Joe Goldberg is back where it all started. New York City. Honestly, it feels right. After the London "Eat the Rich" detour of season 4, seeing Penn Badgley stalking the streets of Manhattan again brings a weird sense of nostalgia for a character we probably shouldn't be rooting for. But we do. That’s the Penn Badgley effect.
The cast of You season 5 is looking like a mix of "who’s who" in Joe's new high-society life and some very dangerous ghosts from his past. Because Joe isn't just a bookstore manager anymore. He’s powerful. He’s rich. He has Kate’s resources and a massive PR team cleaning up his literal and figurative messes.
Netflix has been somewhat tight-lipped, but the casting calls and official announcements give us a pretty clear picture of the final chess board.
The Core Players: Penn Badgley and Charlotte Ritchie
Penn Badgley is, obviously, the heartbeat of the show. If he wasn’t there, there’s no show. This season, though, we’re getting a Joe who has fully embraced his darkness. No more "I'm a good man" inner monologues—or at least, they’re going to be a lot more delusional now that he has the money to back them up.
Then there’s Charlotte Ritchie as Kate Galvin-Lockwood. She’s the one who gave him the "get out of jail free" card at the end of the London arc. Their dynamic is... complicated. Kate knows who he is. Or she thinks she knows the "sanitized" version he confessed to. Seeing how she reacts when the New York bodies start piling up is going to be the central tension of the cast of You season 5.
New Faces: The Lockwood Family and Beyond
Every season needs a fresh crop of victims—I mean, characters. This time, the focus is heavily on Kate’s family and the socialites Joe is forced to mingle with.
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Madeline Brewer as Bronte
This is the big one. Madeline Brewer, who you definitely recognize from The Handmaid’s Tale or Orange Is the New Black, has joined the cast of You season 5 as Bronte. She plays an enigmatic and free-spirited playwright who works at Joe’s new bookstore.
The name "Bronte" isn't an accident. The show loves its literary references. She’s described as someone who makes Joe question everything about his life. Sound familiar? It’s the classic Joe Goldberg cycle. He’s "changed" for Kate, but then someone like Bronte walks in, and suddenly he’s obsessing over her "soul" and her "potential." It’s a recipe for a bloodbath.
Anna Camp and Griffin Matthews
Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) is pulling double duty. She’s playing twin sisters, Raegan and Maddie Lockwood. They are Kate’s sisters-in-law, and they are reportedly ruthless. One is a high-powered CFO, the other is a socialite. Having Anna Camp play twins is a brilliant move—it adds a layer of campy (pun intended) horror that the show excels at.
Griffin Matthews joins as Teddy Lockwood. He’s the "black sheep" of the family. In a world of cold, calculating billionaires, Teddy is the one with a heart, which usually means he’s in the most danger. Joe doesn't handle "good people" well when they get in his way.
Will the Ghosts Return?
Let's talk about the teaser Netflix dropped at Tudum. It showed a montage of everyone Joe has wronged who is still alive.
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- Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman): Last we saw her, she was framed for murder and rotting in a UK prison. She knows the truth.
- Marienne (Tati Gabrielle): She escaped. She’s in Paris with her daughter. She is the only "You" who truly got away twice.
- The Salinger Family: Remember Peach? Her family never fully bought Joe’s story.
- Dr. Nicky (John Stamos): Still in prison for Joe’s crimes.
- Ellie Alves (Jenna Ortega): This is the one fans are screaming for.
Honestly, getting Jenna Ortega back might be a scheduling nightmare given Wednesday and Beetlejuice, but even a cameo would satisfy the fans. The cast of You season 5 feels like it's being built to confront Joe with his history.
Why the New York Setting Changes Everything
New York isn't just a backdrop; it’s a character. In season 1, Joe was a nobody. He was invisible. He used the subway, he walked the streets, he was a "face in the crowd."
Now? He’s a celebrity.
The cast of You season 5 has to navigate a world where Joe is under a microscope. He has a PR team. He’s "Joe Goldberg, the survivor." He can't just kill a socialite in Central Park and walk away. Or can he? With Kate’s billions, the stakes aren't just about getting caught by the police; it’s about the internal politics of the 1%.
The showrunners, Sera Gamble and the new showrunning team of Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo, have hinted that this final season is about Joe finally facing the music. Whether that music is a trial, a prison cell, or a shallow grave remains to be seen.
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Production Reality: When Can We Watch?
Filming for the final season kicked off in New York City in early 2024. If you were following New York film notices, you might have spotted "Prudence" (the show's working title) signs around Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Given the post-production cycle for Netflix, we are looking at a late 2024 or early 2025 release. They usually split the seasons into Part 1 and Part 2 now. It’s annoying, I know. But it keeps the conversation going for two months instead of one weekend.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to prep for the final descent into Joe's madness, here is what you should actually do:
- Re-watch the Season 4 Finale: Pay close attention to the reflection in the window during the final scene. Joe's "Rhys Montrose" persona isn't gone; it’s integrated. He is more dangerous now because he is no longer conflicted.
- Follow the New Cast on Socials: Madeline Brewer and Anna Camp have been posting subtle BTS shots from the NYC set. It gives you a feel for the "vibe" of the Lockwood family.
- Track the "Prudence" Filming Locations: If you’re in NYC, areas around the West Village and NYU have been hot spots. Joe's new bookstore is likely located in a high-rent district this time, a far cry from the dusty basement of Mooney's.
- Brush up on Caroline Kepnes’ Books: While the show has veered wildly away from the source material (especially For You and Only You), the "theme" of Joe as a successful author often bleeds into the show's narrative.
The cast of You season 5 represents the closing of a circle. From the small-time stalker in a baseball cap to the global elite predator, Joe Goldberg’s journey has been one of the most disturbing and addictive character studies on television. The fact that it's ending where it began suggests that Joe might finally find that he can't outrun his own shadow, no matter how much money Kate spends to hide it.