Liana Liberato, Tom Bateman tease characters' surprising relationship in Based on a True Story season 2 (Interview)

It's almost time to see what comes next in our favorite comedic murder-mystery, Based on a True Story season 2 on Peacock! This show quickly became a favorite of mine, with Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Liana Liberato, and Tom Bateman doing an excellent job of bringing the series to life. Showrunner Annie Weisman teases what's to come in Ava and Nathan's relationship, as well as more about the season, here.

The second season premieres with all eight episodes on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. And to help us gear up for what comes next, Show Snob had the opportunity to speak with Liberato and Bateman about their characters' surprising relationship, whether Matt is genuine in his feelings for Tory, and more. Be sure to either watch or read our interview below!

Show Snob: Obviously Tory and Matt's relationship was kept a secret. And then at the end of Based on a True Story season 1, we discovered that they have been together. What was it like for the both of you to get to work together more because you didn't have a lot of scenes in the first season?

Liana Liberato: I almost quit when I found out. [Laughs] No. I was really excited. I think that both Tom and I could agree that we were not expecting, the direction our characters went. And it was fun. It was was a little nerve wracking at first because we just weren't sure how we were going to approach this sort of 180 with our characters. But I can only speak for myself, all of that worry sort of simmered down the moment I started working across from Tom and we got to play, and we had very new outfits and new energy. And it was really fun.

Tom Bateman: I remember when we read you know, you say that it was kept a secret, our relationship throughout season 1. It was kept a secret from us as well. I remember reading the episode and texting Liana going, have you read episode 8? Have you seen - where did that come from? But I think it was a super fun direction, for us to be able to go in, and the new showrunners really ran with it. And I think it's super fun and interesting both because it places both characters in totally new situations. Matt is having to sort of do this relationship and what that looks like. And then for Liana, she did a 180 on what she believed in and she sort of quit her student-ing. And she’s carrying on with Matt. It was super interesting.

SS: I love it when the writers keep things from the actors too because the shock is genuine, and you can see it on screen. 

Bateman: I don't know if I'd use the word love, I don't love it.

Liberato: It's a blessing and a curse because sometimes, when they keep it from you and you read it for the first time, you have a reaction that you assume the audience would have too. So it's a nice gauge. But it’s also difficult as an actor because you're like, oh, man. I probably wouldn't have made this choice in the episode before if I had known this. 

SS: Do you know when Matt and Tory started their relationship because I don’t think it was ever really established?

Liberato: We actually never talked about it, but I, at least in my head, after that dinner in season 1. I think that something happened between us then or like just directly after that.

Bateman: My character was dating other people and I think it was a theme that began to be threaded in, which was Matt is using the women in Nathan and Ava's lives to show them I can infiltrate your life, and I can get very close to you if I wish to. And then after that dinner because there were the early flirtations between us, when I first turn up in the house in season 1 to lay the groundwork there. So, yeah. Probably after that dinner, it was probably presented to both of them that this could be an idea when they went down.

Liberato: I also feel like with Matt, that specific episode, you're really seeing the disintegration of Chris' character, [Nathan] and that's a window for Matt to be like, okay. How can I get in even more with this family? 

SS: How genuine is Matt in healing and changing? Things happen really quickly between the two of you guys. So how genuine are his feelings towards Tory? 

Bateman: It's so funny saying this with Liana sitting there, just that not genuine at all. No. I think it's a very good question. It's one that I asked very early on. I said, where are we going with this? And my take on it, which can be changed as I think it does change throughout the series, is that he begins it as, this is a great opportunity. As Liana just said, this is how I can go behind enemy lines, get in with their family, use her as this shield of authenticity. If she believes in me, then the rest of you are going to fall in line. You have to. And if she's going to ride or die with me, you’ll have to get on board with it. It's a brilliant chess play for him.

But what was super interesting in the series while we were writing it, creating it, and shooting it, was playing with that idea that if you wear a mask for long enough, you forget you're wearing it. After a while, he’s sharing a bed with this woman. They’re going out for dates. They're talking. They're sitting around a family dinner holding each other's hands. She is incredibly useful to him, and he's never really had that before. Everyone else is a problem for him, where she just creates these solutions. I won't obviously spoil anything, but something huge happens towards the end of season 2. And Liana's character comes up with the solution, which is to basically get even closer to him. But I think, ultimately, his motivations are always entirely selfish. And to truly love someone is to be truly selfless. And I don't think that's in this guy's DNA. 

SS: That’s so sad, especially with where Tory ends up by the end of season 2 and how hard she fights for the relationship. But are we really surprised by Matt there? 

Liberato: I know. It's sad. It's up for interpretation. You don't really know what's going to happen between the two of them. I find it interesting that, I would assume that Tory is probably the only partner Matt has ever had where he can be honest about being a serial killer. So that's an interesting dynamic because it seemed that you probably had to hide that in every other relationship. So you're welcome.

Bateman: Thank you. You've been so loving and accepting. [Laughs]

* This interview has been edited for length and clarity

Based on a True Story season 2 premieres with all 8 episodes Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 on Peacock.