaw will drop," she teased, describing the finale with the words "alcohol," "mean" and "hopeful." "Multiple times it will be on the floor."
The 25-year-old actress spoke about viewer engagement with the series, which is executive produced by Emma Roberts, saying it's been "exciting" to have real-life interactions with "passionate" fans.
"I was with Jackson the other day and a girl pulled over and just said, 'F**k you,' at the car. Just calling, 'Stephen! Stephen!' And we're like, 'Oh my god!' But it’s so fun to have that reaction that people are really feeling something and I feel like it’s because everyone has a Stephen," she said. "Like, everyone sadly has a Stephen in their life or had a friend like Stephen and I think it feels really personal to people."
"It’s hilarious. We laugh and we're like, 'We're not those people! We're nice. I promise we're nice to each other, I promise!'" Van Patten continued. "It’s great talking to them and everyone’s so curious about what’s going to happen."
As she recalled, there was one particular fan encounter that stuck out. "I had one the other day where somebody came up to me and was like, 'I love you but I hate you,' and it was just so funny because people also are hating Lucy right now. She’s losing it but it’s been such a turn," Van Patten shared. "In the beginning people were coming up, like, 'Oh god, he’s so terrible. He’s terrible!' And now it’s like you are, because she’s becoming him."
Because Tell Me Lies gets racy at times, Van Patten credited White for adding empathy to a character that, on paper, isn't exactly the best role model.
"He's so brilliant and that part is so hard for an actor to do all these terrible things, to still maintain some empathy. I remember his first audition, he came in and he was saying all these mean things, all of these questionable things but you still cared for him and you still were curious and weirdly drawn to him," she said. "It was really important for us to have the audience be... as confused by him and just as intrigued and enamored. And he just killed it. The whole cast got so close and it was just endless discussions about the dynamic of the relationship and making each other feel really safe and cozy so that we could do all these terrible things to each other."
"In terms of intimate scenes, there's so much that goes into that for a scene that's supposed to be spontaneous and sexy, it is the most technical, that requires so much conversation. There's an intimacy coordinator, so we just go through the whole thing and there are no surprises," Van Patten explained. "It's always very to the book and planned. That always makes an actor feel comfortable and safe and then in terms of just being terrible to each other, we talk about it and give each other a hug after."
Rumors have swirled recently that Van Patten and White have taken their on-screen romance off-screen, as the two have been spotted around town at various events. Van Patten was asked about speculation of a real-life romance brewing, and though she didn't confirm or deny the rumors, she welcomes the chatter.
"Fans should just leave it up for mystery. Keep it fun," Van Patten coyly answered, adding that the speculation "doesn't bother me at all." "It's fun like any other discussion about the show. It's engaging and it's hilarious. I love it."
The actress confessed there are certain steamy scenes she doesn't want her immediate family to watch.
"There definitely are some things I don’t want my parents seeing or my grandma. And my mom didn’t care. She was like, 'I’m watching it, Grace.' My dad has yet to see it because I want my mom to watch it through so that she can cover his eyes at points where it might be a little too much," Van Patten said. "But everyone else is not listening to me and just watching it, which is very sweet."
As for the finale, Van Patten warned viewers to get ready. "Just strap in. Buckle your seatbelts," she teased.
The finale of Tell Me Lies drops Wednesday on Hulu.
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