The Sex Lives of College Girls is back for Season 2. The new series premiered on HBO Max on November 17, 2022. The comedy-drama is the brainchild of Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble and follows the ups and downs of four freshmen who have begun their college journey at Vermont’s very own (and very fictional) Essex College.
The four young women, with promising hopes, aspirations, and raging hormones, try to navigate their way into their newly found free lives, while also making tons of mistakes in their journey. But hey, nobody said that growing up is easy - especially when you have to balance school, work, and the topsy-turvy turns of romance.
The show first premiered on November 18, 2021, and has received numerous nominations, including the Outstanding New TV Series category during the 33rd GLAAD Media Awards in 2022. The latest season includes ten brand-new episodes, with the season finale on December 15, 2022.
Here’s what you need to know about the cast and characters of The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Pauline Chalamet as Kimberly
Pauline Chalamet plays Kimberly, a small-town girl whose sheltered worldview becomes shattered as she enters college. At the peak of her young adulthood, Kimberly learns how to break out of her comfort zone and make new friends (and potential lovers) - all while balancing school and work. Kimberly is the kind of person whose heart is always in the right place, but just like any other human, she’s bound to make a couple of mistakes along the way. Chalamet was first featured in The King of Staten Island.
Amrit Kaur as Bela
Amrit Kaur plays Bela, a sex-positive college student hailing all the way from Nutley, New Jersey. An aspiring comedy writer, she lights up the room with her fun-loving personality and doesn’t shy away from a good time. The Canadian actress has been involved in several American and Canadian shows, most notably Kim’s Convenience and American Gothic. She’s also taken on the role of Pasha in the movie Brown Girl Begins.
Reneé Rapp as Leighton
Reneé Rapp plays Leighton, a New York City gal and closeted lesbian who comes from an affluent, wealthy family. Leighton has a hard time opening up to people, which causes her to lose her high school friends. A legacy student, she has no qualms about being rude to others. But as the series progresses, Leighton is shown to be a caring person and would be the first one to have anybody’s back. Rapp appeared in the Broadway musical Mean Girls, playing the iconic role of Regina George - for which she as the 2018 Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress.
Alyah Chanelle Scott as Whitney
Alyah Chanelle Scott plays Whitney, the daughter of a U.S. senator and an incredibly talented soccer player. Under the watchful eye of her mother, Whitney is constantly frustrated that her achievements in sports are often neglected because of her lifestyle choices. Despite all that, Whitney’s confidence is unmatched. She is highly intelligent, perceptive, and super loyal to her group of friends. Besides The Sex Lives of College Girls, Scott also plays Timberly Fox in the Hulu show Reboot.
Gavin Leatherwood as Nico
Gavin Leatherwood plays Nico, Leighton’s older brother who just so happens to be Kimberly’s romantic interest. While Gavin portrays himself to be a nice person with good intentions, he makes some of the worst mistakes in the show as well. Leatherwood gained attention for playing Nicholas Scratch on Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Unfortunately, Leatherwood will not be returning for Season 2, but you won't hear any spoilers here regarding what happened to his character.
Christopher Meyer as Canaan
Christopher Meyer plays Canaan, one of Kimberly’s co-workers. Although he’s introduced as a total prankster, Canaan is one of the few male friends Kimberly can count on. He helps Kimberly get back on the right track with her studies and is willing to go the extra mile to give advice. Meyer previously appeared in iZombie and General Hospital.
Ilia Isorelýs Paulino as Lila
Ilia Isorelýs Paulino plays Lila, another one of Kimberly’s co-workers at Sips. Lila doesn't hold back when speaking her views, but she also doesn't make snap judgments about others. Still, she doesn’t let Kimberly off the hook so easily whenever she does something wrong. Prior to this show, Paulino played in Queenpins as Rosa.
Renika Williams as Willow
Renika Williams plays Willow, a fellow student and a member of the school’s soccer team, making her one of Whitney’s teammates. When the other girls criticize Whitney’s spot on the team because of her well-known mother, Willow stood by her side. Her loyalty to her friends becomes one of her strongest characteristics that shines throughout the show. Williams is known for her work in Modern Love and Intrusion.
Lauren "Lolo" Spencer as Jocelyn
Lauren "Lolo" Spencer plays Jocelyn, a student who lives in the same dorm as the girls and is the ultimate comedic relief. Her confidence level knows no limits, and she doesn’t shy away from a wild time. Before this, Spencer was featured in Give Me Liberty.
Midori Francis as Alicia
Midori Francis plays Alicia, Leighton’s romantic interest. On campus, Alicia can be seen running the Women’s Center and becoming a supportive ally. Upon her first encounter with Leighton, Alicia immediately calls her out on her ego, but slowly we see romance bloom between the two. Francis started her acting career in theatre and gained popularity for her appearance in the Netflix show Dash & Lily.
Mekki Leeper as Eric Miller
Mekki Leeper plays Eric Miller, another student at Essex and the co-editor of the Catullan comedy club. He’s not the most sensitive person out there, as he tends to disregard the concerns of other members of the club. But despite his lack of care, Eric is quite awkward as a person. Originally from Philadelphia, Miller is now a comedian and writer based in Los Angeles.
Mitchell Slaggert as Jackson
Mitchell Slaggert plays Jackson, a transfer student at Essex, and the love interest of a certain someone in the show. Slaggert broke into the industry as a model based in New York but has been featured in films like Wish Upon and the limited series El Diablo Guardian.