'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAIhAAAQQBAgcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQACBBEDBhMUISMxQZHR/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABP/EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARAf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8Ay+DlgydNw96PkdttsdQi7JA816UV82I17m8KORrufqIgEXY//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Developed by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble, You is a thriller series that is based on the books by Caroline Kepnes. The show is one of the most popular series in recent times and features Penn Badgley as the titular character, Joe Goldberg. The show focuses on Joe, who is a bookstore manager but has an evil side within him. In each season, he targets a young woman and becomes obsessed with her, until he lives out his fantasy and kills the woman. The show has been a viral hit and its latest and last season, season 5, released recently on Netflix on April 24, 2025. Here are 10 interesting facts from the show.
The cast had a picnic, the finale took 16 days to film, and other interesting facts from You season 5
1. Penn Badgley does not stay in character all day
Based on the books by Caroline Kepnes, You, is one of the most popular psychological thrillers in the present times. The show aired for five seasons, with the fifth being its last season. The story of a charming but sober bookstore manager, Joe Goldberg, who turns into an obsessive and psychopathic killer, has made the series immensely popular. Throughout the five seasons, viewers watch from the perspective of Joe, as he hunts for a new female victim, traps her, and ultimately kills her. The manner in which Joe turns from a humble lover into a rage-driven killer is what enthralls and scares the audiences the most. However, contrary to what many viewers might think, Penn Badgley—who plays the character of Joe—does not stay in character all day long. He is not a method actor and Badgley usually gets into the character only before the scene is about to be shot. This is impressive as Joe is a complex character and has many shades and layers to him. Badgley has stated that he does not have to do a lot to stay in character as he has been playing the role since a long time. “I just crank my nervous system before we go,” Badgley stated.
2. The child actor was given a different script
You is a show that has a lot of darkness, violence, and adult content. Therefore, when it came to shooting scenes with Frankie DeMaio, who plays Henry and is the son of Joe Goldberg, he was purposely given a different script. The child actor’s script did not have any swear words and the level of violence was also significantly reduced and only alluded. This was done to protect the young actor from being exposed to graphic content. Further, it has also been stated that Frankie would not watch the show. Griffin Matthews stated that he hung out with Frankie’s parents on the set and tried to make them comfortable and feel safe. The actor also praised Frankie for being smart and sharp and knowing the difference between fact and fiction. You is a show that deals with strong topics and therefore, giving the child actor a mellow version of the script was the right decision by the crew.
3. The cast had a picnic before the show
One of the more amusing facts about the show You, is that the cast of the show had a great time bonding before the series was shot and event went on a picnic together. The fifth season of the series is dark and grim. However, the cast members of the show made it a point that they had some light-hearted fun before heading out to shoot some bloody scenes. The cast members, including Charlotte Ritchie, Anna Camp, Madeline Brewer, and others, decided to head out for a fun outing in Williamsburg. Although, Penn Badgely could not make it because he had scheduling issues. The fun fact from this whole instance is that no one came over to disturb the actors and pester them for autographs or photos. Charlotte stated that Griffin Matthews brought a charcuterie board that was delicious and the cast members had a fun time watching the eclipse from the rooftop of the studio in Queens.
4. Griffin Matthews requested for an on-screen black husband
There has been a lot of discussion and talk going on about portraying Black culture and lives authentically and cast member Griffin Matthews, who plays Teddy Lockwood in You, decided to lend some authenticity to Black people’s experiences. Many fans of the show might not know therefore that Griffin requested that his on-screen husband is black. The actor made this request because he has always had white actors play his television spouses. While interracial marriages are on the rise and Griffin himself has a white husband in real life, the actor still wanted to showcase Black gay couples as they are in the minority and need more representation. Further, Griffin’s character, Teddy, is portrayed as being someone from Harlem who is a homosexual. Griffin therefore wanted his character’s choices to be more authentic to his character. Therefore, the actor requested for a black partner on-screen.
5. Anna Camp’s self-esteem was hampered by playing Maddie
Apart from Joe Goldberg and his adventures, the show, You, also has some important characters and their backstories. In the fifth season, viewers meet the new characters of Reagan and Maddie Lockwood, who are twin sisters and are portrayed by the actress Anna Camp. However, many fans might not know that Anna Camp has stated that playing a vulnerable character like Maddie, affected her self-esteem in real life. The actress stated that when she was playing Reagan, she felt confident and great as her character was strong and had a powerful presence. However, when she switched to playing Maddie, Anna could feel her character’s low confidence getting to her. During a moment, Anna even asked her co-star Charlotte, if she did something wrong and Charlotte reminded her that she is feeling unsure because she is playing the character of Maddie.
6. Penn Badgley believes that the show withheld the viewers from seeing Joe as a visceral sexual predator until the end
One of the major factors that makes You a standout series is that it puts a sheen of charm and mystery around the character of Joe Goldberg. Even though it is made clear since the first season itself that Joe is not the humble guy that he shows himself to be, there is still some sympathy generated for his character because the viewers are seeing things from his perspective. Further, Joe is an unreliable narrator and the viewers don’t know the true depth of his nature. Even in the subsequent seasons, when more layers of Joe’s character is peeled out for the viewers, there is still a sense of mystery that surrounds his character. However, all of that is finally set aside in the fifth season’s final episode, where Joe reveals his visceral side as a vengeful sexual predator. Penn Badgley, who plays the character of Joe, and has always been vocal about the problematic aspects of his own role has stated that the final showdown reveals Joe’s most primal side. This unveiling, forces viewers to reflect and finally note that even if Joe is a charming character, he is evil from within.
7. Madeline’s views on the show
The fifth and last season of the show has some of the most tense and thrilling moments. The last episode especially, has a long and gritty scene where Madeline’s character Bronte and Penn’s character Joe, get into a visceral showdown. The final moments of the show bring down the mask of Joe Goldberg, who has always been portrayed as being charming, secure, and self-assured. However, during the final moments of the show, viewers see his blood-thirsty and vengeful side, which he has hidden from the world and the viewers since so long. The actress Madeline Brewer, has stated that there is an important line that her character Bronte says in those final moments, which encapsulates the show and the enigma behind Joe Goldberg. Bronte’s dialogue, “The fantasy of a man like you, is how we cope with the reality of a man like you”, perfectly describes the nature of the show. Madeline states that this line perfectly describes how women always believe that good men exist and even when they face the reality of an evil man, they keep forgiving him. This is also the reason why viewers feel charmed by Joe, even when his mask comes off.
8. The final episode took 16 days to film
You, has been going on since a long time and over the years, the show has meticulously built its storyline. There have been various characters that have come and gone and the world of Joe Golberg has been intricately created. Even though Joe is a character who has raised suspicions multiple times, he has always evaded justice. Therefore, it is no wonder that the final episode of the show was one of the most complex and longest scenes to shoot. The episode is not just a culmination of the series, but it is also the death of Joe Golberg, literally and symbolically. A character like Joe has always evaded his reckoning, therefore, when Bronte finally avenges him, she is avenging on behalf of all the women he has done wrong by. Fans might be interested to know therefore that the final episode took 16 days to film as the scene was a mix of violence and s*x. The sequence was heavily choreographed and there were intimacy and stunt coordinators.
9. Tati Gabrielle juggled between shooting You and The Last of Us
In the latest season of You, Tati Gabrielle returns to play the character of Marienne Bellamy. However, many fans might not know that the talented actress was also shooting for The Last of Us during that time and had to fly between New York and Winnipeg to juggle her shoots. Therefore, Tati acted in both You and The Last of Us during that time period. This shows that Tati is a talented actress of the present generation who can take on ferocious role in both the popular series of the present time. Madeline Brewers has stated that working with Tati was an absolute pleasure. Especially, episode 9 was a highlight. The two women had an emotional scene and talked about gaslighting and manipulation and showcased the power of female friendship and community. Tati therefore played an important part in the show.
10. Penn Badgley is satisfied with the ending
Trending
Even though Joe Goldberg in You is a charming character, he is still evil underneath and is basically a manipulative and obsessive killer. Therefore, Penn Badgley, who plays Joe, has always made it clear that the series is not made to romanticize Joe but to steer clear from people like him. Therefore, in an interview with Deadline, Badgley stated that he was satisfied that in the end, the reality of a character like Joe was unveiled and that Joe got what he deserved. The actor stated that the fact that Joe is caught in a bedroom and not his signature glass box is important as the bedroom is where Joe did all of his work and lured women. The ending portrayed him to be a sexual predator at the end of it all. The actor was therefore happy with the ending.
Reply
