[This story contains spoilers from episode four of Tell Me Lies season two, “Just Stable Children.”]

Sonia Mena and Alicia Crowder’s Inform Me Lies characters, Pippa and Diana, have already introduced one of many largest shockers of the season. And it’s solely 4 episodes in.

After viewers noticed the flash-forward on the finish of the season two premiere of the Meaghan Oppenheimer-created Hulu sequence — which teased a romantic relationship between the pair within the 2015 timeline — many have doubtless been questioning how the 2 former classmates acquired there. Particularly since they’re not that shut in school, and Diana remains to be very wrapped up with Stephen (Jackson White) and his drama with Lucy (Grace Van Patten) in 2008.

However now, after the fourth episode, viewers would possibly begin to see a shift within the dynamic after Diana finds the pictures of Macy on Stephen’s pc, which solely confirms what Lucy informed her relating to his involvement in Macy’s lethal crash in season one. And although Diana deleted them, Crowder believes “she’s genuinely scared, she’s afraid of him.”

There’s additionally an unstated connection already between Pippa and Diana within the earlier timeline, because the latter “stumbled upon this horrible state of affairs” Pippa was in after being sexually assaulted by Chris [Jacob Rodriguez] earlier within the season and serving to her. “I believe there’s additionally this very deep intuition the place she actually cares about this lady, and he or she doesn’t fairly perceive why or how that happened,” Crowder says.

Under, Mena and Crowder chat with The Hollywood Reporter about navigating the heavy topic of sexual assault, why Diana continues to defend Stephen, and the Diana and Pippa teased 2015 romance. And, most tellingly, they inform viewers you “shouldn’t consider every part that folks say” within the second half of the season.

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How does it really feel realizing the long-awaited second season is lastly right here?

SONIA MENA It’s tremendous thrilling! I’m excited to share what we made. I’m so thrilled to listen to that persons are excited to observe it. And such as you mentioned, it was a protracted wait between seasons one and two, so it additionally feels good to be like, “All proper, right here you go!”

ALICIA CROWDER I really feel a lot anticipation simply to see individuals’s reactions to the large reveals, and twists and surprises. That’s essentially the most thrilling to me, studying feedback and seeing how individuals react, what it makes them really feel, the way it makes them suppose. Like, can they relate to this?

As this present simply radiates toxicity, how do you get in that mindset to play characters who’re wrapped up in that setting?

CROWDER Simply wanting on the circumstances, taking from what’s on the web page. There’s not a whole lot of psychological gymnastics it’s important to do to think about your boyfriend the place you simply need him again and, what does that imply for you? Or that you simply’ve discovered he’s completed one thing horrible and, how do you react? The writing is so good that it actually helps us alongside, and it creates a gorgeous framework for these characters who’re simply continuously grappling with the occasions going down of their lives.

Sonia, how did you personally navigate Pippa’s sexual assault this season, with it being such a heavy topic and one thing so many ladies sadly have skilled?

MENA It’s undoubtedly fairly scary, since you wish to ensure you’re doing a great job and caring for this story, and it’s undoubtedly fairly heavy. I felt a whole lot of duty to handle her. Simply looking for methods to indicate it, as a result of [her situation is] not entrance and heart, proper? And since there’s a component of it that’s oddly delicate. So working with hair and make-up and costumes and being like, what are ways in which individuals take care of this and the way does she change? Does she conceal and canopy up or not? And possibly she stops making an attempt so exhausting with a lot make-up, and her room will get messier and all these items that form of present that somebody’s falling aside once they’re nonetheless entrance and heart being like, “Hey, greatest mates, let’s celebration!”

After Diana discovered Pippa in that susceptible second, why do you suppose she stored checking up on her within the days that adopted, though they weren’t shut mates?

CROWDER I believe as a result of Diana isn’t certain if Pippa’s conscious of how unhealthy the state of affairs is, as a result of we discover her and he or she’s completely out of it. And so for Diana, she stumbled upon this horrible state of affairs and he or she’s like, does she know what occurred? And I believe possibly Diana leans into that an excessive amount of, and I believe it’s additionally selfishly that she was very scared by the state of affairs and is making an attempt to take care of that by caring for Pippa, as a result of she doesn’t know the right way to course of it herself. There additionally is that this very deep intuition the place she actually cares about this lady, and he or she doesn’t fairly perceive why or how that happened. And I don’t suppose that she’s had this type of friendship earlier than, but it surely’s this very deep must look after her. And I believe that she’s making an attempt to determine like, the place is that coming from?

Viewers now know one thing sparks romantically in a while between Diana and Pippa after seeing the flash-forward in episode one. How was it working collectively on a better foundation this season?

MENA It was tremendous enjoyable. I imply, Alicia is an incredible actor, so it was enjoyable to do these scenes and attempt to put in as a lot element as we might. We actually see simply the tiniest bits of them. So, how can we make it essentially the most full and stunning?

CROWDER That reveal on the finish of episode one was one of many first issues we shot for the season, and we form of each simply confirmed up and we had been like, “Okay, we’re doing this!” However I felt instantly so comfy and actually comfortable. I believe that’s additionally the place these ladies are of their relationship. There’s no sense of getting to placed on any airs; should you’re having a nasty day, you’re having a nasty day. They will meet one another the place they’re at, and that’s such a gorgeous and distinctive factor on this present.

This season, Diana remains to be extraordinarily wrapped up with Stephen [White] and his drama. Why do you suppose she continues to make excuses for him?

CROWDER I believe that she actually deeply loves him. Like, he’s the one. In addition they have all this historical past. They’ve been relationship for years at this level, and I believe she actually sees and believes in his potential. He’s extremely good. I believe she’s not conscious of how he makes use of that in nefarious methods, clearly, that reveals itself sooner slightly than later. He’s an actual fixer higher. She thinks, “I can change him, I can repair him,” it’s a type of issues. He comes from a really totally different world than her, and I believe that Diana is basically intrigued and keen on that. I don’t suppose rising up that she knew anybody like Stephen, and I believe that’s actually attention-grabbing to her as properly.

Nevertheless, in episode 4, I really feel like Diana is beginning to consider what Lucy informed her relating to Stephen’s involvement in Macy’s lethal automotive crash in season one, particularly after she discovered the pictures on his pc. What do you suppose was going via her head and why did she find yourself deleting them?

CROWDER I believe that if Diana had by no means discovered these photos, she would have caught with him till the top. I believe it needed to be an enormous, indisputable fact that made her break it off. And I believe that’s actually relatable. Loads of instances, individuals don’t depart poisonous relationships till the worst potential factor occurs. And deleting the images, I believe that she’s genuinely scared; she’s afraid of him. She’s very selfishly afraid of how this case might have an effect on her, that she panics, actually, in a deeply egocentric means.

Pippa has seen a whole lot of character progress from season one to 2. Sonia, what was it like navigating these adjustments?

MENA The way in which she form of finds herself via the season is possibly much less of a alternative of like, “I’m not going to attempt to be anyone else as a result of I don’t consider in it anymore,” and extra out of pure exhaustion from every part that she’s going via. She simply doesn’t have the bandwidth. And if you undergo one thing actually large, small issues begin to really feel so trivial and I believe she’s issues with new eyes and being like, “Oh my God, what the hell. What’s incorrect with everyone?” And for me, coming again to the second season, it’s so fortunate and thrilling. There’s a comfortability and a sure confidence that I felt that I didn’t essentially have for the primary season. So it was a pleasant mirror for me to really feel that means about my potential as an actor, after which have somebody who’s extra in themselves additionally. That was fortunate, I suppose.

Then again, I really feel like Diana is slowly cracking this season in comparison with how put collectively she was within the first season. Alicia, did it’s important to put together otherwise in any respect?

CROWDER The preparation is basically simply understanding the circumstances, the place she’s coming from and her motivation for why she’s making the selections that she’s making. And I believe that she’s put right into a nook rather a lot this season and having to make snap choices, like deleting these photos. However I believe it exhibits a way more human aspect of Diana. She will be able to appear to be this glamorous robotic typically, however she has faults and worries and insecurities and doesn’t at all times make the best determination. The most important instance of that: she made a horrible determination attaching herself to this man who’s turned out to have completed horrible issues.

Are you able to each tease what you’re most excited for viewers to see within the second half of the season?

MENA The depth ramps up and up. And a number of the decisions made by a number of the characters actually come out of left subject. It was actually enjoyable to determine the optimistic decision-making behind that when you’ll be able to take a look at it and be like, “what a psycho.” However if you’re that particular person or that particular person is your character’s good friend, you’re like, “I can perceive how you bought there and I can see that it’s fucked up, but it surely’s with love.” So I believe it’ll be enjoyable to take individuals on that journey with us.

CROWDER I’d say even on the midway mark, don’t consider every part that folks say. Individuals are nonetheless within the throes of an elaborate ruse and lies. So it retains you in your toes. At all times be wanting carefully at what’s occurring, and what persons are saying and the way they’re saying it.

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The primary 4 episodes of Inform Me Lies season two are presently streaming on Hulu, with new episodes dropping each Wednesday. Learn THR‘s interviews with Grace Van Patten and showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer, who teases a significant season two second, right here.