On The Lying Game, being the new guy in town is never easy.
New Scottsdale transplant (and bad boy) Jordan Lyle made his debut on the ABC Family teen soap earlier this season with an air of mystery surrounding him. Viewers soon learned that he and the always-conniving Rebecca Sewell (Charisma Carpenter) were family, and he quickly became the center of a tense triangle with Laurel Mercer (Allie Gonino) and Mads Ryback (Alice Greczyn). “He doesn’t waste any time,” joked Ryan Rottman, who plays Jordan, to The Hollywood Reporter.
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But no one drops by simply to reunite with ex-stepmothers and attempts at love. Rottman talked to THR about being much more than just the new guy in town, Jordan’s hidden agendas and hints on the big death this season.
The Hollywood Reporter: Jordan always seems to dip his toe in everybody’s business — and it’s never good — especially with the “triangle” he’s at the center of with Mads and Laurel. How does that progress?
Ryan Rottman: Jordan and Mads end up living together and they’re somewhat related and somewhat not. There’s a gray area, where she’s sort of Jordan’s step-sister. Rebecca is really pushing Jordan into dating Laurel. The dynamic between the three of them is pretty tricky. He wants to make Rebecca happy and seeing Laurel does that but at the same time, he has true feelings for Mads and he can’t hide them. He can’t decide where he wants to go. I think his heart is lying with Mads, but at the same time he’s wanting to be on good terms with Rebecca.
THR: What’s his incentive for following through with Rebecca’s wishes?
Rottman: His relationship with his dad wasn’t too great. Rebecca was the person who was like a parent to him. He wants to do everything he can to please her and help her get to what she wants, no matter what that is. I think that’s why he does what he does.
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THR: But is it ever that cut and dry?
Rottman: There’s other stuff going on. He has his own motives for why he’s doing what he’s doing. He’s doing everything to keep his secrets at bay.
THR: How surprised will we be when the story begins to fill out about what’s really going on with Jordan?
Rottman: You’ll be really surprised. The more I learned about Jordan and his involvement [with everything], it was exciting. As the season goes on, the crazier it gets and the more you figure out that he has more to do than just being the new guy in town. You’ll be pretty surprised at what Jordan’s capable of.
THR: Is there an upcoming moment that sticks out?
Rottman: There’s a scene coming up with the whole group together that shows who’s in the know and what’s going on. It was the first time Jordan became part of the crew.
THR: We also know there’s a death coming up later this season. What can you say about it?
Rottman: There’s definitely a death coming up. We were all so interested in who did it, what was going on. [The death] definitely makes sense. Everything comes to a head in the fact that there are so many questions and people poking at different things, when you try to find the truth in so many lies, it’s going to get dirty.
THR: Does Jordan know about the Emma and Sutton of it all?
Rottman: You kind of don’t know. He could or he could not. The questions he’s asking you assume he doesn’t know [they’re twins]. You don’t know what Rebecca’s told him and what she’s revealed to him. As the season goes on, you’ll figure out what he knows, if he does know.
THR: Is he ultimately a good thing for Scottsdale?
Rottman: Hopefully you’ll side with him. He’s doing everything for the right reasons, even though it may not seem like it. He’s a good guy. He means well.
The Lying Game airs 9 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC Family.
E-mail: Philiana.Ng@thr.com
Twitter: @insidethetube
