At a Glance
- Grace Van Patten and Jackson White play a toxic couple on Tell Me Lies while dating in real life.
- Spencer House and Sonia Mena, who portray Pippa and Wrigley, also share a romance off-screen.
- Branden Cook and Katherine Hughes announced their engagement in October 2025.
- Why it matters: Fans can now match the drama on set with the real-world relationships behind the scenes.
The hit Hulu drama Tell Me Lies has become a playground for both on-screen tension and off-screen affection. Since its third season premiered on January 13, 2025, viewers have watched the series’ toxic love stories while the actors behind them have been quietly dating, marrying, and engaging. The following overview details the real-life romances that mirror the show’s chaotic relationships.
On-Screen Chemistry That Turns Off-Screen
Grace Van Patten and Jackson White star as Lucy and Stephen, a couple whose romance spirals over nearly a decade. The pair first met during the first season in 2022 and began dating that same year. “It’s like, we get to fight and let it all out on camera, and then we’re great. It’s our couple’s therapy,” Van Patten told News Of Los Angeles in January 2026. She added that their off-camera relationship feels “way less exciting” than their characters’.
Van Patten shared more about the transition between acting and real life: “I had this fear of, ‘You’re going to know when I’m acting.’ Before we got into it, I was like, ‘Am I going to be insecure?'” She said the experience made her feel “so safe and so comfortable and able to go there and be vulnerable.” White has echoed the sentiment, noting that they support each other’s careers and attend events together, such as the season 3 premiere.
Couples That Began on Set
- Spencer House & Sonia Mena – Playing Pippa and Wrigley since 2022, the pair revealed their romance in January 2025. Their makeup designer, Jenny Lin, praised them as “so nice” and “cute to have one big family.” They keep details private but attend Tell Me Lies events side-by-side.
- Branden Cook & Katherine Hughes – Cook portrays Evan while Hughes plays Molly. The couple announced their engagement in October 2025 after Cook proposed in a photobooth photo. Hughes expressed pride in her fiancé, and Cook called fans’ reactions “sweet.”
- Tom Ellis & Meaghan Oppenheimer – Oppenheimer, the showrunner, cast her husband Ellis as Oliver. They began dating in 2015, got engaged two years later, and married in 2019. They welcomed a daughter, Dolly, on Nov. 8, 2023. Ellis said working with his wife is “never been a problem,” thanks to mutual respect.
- Iris Apatow & Sam Nivola – Apatow joined the series in season 3 as Amanda. The couple confirmed their romance in October 2024 after sharing Instagram posts. Nivola thanked Apatow for traveling to Thailand to support his filming, saying, “I’m incredibly grateful to her.”
- Natalee Linez & Brandeaux Tourville – Linez, who plays Lydia Montgomery, has been dating producer Tourville since at least 2022. She first spoke about him on her podcast in 2023 and revealed his name two years later.
- Gabriella Pession & Richard Flood – Though not a Tell Me Lies cast member, Pession is married to Flood, whom she met on the set of Crossing Lines. They welcomed son Giulio in 2014 and married in 2016.
- Edmund Donovan & Juliana Canfield – Donovan, who plays Max, and Canfield, a fellow actress, sparked romance rumors in 2022. They have since attended the 2024 Tony Awards, the Met Opera Opening in September 2025, and the Gruesome Playground Injuries premiere.
- Benjamin Wadsworth & Cait Pool – Wadsworth, who played Drew, announced his engagement to Pool in November 2025. They revealed the proposal on a candlelit, rose-filled background and have shared photos from trips to Hawaii and Renaissance festivals.
Behind the Scenes: A Culture of Connection
The Tell Me Lies set appears to foster genuine connections. Cast members frequently attend premieres, awards, and charity events together, reinforcing their off-screen bonds. In a recent interview, one actor noted that the cast’s support helps them “feel safe and comfortable,” which translates into stronger on-screen chemistry.
The series’ creator, Meaghan Oppenheimer, emphasized that her professional and personal partnership with Ellis is “not strange,” adding that the dynamic benefits the show’s authenticity. She and Ellis chose to involve their family in the production, inviting their daughter Dolly to attend events.
Key Takeaways
- The Tell Me Lies cast has multiple real-life romances that mirror their on-screen relationships.
- Couples such as Van Patten/White and Cook/Hughes have turned on-screen tension into off-screen affection.
- The show’s environment encourages collaboration and personal connection, leading to public engagements and marriages.
- Fans can now enjoy the drama both on the screen and in the actors’ real lives.
The intertwining of love stories on and off the set underscores Tell Me Lies‘s reputation as a drama that blurs the line between fiction and reality.
