Honestly, walking into the world of Beechwood Island feels like stepping into a filtered Instagram feed that’s about to shatter. If you’ve read E. Lockhart’s 2014 bestseller, you already know the vibe: old money, private islands, and secrets that could drown a person. But seeing who stars in We Were Liars on Amazon Prime brings a whole new layer of "oh, that's definitely them" to the screen.
The casting directors clearly didn't just look for pretty faces. They found people who look like they’ve spent their whole lives hiding things behind expensive sunglasses.
The show, which dropped its first eight episodes in mid-2025, leans heavily into that "American royalty" aesthetic. It's produced by Julie Plec (the mastermind behind The Vampire Diaries) and Carina Adly MacKenzie. They didn't play it safe with the cast. They mixed established TV veterans with a couple of newcomers who basically walked off the street and into a lead role.
The Core Four: Who Plays the Liars?
The "Liars" are the heart of the show. They’re the cousins—and one outsider—who spend their summers causing just enough trouble to stay interesting.
Emily Alyn Lind leads the pack as Cadence Sinclair Eastman. You might recognize her as Audrey Hope from the Gossip Girl reboot, so she’s no stranger to playing the wealthy elite. But Cadence is different. She’s fragile, suffering from selective amnesia after a "mysterious accident" in Summer 15. Lind plays her with this sort of haunted, wide-eyed intensity that makes you wonder if she’s actually losing her mind.
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Then there’s the outsider. Shubham Maheshwari plays Gat Patil. This is basically a Cinderella story in real life—Maheshwari had never even been on a film set before this. He was an economics student who sent in a self-tape from his dorm room after seeing an open casting call on Instagram. He plays Gat exactly how the book describes him: "ambition and strong coffee." He’s the nephew of the family's "friend" (more on that later), and he’s the only one who sees the Sinclairs for what they really are.
The other two Liars are:
- Esther McGregor as Mirren Sinclair Sheffield. Yes, she’s Ewan McGregor’s daughter. She brings a really grounded, slightly rebellious energy to Mirren.
- Joseph Zada as Johnny Sinclair Dennis. He’s the "salt and wind" of the group—the athletic, effortlessly cool cousin. Interestingly, Zada’s star is rising fast; he was recently tapped for a major YA dystopian lead elsewhere.
The Sinclair Sisters and the Adults
While the kids are busy falling in love and keeping secrets, the adults are busy falling apart. The Sinclair sisters—Penny, Carrie, and Bess—are played by some very familiar faces from the 2010s TV era.
Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex, Succession) plays Penny Sinclair, Cadence’s mother. She’s the picture of repressed New England perfection. She’s navigating a messy divorce but wouldn't dream of letting it ruin the family's "everything is fine" facade.
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Mamie Gummer (daughter of Meryl Streep) stars as Carrie Sinclair. She’s the bohemian sister, the one with the drug recovery history and the most visible cracks in her armor. Her relationship with Ed Patil—played by Rahul Kohli—is a huge point of tension. Kohli is a fan favorite from Mike Flanagan’s Netflix shows like Midnight Mass, and seeing him navigate the icy Sinclair family dinners is one of the best parts of the series.
Finally, Candice King plays Bess Sinclair. If you were a Vampire Diaries fan, seeing Caroline Forbes as a stressed-out, perfectionist mother of several kids on a private island is a trip. She’s the youngest sister and the one most desperate for her father’s approval.
Speaking of the patriarch, David Morse is Harris Sinclair. He’s the one with the money. He’s charming, terrifying, and the ultimate puppet master of the island. Wendy Crewson plays his wife, Tipper, the grandmother who tries to keep the peace with homemade pies and a very selective memory.
Why the Casting Works (And Where It Deviates)
The show makes some smart updates. In the book, the Sinclairs are very pointedly "white and Democratic," a specific brand of old-money privilege. The series keeps that vibe but diversifies the world naturally. Gat’s background and his uncle Ed's presence (played by Kohli) add a layer of "us vs. them" that feels even more pointed on screen.
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One thing the show does differently than the book is how it handles the "ghosts." Without spoiling the ending for those who haven't finished the binge, the show uses the adult characters to hint at the tragedy much earlier. Mamie Gummer’s Carrie, for instance, has scenes that make you realize she’s seeing things the others aren't—specifically the ghost of her son, Johnny.
What’s Next for the Cast?
With Season 2 officially greenlit for 2026/2027, the cast is heading back to the island soon. We already know the second season will pull from E. Lockhart’s prequel book, Family of Liars. This means we might see younger versions of the sisters (Penny, Carrie, and Bess) and delve deeper into Harris and Tipper’s origins.
The producers have hinted that while the Liars (Emily Alyn Lind and the gang) will definitely be back, the focus might shift to the previous generation's secrets.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch the "Meet the Characters" featurette on Prime Video. It’s about 10 minutes long and shows the chemistry between the four young leads—it's very clear they actually became friends during filming.
- Read "Family of Liars" now. Since Season 2 is confirmed to be a prequel/sequel hybrid, knowing the history of the Sinclair sisters in the 1980s will give you a massive head start on the new plotlines.
- Follow Shubham Maheshwari on Instagram. Since he’s a total newcomer, he’s been posting some great behind-the-scenes "day in the life" content from the set that you won't find on the official Prime Video accounts.