Tommy Dorfman Shares “Life Lessons” From ’13 Reasons Why’ Co-Star Kate Walsh

13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman sat down with The Hollywood Reporter In Studio to discuss the second season of Netflix’s controversial teen drama and what he learned from working with co-star Kate Walsh. 

“We were super excited and amped up to come back for season two, and I definitely felt more prepared, I will say that much, and more comfortable on set,” he said. 

Throughout the season two, Dorfman worked closely with co-star Kate Walsh, who plays Hannah Baker’s mother, Olivia, who’s struggling to make sense of her daughter’s death and her secrets and turns to Dorfman’s character, Ryan, for help.

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“I got to work with Kate Walsh a lot this season, which I was super grateful for because she obviously has a lot of experience, in the industry, on set as an actor and as a person in this weird world we exist in, and so I really took a lot of life lessons from her,” he said.

He added: “I hope to continue to take that into new projects that I’m moving forward.”

Dorfman, who had just graduated from college when he joined the show in season one, also discussed the differences between him and his character growing up, and what it was like stepping back into high school for the show. “I think Ryan’s way more confident in a lot of ways than I was in high school, and so that was an exciting thing for me to revisit,” he said.

“I did a lot of growing up in my early 20s, and I didn’t have that spitfire confidence like Ryan has as a high schooler, and so for me to be able to go back to high school and experience that, with that kind of courage and that kind of charisma when it comes to sexuality, but also as an artist and as a poet — he’s so passionate about it and he’s so outspoken about it, and I just kind of hid in the corners of high school begging to be saved and just get out as soon as possible.”

Seasons one and two of 13 Reasons Why are streaming on Netflix now.