When Brianne Howey landed in Toronto to film the third season of Netflix’s smash-hit teen dramedy Ginny & Georgia, it was her first time there with her baby in tow. Having played one-half of the titular mother-daughter duo for years now—the Californian stars as Georgia Miller, a young, previously single, risk-taking mom who has a Gilmore Girls-esque relationship with her teen (played by Antonia Gentry)—Howey feels her character’s presence in her everyday life, including with her now almost two-year-old. “I’ve never gotten to spend this much time with a character—ever,” she says of Georgia. “[She] is a huge part of my life—I think about her [all the time]. Like, when I’m getting frustrated with my own daughter, I have Georgia lines in my head. You just continue to become enmeshed with these characters and marinate on them a little longer.”

According to Howey, that extreme familiarity has made returning to the series season after season an easier, less jittery process. And you can tell by the commanding powerhouse performance she gives in season three, which starts streaming on June 5 and finds Georgia at risk of losing everything she’s worked so hard to build (including her relationship with Ginny) after being accused of murder. We’ve had a sneak peek at this new batch of episodes and can attest that both Howey and the show—which has been lauded for the way it explores big issues like race, sex, social media and mental health—just keep getting better. This upward trend is something they’ll have a chance to keep proving since the show has been renewed for a fourth season.

“There’s a lot of contrast in Ginny & Georgia—but life is [full of] contrast. Our writers have written the most beautiful season; it’s going to be really, really heavy, but it’s also really fun. What I’m excited for everyone to see is that Ginny and Georgia truly take a page out of each other’s books, which is scary and encouraging at the same time. There are pros and cons to the way each of them handles things. Georgia’s whole life has been about secrecy and protecting her family, and after the season two finale, all bets are off. Everything has been exposed, and we inevitably see the downfall of Georgia Miller.”

“Desperate times are calling for very desperate measures. The stakes are so high for Georgia, and there are truly no other options. When she starts to make some of these tricky decisions, it’s the only path she can see clearly. I’ve had to do a lot of things as Georgia that at first glance can be hard to get behind. But I never want to judge her. My only goal is to always bring humanity to her.”

SARAH KRICK

“People come up to me and share stories about their experiences with their single mom. Sometimes it brings me to tears; it’s very touching. I never thought I’d get to be on a show that has such important dialogue [about the subject]. And it’s honestly very motivating. [In] times when it feels like, ‘Phew, this day is tough,’ I truly think about all the people who approach us and tell us how meaningful the show is to them and kind of use that as [my] ammo.”

“Being a modern-day parent with screens and non-stop cellphones is always in the back of your mind. I mean, I’m a grown woman and social media gives me anxiety. If it had been around when I was a child? My God. I definitely don’t have the answers, but that’s something I’m constantly thinking about. One thing I have [taken away] from Ginny & Georgia is a hope that my daughter will feel comfortable having those conversations with me. That’s my main goal: to breed a connection that’s a safe space.”

“[When it comes to work], I always look to be moved. Real people move me. I’ve worked on a lot of fun, heavy things, and I’ve done a lot of genres—I’ve been a vampire, I’ve been a zombie, all these things. Many, many years ago, my grandma would be like, ‘Why can’t you just look pretty and get the guy in the end?’ And I’d be like: ‘Grandma, because I don’t want to! That doesn’t sound like much fun, and it’s not very relatable.’ I want to be able to relate to the character, I want to be able to see myself in them. I think that’s what we all find cathartic and enjoy watching.”

“I’ve done Yorkville, West Queen West—that was when I was solo Bri out and about in Toronto. Now that I’m with my family, we love the east end. We’re closer to The Beaches, and The Beaches over the summer is the most magical, family-friendly [place] I’ve ever witnessed. I could go on a five-minute walk and the dog has an amazing dog park and [my daughter] has the coolest splash pads, and she soaks it all up. I also love the indoor-outdoor eating and the patio lifestyle.”