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Turn your attention to You's fresh crop of characters (surely Joe Goldberg is doing the same).
Netflix's psychological thriller series recently made its return with the long-awaited season 4 — and just like its predecessors, this season promises plenty of new faces that its star stalker is sure to fall in love with.
Based on Caroline Kepnes' best-selling novels of the same name, You's fourth installment, split in two parts, sees the return of Penn Badgley as bookstore manager-turned-professor Joe (although now known under alias Jonathan Moore) who takes his passionate pursuit to a whole new part of the world: Europe.
While the series' setting takes a drastic turn as his character jets off to follow Marienne Bellamy, his latest lover played by Tati Gabrielle, his obsessive (ah-hem, murderous) tendencies remain the same.
Fortunately, fans of the show are introduced to a whole new cast of characters. Unfortunately for the new crop, they are in the vulnerable state of becoming Joe's next victim.
Keep scrolling to learn more about the newcomers joining the season 4 cast of You.
Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg
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Penn Badgley returns as Joe Goldberg, the maniacal stalker that fans have become obsessed with over the course of three seasons. In season 3, Joe becomes a dad, though, he gave his son up for adoption at the end of the season (after killing his wife, Love, and faking his death while setting his own house on fire). Joe also goes by different aliases, of which his season 4 moniker is Professor Jonathan Moore.
Badgley takes his act overseas and continues his passionate pursuit across the pond. That's right, You season 4 makes its way from the suburbs to England because Joe (aka Jonathan) nabbed a job as a college professor.
"I'm not the lovable bookstore manager in New York, or the shop clerk in LA, or the doting husband in the suburbs now. Not anymore," Joe says in the cast reveal video. "Allow me to reintroduce myself: I've gone through a bit of refinement upon crossing the pond. And living in London has allowed me to bury the past, if you will."
Prior to his starring in You, Badgley amassed fame with the role of Dan Humphrey in The CW teen drama series Gossip Girl from 2007 until 2012. He's also starred in a handful of notable teen movies, including Easy A alongside Emma Stone and John Tucker Must Die with Brittany Snow.
As for his life off-screen, Badgley has been in a relationship with Domino Kirke since 2014. In 2017, the couple tied the knot and later welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on Aug. 11, 2020.
Tati Gabrielle as Marienne Bellamy
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Tati Gabrielle reprises her role as Marienne Bellamy in You season 4 after making her debut in the series' third installment. Primarily known as the librarian, Joe's boss at Madre Linda's library and the mother of Juliette, Marienne becomes the stalker's newest obsession in the back half of season 3 after unintentionally interfering with Love and Joe's established romance.
The end of the season sees Joe doing what Joe does best: taking his pursuit of love to the extreme and following Marienne to Europe. While her exact location has yet to be revealed, Marienne had previously mentioned Paris to Joe — but if she's trying to escape him, she'd outsmart him by choosing a different city.
"I would just want her to find the peace she's been seeking; be able to do art and let her kid have the most free and lovely life," Gabrielle told Marie Claire of what she'd want of her character in season 4. "I feel like she would be an art teacher or a commissioned artist. I do very secretly want her, if she does come back, to be the one to foil Joe."
Prior to her role in You, Gabrielle appeared on shows such as The CW's sci-fi drama The 100 and Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina. Recently, she costarred alongside Mark Wahlberg in her first-ever feature film, Uncharted, and held a lead role in Netflix's viral heist series Kaleidoscope.
Off-screen, she has a close friendship with another mega TV star: Zendaya. "I grew up with Zendaya! We went to school together," Gabrielle told Glamour Magazine.
Ed Speleers as Rhys Montrose
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Joining the You cast as a series regular is British actor Ed Speleers, playing Rhys Montrose in season 4. The official You Instagram describes Rhys as "a good man in a cruel world," a characteristic that accompanies a video of Joe's narration of the newcomer character.
"Finally someone else I can relate to," the narration of Rhys Montrose begins. "By some unconventional turn of events, we both went from the bottom of society to the social stratosphere. It's nice to see someone else level-headed here."
According to Deadline, Speleers's character is described as a "dry and irreverent" author who published a memoir that launched him acclaim and pressure to step into a political career. Like Joe points out in the narration above, Rhys didn't always live an affluent life. In fact, he "lived a traumatic early life before he came into money, going to Oxford and making all the right friends."
While Speleers and Badgley's on-screen character share similarities in the series, the actors also have a lot in common in real life as well. "We were a similar age. We're both dads," Speleers told PEOPLE. "We connected a lot over that and music and football. And I feel that we pushed each other and we respected each other."
Prior to being cast in You, Speleers had roles in 2010's Downton Abbey and 2014's Outlander. As for his personal life, he's married to producer and costume designer Asia Macey, with whom he shares two children.
Charlotte Ritchie as Kate
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Charlotte Ritchie joins the cast of You season 4, playing a fierce and loyal art gallery director named Kate. According to Variety, the British actress' role is described as "fearsomely smart, independent, suspicious" and one who "misses nothing." (In fact, she gets a good read on Joe as soon as she meets him.)
While she's extremely loyal to her friends, the write-up notes she's "a brick wall to everyone else." As the daughter of a single mother (who's said to be "chaotic" and "bohemian"), Kate worked tirelessly to create the life she now leads. Furthermore, while she's often considered the "adult in the room," she confidently embraces the moniker "ice b----."
Kate is also best friends with Lady Phoebe, a newly introduced character who Kate is very protective of. As for her romantic life, she prefers "arrangements" over love — hence her relationship with fun (and self-centered) Malcolm, played by newcomer Stephen Hagan.
Prior to starring in You, Ritchie appeared in Netflix's Feel Good, BBC's drama series Call the Midwife and Ghosts. She's also set to appear in the upcoming film Wonka starring Timothée Chalamet.
Tilly Keeper as Lady Phoebe
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Tilly Keeper joins the You season 4 cast as Lady Phoebe — who aside from being Kate's best friend, is a sweet and kind aristocratic socialite with an avid fan base who also happens to be rich, famous, and chaotic. So famous, that according to Variety's official description of the character, "every bikini wax has been documented by the tabloids since she was 15 years old."
As for Lady Phoebe's love life, she's in a relationship with her American entrepreneur boyfriend, Adam. Despite being his biggest fan, Lady Phoebe is also described as a "wild card" whose reactions are unpredictable.
"A testament to what it takes to hold a title these days," narrates Joe in the Instagram character description. "There are many titles you hold: heiress, socialite, tabloid sensation, also genuinely nice, kind and charitable ... allegedly, but how do you act when no one else is watching?"
Prior to joining the cast of You, Keeper was known for her role as Louise Mitchell on the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She's also appeared in BBC's film Make Me Famous.
Lukas Gage as Adam Pratt
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Lukas Gage joins the season 4 cast of You in the recurring role of Adam Pratt, the "warm, funny and hard-partying son of a wealthy family who is famous for failing to meet their standards," according to Netflix. Sinisterly, "He'll do whatever it takes to get what he wants," the streamer is sure to note.
From Joe's perspective, his narration of Adam begins: "Well here's the very portrait of a playboy. All flash and fun, but do I detect a burning ambition beneath?" He explains, "Adam Pratt is known for many things, not least of which is being a disappointment to his parents," adding, "He may get his chance to make them proud, yet."
Although Adam is pegged as Joe's rival in the series, Gage has quite the opposite feelings towards his costar Badgley in real life. "Penn is the most thoughtful, kind, amazing lead of the show," the new cast member told E! News of the You star.
Prior to joining the cast of You, Gage has become widely known for his roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus. As for his personal life, romance rumors have swirled around his relationship with producer Phoebe Fisher due to several posts on Instagram. While speaking on the You're Gonna Love Me podcast, they indirectly addressed the topic, despite Gage calling her "babe" during the interview.
Amy-Leigh Hickman as Nadia
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Amy-Leigh Hickman joins the season 4 cast of You as Nadia, a college student who shares similar interests with Joe (uh oh). For starters, she's a literature major with a love of genre storytelling. Plus, she has the aspiration to be a serious author, per Deadline's description of the character.
"Nadia's outspokenness and intensity are a perfect cover for the insecurities carried by a young woman who's never been accepted by her peer group. She's made some big mistakes; now, they threaten to destroy her life. She'll need help, even if it's from the wrong people," the outlet states.
As for Joe's perspective on the character, he says: "Ah Nadia, my star pupil. Even in the lush landscape of academia, you still manage to be a breath of fresh air. Well, not if you ask your classmates. In the words of Ernest Hemingway: 'Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.'"
Prior to joining the season 4 cast of You, Hickman made her TV debut as Carmen Howle in the CBBC series Tracy Beaker Returns, a role she reprised in its sequel series The Dumping Ground. She also starred in the British comedy-drama series Ackley Bridge.