“Tell Me Lies” is back with a new chapter — and as fans return to the complicated romance between Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco, many viewers are also wondering about the show’s real-life love story.
Season 3 of the Hulu series follows Lucy (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen (Jackson White) as they rekindle their relationship as they head into the spring semester at Baird College.
According to the official season synopsis, the pair’s attempt at starting over comes with consequences.
“While they promise things will be different this time, past indiscretions hinder their best intentions and Lucy finds herself embroiled in a controversy she wants nothing to do with,” the synopsis states. “Meanwhile, the disastrous repercussions from the previous year also force Lucy and Stephen’s friends to face their own destructive behaviors.”
With the season 3 premiere arriving Tuesday, January 13, fans have also taken interest in Van Patten and White’s offscreen relationship.
Grace Van Patten and Jackson White Are Still Together Ahead of ‘Tell Me Lies’ Season 3
Van Patten and White are still together, with recent interviews and social media activity from late 2025 indicating their relationship remains strong.
In a recent interview with E! News, Van Patten commented on filming intense scenes with White and emphasized their relationship is very different from Lucy and Stephen’s.
“There’s no switching. That’s exactly who we are. What you see is us,” the 29-year-old actress quipped about their onscreen personas, before getting real: “We are probably the exact opposite, thankfully.”
She added that the contrast makes the work easier.
“Which makes it only fun to act those scenes,” she said. “It is so far from ourselves and our relationship that it’s just fun to be mean and crazy…Just as an actor, it’s fun to go there, and it makes it even more exciting and safe to do it with someone you really trust. So, it’s really great.”
Grace Van Patten Says She Didn’t Like Her Future Boyfriend at First
Van Patten and White reportedly met in 2022, when White auditioned for “Tell Me Lies.” However, Van Patten has said her first impression was not immediately positive.
During an October 2025 episode of Alex Cooper’s podcast “Call Her Daddy,” Van Patten recalled their early chemistry read on Zoom during the COVID era.
“I didn’t like Jackson,” Van Patten admitted. “We talk about this all the time.”
She explained that she initially viewed him as overly serious.
“Jackson, I had heard, was the favorite,” she said. “He gets on, and — I’ve told him this — I’m like, ‘Oh, this is like a serious actor, like, actor-y actor.’ So, I was just like, ‘Ugh, God.’ But he was so good.”
Van Patten ultimately felt he was right for the role, even if she assumed they might not connect personally at first.
“I was like, ‘Alright, it’s fine, maybe we won’t get along, but he’s, like, perfect for the part,’” she said. “He’s so talented and great.”
The ‘Tell Me Lies’ Star Explains Why She and Jackson White Keep Their Relationship Balanced
While Van Patten and White have been open about dating, she has also described a deliberate approach to how much they share publicly.
In a January 2026 interview with NYLON, Van Patten said the couple does not want to perform their relationship for an audience.
“Our approach to [our relationship] is we’re not going to flaunt anything and we’re not going to hide anything,” she said. “We’re going to live our lives the way we would if we weren’t on a show together.”
She added, “It’s easy because even if we were never on the show together, I wouldn’t be posting a million posts about my boyfriend.”
“Tell Me Lies” season 3 premieres Tuesday, January 13, on Hulu.
