Let's be real for a second. If you’ve spent any time spiraling through Ginny & Georgia TikTok or Reddit, you’ve noticed a name that pops up constantly despite the character having almost zero lines. Pres from Ginny and Georgia. It’s kind of a phenomenon. You have these massive, high-stakes plotlines involving murder, embezzlement, and teenage angst, yet a significant portion of the fandom is hyper-fixated on a background member of the MANG-adjacent friend group.
She's there. Always.
Usually, she's standing just to the left of Abby or Norah. She’s at the parties. She’s in the hallways of Wellsbury High. But who actually is she? For a show that prides itself on peeling back the layers of every single resident in town, Pres remains a total enigma. It’s almost like the writers are playing a long game with us. Or, maybe, she’s just the ultimate personification of that one person we all knew in high school who was "in" the group but somehow never the main character of the drama.
The Identity of Pres from Ginny and Georgia Explained
So, let's get the logistics out of the way because people genuinely get confused about who plays her. The actress is Tyssen Smith.
In the credits, her character is officially named Press (often spelled Pres by fans). She is part of the broader social circle that surrounds Ginny, Miller, and the rest of the MANG crew (Max, Abby, Norah, and Ginny). While MANG is the "core four," there’s a secondary layer of friends—usually Norah’s boyfriend Jordan, Max’s various love interests, and then Pres and her frequent companion, Samantha.
Honestly, the way the show uses her is fascinating from a production standpoint. Most background actors are "atmosphere." They change every scene. But Pres is a recurring co-star. This means the showrunners wanted a consistent face to make the Wellsbury world feel lived-in and real. When you see her at Blue Farm or a house party, your brain registers: Okay, these are the same people. It builds a sense of community, even if she isn't the one throwing the punch or stealing the boyfriend.
Yet.
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Why the Fandom is Obsessed With a Character Who Barely Speaks
It’s the "Bobba Fett effect."
When you give a character a cool look and put them in the room where everything happens but don't give them a backstory, the internet will build one for you. Fans have spent hours analyzing her facial expressions during the big MANG blowups. If you look closely during the Season 2 scenes where Abby is being alienated from the group, Pres is often there, looking slightly uncomfortable or just observing.
There’s a specific kind of "cool girl" energy Tyssen Smith brings to the role that makes people want more. She’s usually dressed in the quintessential Wellsbury "preppy-but-trendy" style. She looks like she has secrets. People keep searching for Pres from Ginny and Georgia because they’re convinced they missed an episode where she did something important.
You didn't.
She really just hasn't had her "main character" moment yet. But in a show that loves to flip the script—like how they deepened Joe’s backstory or gave us the tragedy of Cynthia Fuller—nothing is accidental. Every time the camera lingers on her for a split second longer than a standard extra, it feels like a breadcrumb. Is she going to be the one to spill a secret in Season 3? Is she actually the most observant person in the room?
Separating Pres from Samantha: The Social Hierarchy of Wellsbury
A lot of viewers lump Pres and Samantha together. It makes sense. They are often the "plus twos" to the main group's activities. However, their vibes are totally different. Samantha is written to be intentionally grating—she’s the one who makes the "woke" comments that miss the mark or tries too hard to fit in with Ginny and Hunter.
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Pres? Pres is chill.
She doesn’t try too hard. That’s probably why the fans like her more. While Samantha is constantly vying for a spot inside the MANG circle, Pres seems perfectly content being on the periphery. There is a specific power in that. In the hierarchy of Wellsbury High, being the person everyone is cool with, but who isn't involved in the central "nuclear" drama, is actually the smartest way to survive.
What to Expect for Pres in Ginny and Georgia Season 3 and 4
Netflix has officially renewed the show for two more seasons. This is huge.
With Season 3 and Season 4 on the horizon, the writers have a massive amount of real estate to cover. We know Georgia’s arrest is going to blow the town apart. We know the fallout of the wedding is going to change every social dynamic in Wellsbury. Usually, when a show reaches its middle-to-late acts, they start elevated secondary characters to fill the void left by resolved plotlines.
Think about it. We’ve already seen the "Inside MANG" drama play out several times. We’ve seen the "Ginny vs. Georgia" battles. To keep the show fresh, the writers need new perspectives.
There is a very real possibility that Pres from Ginny and Georgia gets a "point of view" episode, or at least a significant B-plot. Maybe we see her home life. Maybe we find out she’s been seeing everything—the shoplifting, the pills, the cheating—from a distance this entire time. There is a trope in TV writing called "The Witness." It’s the character who was in the background of every major event and eventually becomes the person who can either save or destroy the protagonist.
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Given how much the fans talk about her, it would be a missed opportunity for Sarah Lampert (the show’s creator) not to give Tyssen Smith more to do.
How to Spot Pres if You're Rewatching
If you're going back through the series to see what the hype is about, keep your eyes peeled during these specific moments:
- The Sophomore Sleepover: She's there, navigating the awkwardness of the MANG tension.
- The Halloween Party: Check the background of the scenes at the party where the costumes were... a lot.
- Blue Farm Scenes: She’s frequently grabbing coffee or hanging out in the booths.
She’s like a "Where's Waldo" for teen drama fans. Finding her in a scene has become a meta-game for the community. It’s a testament to the show’s casting that even the "background" characters have such a distinct presence.
Understanding the Wellsbury Social Map
To really get why Pres matters, you have to understand that Wellsbury isn't just a town; it’s a character. The show is a satire of the "perfect" American suburb. For that satire to work, the town needs to feel populated by more than just the five people on the poster.
Pres represents the "audience" within the show. She’s the one watching the Miller family circus from the front row.
If you’re looking for actionable ways to engage with the Ginny & Georgia community or keep up with character updates like this, start by following the cast on social media. Tyssen Smith is active on platforms like Instagram, and she often shares behind-the-scenes glimpses that you won't see in the episodes.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the Season 3 Cast List: As production nears, keep an eye on whether Tyssen Smith is moved from "Recurring" to "Series Regular." That’s the smoking gun for a major character arc.
- Rewatch the "MANG Breakup" Scenes: Look specifically at Pres’s reactions. It tells you a lot about which "side" the rest of the school took during the Ginny/Max fallout.
- Analyze the Fashion: If you like the Wellsbury aesthetic, Pres often wears pieces that are more accessible and "streetwear-leaning" than Max’s high-fashion looks.
The mystery of Pres is a reminder that in a well-written show, no one is truly "just an extra." Everyone has a story; we just haven't heard hers yet.