7 best characters from ‘We Were Liars’

‘We Were Liars’
7 characters who made We Were Liars worth watching (Image via Prime Video)

The latest adaptation, We Were Liars, which was recently released on Prime Video on June 18, 2025, has been receiving much praise for its intelligent screenplay complete with unpredictable twists. It is based on E. Lockhart's novel that made it to the American Library Association's Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults list in 2015. Spanning eight episodes, We Were Liars combines intrigue and drama.

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One of the main highlights of We Were Liars has to be the talented cast who bring Lockhart's characters to life with commendable accuracy. Viewers who have binge-watched the adaptation will agree that the emotional storyline works thanks to its complex characters who are relatable enough to make the audience feel immersed in the events happening on screen.

Although there are many notable characters in We Were Liars, the ones mentioned on this list left the biggest impression on fans of the show.

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Disclaimer: This list contains the opinions of the writer and individual opinions may vary. It also contains spoilers.


Johnny, Penny and five other interesting characters from We Were Liars who kept viewers transfixed to the screen

1) Cadence Sinclair Eastman

Cadence is smart and observant (Image via Prime Video)
Cadence is smart and observant (Image via Prime Video)

There are times when the lead protagonist of a show isn't compelling enough to hold the attention of the viewer, but that certainly isn't the case with Cadence Sinclair Eastman, aka Cady, in We Were Liars. Portrayed by Emily Alyn Lind, she is Harris Sinclair's eldest grandchild.

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The narrative of We Were Liars revolves around an incident that took place in Beechwood Island, owned by Harris, involving Cady and the other three "Liars" namely Johnny, Mirren, and Gat. Even though Cady has no memory of the incident, it continues to cause her grief, and she decides to do everything it takes to recall what she had forgotten.

Cadence's character particularly stood out because of her quick-witted personality and dogged determination to get to the bottom of the truth.

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2) Johnny Sinclair Dennis

Joseph Zada has signed on to play Haymitch Abernathy in Sunrise on the Reaping (Image via Prime Video)
Joseph Zada has signed on to play Haymitch Abernathy in Sunrise on the Reaping (Image via Prime Video)

In a show, it isn't always the good guys who steal the limelight. Sometimes, like in the case of We Were Liars, the morally grey characters catch the viewer's fancy because they are flawed, and therefore, relatable. Johnny Sinclair Dennis, portrayed by Joseph Zada certainly fits that bill.

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From the get-go, it was obvious that Johnny had a knack for finding trouble. He was the one who would routinely involve the gang in mischievous adventures that could easily go wrong. His reckless nature kept the viewers on their toes because it was never easy to tell what he would do next.

The writers of We Were Liars knew exactly what they were doing when they gave him a redemption arc towards the latter part of the show. To see him try to be a better version of himself was certainly refreshing for viewers, but it is rather unfortunate that they never got to see the changed version in the end.

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3) Gat Patil

Gat is one of the sincerest characters on the show (Image via Prime Video)
Gat is one of the sincerest characters on the show (Image via Prime Video)

Unlike the Sinclair family, Shubham Maheshwari's Gat Patil had a very different upbringing, and so it is only natural that he thinks of the world very differently than they do. That is also what makes him stand out in the "Liars" gang. He may have gotten into plenty of antics along with the rest of them, but at the end of the day, he is one of the few characters in We Were Liars who always stayed true to himself.

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Many in his position would have succumbed to Harris' lucrative offer, but Gat's refusal to give in to his demands certainly made fans stand up and take notice. Another reason the narrative couldn't do without this We Were Liars character is because his romance arc with Cady adds to the emotional storytelling. Earnest and genuine, Gat is one character that We Were Liars fans won't forget easily.


4) Mirren Sinclair Sheffield

Mirren's wit and creativity endeared her to the audience (Image via Prime Video)
Mirren's wit and creativity endeared her to the audience (Image via Prime Video)

Out of the four "Liars" in We Were Liars, Esther McGregor's Mirren Sinclair Sheffield is the most creative one. While she longed to follow her dreams, she constantly felt stifled by the expectations of her mother, Bess Sinclair, portrayed by Candice King. Bess raised her to be "perfect" in every way, but once Mirren started growing up, she found ways to do things her own way.

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Viewers were also excited to see Mirren experience the butterflies of first love. Even though she didn't get to spend a lot of time with Ebon (Dempsey Bryk), the scenes where they appeared together had just the right amount of chemistry to make fans want to root for them.

This We Were Liars character didn't get to live out her true potential in the show, but will remain in the memory of fans who appreciate her warm-hearted and witty personality.

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5) Penny Sinclair

Penny looked out for Cady the best she could (Image via Prime Video)
Penny looked out for Cady the best she could (Image via Prime Video)

Penny Sinclair is played by Caitlin FitzGerald in We Were Liars. Like her siblings, she is forced to play by Harris' rules, but this doesn't mean that she ignores the needs of her daughter, Cady. After the incident, she does everything in her power to protect her daughter from the aftermath.

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Penny appears to be calm and collected, but there seems to be more under the surface. Even though viewers of We Were Liars don't exactly know her full backstory, it is implied that she had to make several sacrifices for the sake of the family.

Her understanding nature comes through when she allows Cady to make her own decision about whether she wants to live with Penny or her father.


6) Ed Patil

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Rahul Kohli delivered a memorable performance as Ed (Image via Prime Video Instagram/Emily Alyn Lind Instagram)
Rahul Kohli delivered a memorable performance as Ed (Image via Prime Video Instagram/Emily Alyn Lind Instagram)

In We Were Liars, many of the older characters are limited by their own insecurities and prejudices. But Ed Patil, portrayed by Rahul Kohli, seems to be an exception. Viewers connect to the character because of his down-to-earth personality and witty sense of humor. Also, it is important to note that Gat came across Cady and the Sinclairs because of him.

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He sincerely tried his best to show Harris that he can look out for Carrie (Mamie Gummer), but the family patriarch used any and all excuses to put him in his place. More than his romance arc, this We Were Liars character won over fans because of the way he looked out for both Gat and Johnny. In fact, he was the one who found them both during the massive storm.

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7) Harris Sinclair

Harris is very particular about protecting the family reputation (Image via Prime Video Instagram/Emily Alyn Lind Instagram)
Harris is very particular about protecting the family reputation (Image via Prime Video Instagram/Emily Alyn Lind Instagram)

David Morse's Harris Sinclair isn't a particularly likable character, but he is memorable. He uses money to get his daughters to follow his ideologies and is unhealthily obsessed with protecting the family's image. It becomes obvious in We Were Liars that Harris thrives on control, a trait that makes him an interesting villain figure.

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Even though he is quick to disagree with his daughters and grandchildren, he does seem to want what's best for them. In addition to that, he continues to be affected by Tipper's (Wendy Crewson) death, which signals the fact that there is more to him than meets the eye.

While fans of the show will have a lot of say about Harris, it is true that without him, the narrative wouldn't be quite the same.

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These memorable characters from We Were Liars, who added to the story in different ways, helped make the show engaging and entertaining.

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Edited by Meeta Borah
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