Life

[This story contains MAJOR spoilers from the season two finale of Netflix’s My Life with the Walter Boys.]

When Nikki Rodriguez read what happens in the final moments of season two of Netflix’s My Life with the Walter Boys, she recalls thinking, “I don’t know what comes after this!”

The 10-episode season that premiered on Aug. 28, ended with Rodriguez’s Jackie Howard confessing to Cole Walter (Noah LaLonde) that she loved him after spending most of the season trying to avoid him and deny her feelings. However, things continue to be complicated, as the confession is overheard by Alex Walter (Ashby Gentry), whom Jackie rekindled a relationship with and also told she loved.

“That scene is really, really tough. I don’t know what could possibly happen,” Rodriguez tells The Hollywood Reporter.

The series, which has been renewed and is already in production on season three, is sure to continue to heat up Jackie’s love triangle with the Walter brothers, which first ignited in the Netflix series’ season one finale when Rodriguez’s Jackie kissed Cole after a season full of lingering feelings. The only issue was that the kiss happened while Jackie was dating Cole’s brother Alex, who had also drunkenly confessed to loving her.

Returning to New York proved to be an escape for Jackie, but season two sees Jackie return to Silver Falls and the Walter family determined to make things right — that is, until her feelings and perfectionist tendencies make things, well, more complicated. Add in Jackie retuning to 2.0 versions of Alex and Cole — Alex a seemingly more confident guy with the ladies and Cole trying to commit to his education and explore a football coaching position — and she immediately wants to help Alex be his former self and support Cole on his new journey.

“She cares about them both so deeply,” Rodriguez says. “I think she does feel obligated, and she feels like she’s trying to make everything right and do right by everybody. She ends up making a ton of mistakes along the way.”

Jackie also spends the season trying to heal from the tragedy of losing her family and honor her idejntity as a Howard while finding her place in Silver Falls. With the second season now available to binge, Rodriguez spills to THR all about Jackie’s big return to Silver Falls, Jackie and Alex rekindling a relationship, and Jackie’s confused feelings about Cole, below.

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Season two starts with Jackie returning to Silver Falls, but it’s clear that she is now more than ever trying to figure out who she is and her place within the family, with Alex/Cole and with school. What did you hope to explore with her this time around? 

When Jackie comes back to Silver Falls, she’s making a conscious choice to confront her problems, especially the ones she ran away from. In season one, you see Jackie really push away all of her feelings. At the start of season two, you see her make that decision to come back, decide to confront things and try to be almost the perfect version of herself, because she feels guilty. That’s her only way to feel like she could make things right, a little bit. That’s the overall theme throughout the season. You see her deal with with things a little bit more head on with Alex and Cole and with her grief. It comes out in different ways than she expects. It’s about her growing and just taking a little bit more responsibility.

We also see Jackie try to confront and heal from her past tragedy more this season with Jackie still grieving her family and wanting to honor her identity as a Howard. What was it like further exploring that journey with Jackie and how would you say she evolved from the beginning of season two to the end?

In the beginning, right when she comes back, her only goal is to be the new perfect version of Jackie at whatever cost. Throughout the season, she’s torn, because she wants to be that version so much, but she is also this past version of herself and doesn’t want to forget who she was, where she came from, and she doesn’t have any anything in Colorado that ties her to that. It’s a bit like when you want to make everybody else happy, and forget to take care of yourself. It’s important for her to reconnect to that. Episode nine was one of my favorites. When I read that script, I cried. I was really looking forward to that, it’s one of my favorites. I wanted to do that episode justice.

Jackie also returns to a new Alex and Cole. Alex is projecting this seemingly more confident version of himself, and Cole is trying to do well in his studies and find a new way into his passion of football. What do you think Jackie felt as she watched both of them change? Do you feel like she felt obligated to help Alex go back to being like he was and then also support Cole in trying to continue on this path?

She does feel obligated to both, because she cares about both of them so much. When she comes back and sees this different version of Alex, she’s so taken back by that. I think she feels like it’s a little bit her fault. Of course he puts up those walls, and she wants to break them down because she feels so guilty and wants to make things right, but doesn’t want to make those same mistakes that she did in the previous season. So how do you do that, while also honoring everything that you want to do personally? It’s a tough situation.

I don’t know that that many people see Cole in the way that Jackie does, and so when he is struggling with his school and needs her later on, she feels like she she has to be there for him. She cares about them both so deeply. I think she does feel obligated, and she feels like she’s trying to make everything right and do right by everybody. She ends up making a ton of mistakes along the way. She’s trying to be so perfect.

As in season one, the love triangle between Jackie, Cole and Alex continues. It’s clear Jackie is still dealing with feelings for both of them, but acting more on her feelings for Alex and seemingly avoiding her feelings for Cole. Were you surprised Jackie and Alex gave it another go? Why do you think she was willing to pursue things with Alex again?

I was surprised, but it makes sense because Alex makes Jackie feel like she belongs [and] like she has a place. I think that’s really important to her, especially this season. She pushes Cole away because she isn’t ready. Cole makes her feel like she is a little bit out of control. And [because of] that perfectionist side of Jackie, that’s terrifying. I was surprised when I read it, but it also made sense, because I know what Alex is for Jackie and Jackie really, really cares for Alex.

When Alex and Jackie rekindle things, she’s adamant to keep it a secret because it’s complicated. Can you break down more of her thought process on deciding to do that? Why continue being with him if she didn’t want it revealed?

I think the secret is a little bit like the first season. She felt like being with either of them was going to just cause so many problems — and it did! That is probably the root of why she wanted to keep it a secret. She doesn’t want to cause any problems this season. She wants to be problem free, which she isn’t at all, but I think deep down, she knows that she also cares about Cole, and she’s confused and acting a little bit on emotion, as we all do, instead of talking things through.

Meanwhile, Cole is confused why Jackie would rekindle things with his brother and consistently pushed him away. Do you feel like Jackie was being fair to Cole or how did you see her and his relationship this season?

One of the biggest parts of it was the dance. They talk about that earlier in the season, where Jackie is like, “This is my one thing I have. The last time I attended a dance, this huge tragedy happened, and so I just want this to be a symbol of like a new beginning.” This is the only thing that she can control, because there’s so much of her life that she cannot control. She clings on to these things that she has, and it’s really important to her and she opens up to Cole and says that. Everything that happened at the dance? She blames Cole a little bit for taking that away from her when she was so open and honest about how much that meant. That was a turning point for her and almost an excuse to herself that maybe he isn’t totally right for me.

Jackie tells Alex she loves him but we also hear her admit she loves Cole in the finale. Do you think she’s truly in love with both of them?

I do, I really do. I do think that she does love both. I think it’s two different types of love and I think that it is so real and relatable. You feel different ways for different people, but they’re all valid. For Jackie, it’s like loving someone so much, and then not understanding why you’re so drawn to somebody else, and you have such passion for somebody else, but just wanting to both the best for both people. So I do think she does truly love both, just in a totally different way.

We also see Jackie reveal her love for Cole, only for Alex to hear that confession as well. Do you see Jackie and Cole being able to be in a happy relationship or do they both need still grow individually? Will Alex always make Jackie hesitant to pursue things with Cole?

That’s a tough one. That scene is really, really tough. I don’t know what could possibly happen, but I think that whatever happens, Jackie’s always going to want to make sure that everybody involved is happy and okay, because she puts everybody else first. When I read that, I was like, “I don’t know what comes after this!”

Season one ended with Jackie not choosing either one and leaving Silver Falls. This season ends with Jackie being in love with both Cole and Alex, having now confessed to both. For season three, do you envision Jackie being able to decide where her heart truly lies, or do you envision it continuing to be a struggle for her to do so and not choosing either one?

I genuinely have no idea. What’s most important for Jackie, I think, is to truly follow her heart and also never forget who she is and what’s important to her and never forget about her goals and ambitions. Whatever Jackie decides to do, I’m going to support.

I know you can’t reveal anything for season three, but was there anything you’re hoping to explore with Jackie?

I just want to watch her grow and handle her problems and figure out who she is. Growing up is complicated, so just exploring that to the best of her ability… I’m just excited to see where she goes!

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My Life with the Walter Boys is now streaming on Netflix.