Note: The following story contains spoilers from “The Sex Lives of College Girls” Season 3, Episode 2.
“The Sex Lives of College Girls” Season 3 introduces Mia Rodgers as Taylor, an edgy freshmen international student who becomes a headache for Bela (Amrit Kaur), though her tough exterior quickly fades by the end of Episode 2.
After getting off to a rough start with Bela, her Freshman Advisor and Friend (FAF), Taylor shows Bela a new side of herself when she’s taken to the hospital for alcohol poisoning. Just as Bela begins to reprimand her, Taylor admits she needs help, and that she relapsed after being sober for a year — a raw and “powerful” confession that Rodgers said was facilitated by the set’s “safe space” and her “compassionate” acting partner.
“Having [Amrit] there to hold me through that was really special and allowed for Taylor to speak her truth and to let her walls down and realize, ‘OK, no, somebody does care, and I can be vulnerable in this moment and share my experience. I don’t need to do this alone,’” Rodgers told TheWrap. “It was really powerful.”
The moment of vulnerability solidifies Bela as someone Taylor can trust, despite Taylor initially playing defensive with Bela, with Rodgers saying, “She kind of expects the worst when she meets people.” The actress further noted that Taylor’s approach to new people is “completely the opposite” to Bela’s, whom Rodgers said “moves with love and care.”
“Bela proved herself to Taylor and could stick up for herself, and I think she really respected that,” Rodgers explained. “I don’t think Taylor has really had somebody literally show up to a hospital for her like that before. Even though she was, I think, not the kindest person initially towards her, that didn’t matter in that moment. I think that’s what friendship is all about, it’s unconditional.”
Below, Rodgers unpacks how she and the “Sex Lives of College Girls” team crafted her character, reveals why Bela is initially Taylor’s “worst nightmare” and teases what’s to come for the rest of Season 3.
TheWrap: Had you always been a fan of the show?
Mia Rodgers: I’d always been very aware of this show. I remember when it first came out in 2021, I was extremely disappointed that I couldn’t watch it anywhere because it hadn’t launched in the U.K. yet, so I resorted to watching like little clips online and things like that. But I then became very much more aware of it once I got the audition … the writing’s amazing, the characters are brilliant, the comedy is just so good. Joining it was my dreams coming true. I couldn’t have imagined something better being the first thing that I do.
What did you want to shine through about Taylor as she’s introduced?
Introducing a new character into the show, there’s a lot of open dialog between myself and [co-creator] Justin [Noble], just discovering who she is. I think it’s the same way in real life; you were discovering yourself every day, especially at that age. Justin and all the writers had a very clear understanding of who she was from the get-go: She’s very strong-minded and opinionated … and she can kind of come across a bit quickly and abrasive. But what struck me was how that always comes from somewhere … that was the first conversation I think we had. It was all about her past and why she was the way that she was. I think the biggest takeaway is understanding that that harsh exterior comes from a very sensitive young girl who’s discovering who they are and doesn’t register, I think, at the beginning of the season, what it means to be cared for and to have friends and have people around her that are interested in her.
What’s Taylor’s first impression of Bela?
Bela comes in as a FAF … and I think that would just be Taylor’s worst nightmare. Taylor comes into situations on the defense and doesn’t really understand why anyone would want to help her … but what’s quite beautiful is, I think, how different they are complements each other — they learn a lot from each other. I feel like the things that both of them lack, the other complements and can learn. I think … Essex college for Taylor is the biggest learning experience she’ll ever get, and maturing. I think it takes a minute to register that Bela is actually there to help her and she cares.
It’s great to see another queer character as Reneé Rapp’s Leighton leaves the show. What conversations did you have with Justin about Taylor’s journey in her sexuality?
I’m extremely excited that there is another queer character in the family. I think it’s very important that that is still represented throughout the show, and I feel very honored that that is done through Taylor. From the very beginning, Taylor was always very loud and proud about her sexuality, and I think that’s something to be admired … It is amazing to have that representation in the cast and it really is an honor to represent the queer community. I also love that we’re not playing a classic coming out story — she is well into her journey and figuring out love and what it looks like in her life.
Did you have any conversations with Reneé before she left?
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to work with her, but I met her a few times and she’s an absolute babe.
What can you tease about Taylor’s journey for the rest of the season?
It’s a roller coaster. She is at the beginning of her school years — she’s young, she’s finding out who she is, and with that comes lots of trials and tribulations, but also beautiful moments of self-discovery. That harsh exterior is kind of melted away, and she learns the importance of friendship and just how much she actually does care about other people.
How long would you be interested in staying in the show?
As long as I can! We obviously don’t know about Season 4 yet — I wish I could have a crystal ball and be like, “This is what’s going to happen.” But I’m really enjoying my time … and I just hope that continues.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
New episodes of Season 3 drop every Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET on Max.
