Is Jenna Ortega in You season 4 part 1? (Spoilers)

You has introduced a lot of incredible characters over the course of its first three seasons. Some of these characters we loved to hate, while others we simply fell in love with — which is always a dangerous game in a show such as You where characters often meet untimely ends. Among the show’s many breakout characters was Ellie Alves played by the amazingly talented Jenna Ortega, who became a true standout in the show’s second season.

In the second season of the show, Joe left New York behind as he moved out to Los Angeles to start a new life following the events of the show’s first season. Upon arriving in LA, Joe assumed a new identity and began to make a new life for himself.

Among the new characters who entered his orbit were his new neighbors, Delilah Alves and her younger sister Ellie. Joe ends up taking a liking to Ellie, who becomes his guru in a sense, showing him how to navigate social media and blend in among those in LA.

Sadly, Joe’s entanglement with Delilah leads to her death at the hands of chef Love Quinn, Joe’s love interest in the season who kills Delilah in a fit of jealousy making Ellie an orphan.

What happened to Ellie in You?

After Love murders Delilah, she hatches a plan to stage Delilah’s death as a suicide and then frame Ellie for the murder of Henderson, a sexual predator who abused Delilah and attempted to assault Ellie before Joe killed him. Love’s plan is to then use her family’s lawyers to help get the case closed which would still leave Ellie stuck in Child Protective Services.

Instead of helping Love with her plan to frame Ellie, Joe gets to her and breaks the news of Delilah’s death. He then provides her with enough cash to get away to go start a new life in Florida, which she does.

As of season 3, she’s still alive and well and it’s revealed that Joe is continuing to help support her by sending money in secret; however, we’ve not seen the character since her exit in season 2. And with Joe faking his death in the season 3 finale, it’s unclear whether Joe is still finding a way to get money to her.

Is Jenna Ortega in You season 4 part 1?

Although Ellie Alves is alive within the You universe, Jenna Ortega does not reprise her role as Ellie within the first part of You season 4 part 1. In fact, there is not even any direct mention of Ellie within the first five episodes of season 4 which isn’t too surprising.

You season 4 part 1 sees the action shift from Madre Linda to London after he faked his death in the season 3 finale. In moving to the UK, Joe has assumed an entirely new persona and has worked to put as much distance as possible between his old lives. And it seems to be working in the first five episodes of the season, at least for the most part.

The good news is that because Ellie is still alive, there is always a chance she could return. In fact, the creative team behind the show had hoped for Ellie to return in season 4 but was unable to make it happen due to conflicts with Ortega’s schedule.

As You showrunner and co-creator Sera Gamble told IndieWire, “We wanted to bring Ellie back and we heard, ‘Oh, Jenna is doing some show. It’s been just such a pleasure to see Jenna this year. We have ideas for Ellie if her schedule allows her to visit us again.”

In other words, just because Ortega did not return as Ellie in season 4 doesn’t mean a return couldn’t happen should a fifth season be ordered by Netflix!

You season 4 part 1 is streaming now on Netflix, while part 2 arrives Thursday, March 9.