The beloved character Leighton will be transferring to a more prestigious college to chase her dreams
BY SARAH KENNELLY (SHE/HER), IMAGE BY HBO MAX
Reneé Rapp has left The Sex Lives Of College Girls, stepping away from the role of Leighton Murray, a celebrated lesbian icon. The storyline follows a closeted woman coming to terms with her sexuality which has amassed a cult following among queer audiences. Rapp, whose music career has taken off with hits like Not My Fault featuring Megan Thee Stallion, hopes to focus more on her music career.
The hit series, created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, follows the lives of four American college students exploring their sexualities. Rapp will appear in a few episodes of the new season but will no longer be a primary part of the series going forward. Leighton Murray’s story comes to an end when she decides to pursue her career ambitions and transfer to a more prestigious college.
In an interview with Variety, Noble said: “Leighton Murray has never lost or conceded anything in her life. So the only way she would leave is if it’s what was unapologetically a win for herself.”
Although Murray says goodbye to the show on a hopeful note, some fans of the series took to social media to express their outrage over the unexpected departure. They criticised Rapp for leaving behind her roots to capitalise on the fame she pocketed from the series. This sparked further comments that her music career was doomed if the wildly successful Chappell Roan would be her main competition in lesbian pop.
leaving the show that got you your come-up cuz you think you’re an established name and can just move onto better things never works out i’m always saying this, ride that show out till the brakes fall off no matter how bad! bridgerton guy did the same thing and now where is he.. https://t.co/CBS0q3qq2R
— ethan (@ethanshumjr) December 1, 2024
But other fans were quick to come to Rapp’s defence, pointing out that this narrative was pitting two queer women against each other and pedalling the myth that there can only be space for one.
yall: “more queer women pop stars!!! more gay music!!!”
— em (@emmacrochets) December 1, 2024
also yall: “well now that chappel roan’s famous i don’t think there is space for renee rapp to have a pop career too since she is also a lesbian :/ should’ve stuck to acting”
In a tearful interview with Call Her Daddy last year, Rapp revealed that filming the first season took a huge toll on her mental health because of the pressure she felt as a figure of queer representation. She said: “The first year of doing College Girls was terrible. I hated the first year of filming.”
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