Renee Rapp’s exit as Leighton Murray in The Sex Lives of College Girls Season 3 seems to have shaken up the storyline’s status quo, considering how the character had a central role in the first two seasons. However, it has also made fans of the show curious about why she left the series. Was Rapp seeking new opportunities? Was Murray’s exit due to the storyline’s natural progression?
Here is why Renee Rapp’s Leighton Murray bid farewell to The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Here’s why Renee Rapp’s Leighton Murray is leaving The Sex Lives of College Girls
Renee Rapp’s Leighton Murray is leaving The Sex Lives of College Girls in Season 3 because she wants to focus on her music career.
The Mean Girls actress explained in an interview with Variety in 2022 that her acting career was only supporting her musical ambitions. “Acting was my way into tricking everyone that I warranted attention, so that I could have this interview with you,” she stated, adding, “This is my ‘Mastermind’ moment, 100%.”
In 2023, Rapp announced that she no longer would be a series regular and released a statement on X (formerly Twitter). She thanked her fellow crew members for changing her life. Rapp also admitted that she wouldn’t be “half the person” she was, if not for Leighton. The 25-year-old actress added that she loved herself “10x more” after familiarizing herself with Leighton.
Series creator Justin Noble expressed in a The Wrap interview that Leighton’s transfer early in Season 3 was the only exit he planned for the character.
In another interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Noble addressed that the show would get “busier,” in the wake of Rapp’s departure. “There’s more to do. We have five main girlies moving forward. So, it grows,” he added.
Noble co-created The Sex Lives of College Girls with Mindy Kaling. Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur, and Alyah Chanelle Scott headline the series. Additionally, the supporting cast members include Christopher Meyer, Ilia Isorelys Paulino, Betti, and Mekki Leeper.
