Ginny & Georgia season 3 took a darker turn than previous installments by virtue of Georgia being on trial for murder, but the conclusion of that storyline may have been the darkest turn yet. Her young son Austin (played by Diesel La Torraca) rescued her from an admittedly deserved life sentence in prison by giving testimony that his father Gil was actually the murderer. This would be a happy deus ex machina ending except for one crucial fact: Austin knows he’s lying because he saw his mother kill Tom Fuller.

For some fans, like myself, all is still well that ends well given that Gil was abusive towards his ex and was starting to harass his step-daughter too. But the situation is a little more complicated for Austin, who had begun growing closer to his father while in his custody over the course of Ginny & Georgia season 3. Add in the fact that it was Ginny herself who convinced the 10-year-old to pit his father against his mother, forcing him to lose one in the process, and the scene is set for some massive tension in season 4. To top it all off, Georgia’s surprise pregnancy is sure to shake up the family dynamics in the Miller household.

ScreenRant interviewed La Torraca about Austin’s journey in Ginny & Georgia season 3, especially when it comes to the custody battle between Georgia and Gil. His choice to testify against his mother in order to bring his mother home received special attention, although surprisingly, it is Ginny who may be most on the receiving end of his ire in season 4. La Torraca also shared the most valuable lesson he learned from his time on the Netflix show.

Ginny & Georgia Season 3 May Have Changed Austin’s Relationship With His Sister Forever

“We Leave Him Honestly A Little Bit Mad At Ginny”

ScreenRant: It’s been a tough season for Austin throughout. I would say he’s processed it rather well for the most part. Out of everything that’s happened to him while Georgia has been on trial, what has affected him most this season?

Diesel La Torraca: I think what has affected him most is the kind of limbo he’s in between Georgia and Gil. Having to choose one parent or the other is, I think, the most detrimental thing that’s happened to him in season 3.

ScreenRant: Speaking of choosing one parent over the other, Austin’s testimony in the finale has been a huge point of conversation. He’s is no stranger to Gil’s dangerous antics, but they had grown closer while living together. How did seeing proof of his having hurt Ginny change his view of his father? What was he thinking in that moment, and how much did it push him towards his decision?

Diesel La Torraca: I think in that moment, he definitely remembers what he had done to Georgia. And now that he’s hurt Ginny…I mean he’s tried to bribe him a little bit with the hockey jersey, taking him to games and stuff like that, and trying to wear this mask in front of Austin. When Ginny reveals her bruise, he realizes that his dad is wearing that mask when he is around him, and he’s not a very good guy, authentically.

ScreenRant: And yet, not being a good guy is not necessarily deserving of false testimony for murder, so no doubt Austin is conflicted at the end of the season. Where is he right now in regards to his feelings about Georgia and Ginny? Where do we leave him in that final scene?

Diesel La Torraca: We leave him honestly a little bit mad at Ginny. I feel like he sees it as she, in a way, made him do what he did. He really wasn’t a hundred percent sure about it at all in the process. So he sees her as the reason his dad has kind of gone away. And Georgia, I feel he’s just kind of reminded of what he sacrificed. He sacrificed his dad for Georgia. She’s kind of the reward for that. So I think he’s happy for his mom to be back home, but I do think his relationship with Ginny has been a little bit broken.

Ginny & Georgia Star Reflects On The Show’s Parental Figures & Austin’s Friendships

“He Definitely Feels The Same Way About Paul As He Does About Ginny”

ScreenRant: I do really love your scenes with Aaron Ashmore. I think you play off each other really well, and we get more of those than ever this season. What was it like bonding offscreen, and how does their new dynamic complicate your view of Gil?

Diesel La Torraca: He’s a very great guy, and so far from the character Gil. He’s a really great actor. Working with him in those scenes is really great. He really puts on the character, and he is really good. Because he is such a great guy, he’s good at playing a great-seeming guy who isn’t really. And he’s great to talk with and stuff in the green room behind the scenes.

ScreenRant: Paul, meanwhile, has been a very important figure in Austin’s life since the start of the show, but this season he turned tail and ran. How does Austin see Paul now in retrospect? We don’t know what’s happening with the pregnancy, but should Paul then come back into your lives, how do you think Austin’s going to feel about that?

Diesel La Torraca: Before he ever met Gil, Paul really became a father figure to Austin. That turning point in episode 5 where everything kind of happens, where he leaves, really breaks Austin’s heart. That is a huge betrayal, so I think he definitely feels the same way about Paul as he does about Ginny right now. He sees both of them as people who have made his life really bad.

And then, as far as whoever the [father of the] baby is, which I don’t even know that yet… I do think that if the baby is Paul’s… I think Paul is a good guy. I feel like he will want to be involved with that. And however Austin, Ginny and Georgia play into that, I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see.

ScreenRant: Should the baby be Joe’s, I feel like he’s maybe the one guy in George’s life that Austin hasn’t had that much interaction or connection with yet. What do you think Austin makes of Joe at this moment? And if he comes around more, what will he think then?

Diesel La Torraca: I honestly think Austin’s opinion on Joe right now is kind of neutral. He’s the guy who owns the cafe where his sister works. He really doesn’t know really anything about him, as you said. Joe coming in, I think, will be a surprise to him. Austin doesn’t know any of the facts about Georgia and his relationship. It’ll be like, “Wait, you’re having a baby with Joe? What is the situation there?” That would be cool to see their dynamic and how Joe does play a role in the family’s life – if the baby is his.

ScreenRant: I think that Austin and Zach’s friendship has been such a sweet throughline. With everything they’re both going through, do you and Connor Laidman have any headcanons about their dynamic or their friendship off-screen? Because we haven’t gone to see that much of it.

Diesel La Torraca: Yeah, Zach started off as a bully towards Austin, and then in season 2, they got closer, bonding over how they both don’t really have their dads in their lives as much as they would want to.

And then in season 3, of course, when Georgia is presumed to kill his dad, the relationship really dwindles. What Cynthia has told Zach about Georgia and Austin, and the whole family, is a bad thing. As you said, we haven’t seen the result of their relationship towards the end of the season when Austin does throw his dad under the bus. It will be really interesting to see where that goes in season 4.

How A New Baby Or Another Growth Spurt Might Affect Austin In Ginny & Georgia Season 4

“Maybe He’ll React In A Rebellious Way”

 

ScreenRant: Given Austin’s complicated feelings right now, what might the introduction of a third child do? Will it bring him closer to Georgia, maybe? Or do you think that he’s going to feel even more concerned about everything?

Diesel La Torraca: From his position now, I do think he might be a bit standoffish about the idea of another kid in the family. However, it might be another little bonding partner now that his opinion on Ginny has turned, so it really could go either way.

ScreenRant: My observation skills are very bad because I didn’t even think about your age when I was watching the screeners.

Diesel La Torraca: We don’t want you to. [Laughs]

I think it would be interesting to see him dealing with the events that happened in season 3. Maybe he’ll react in a rebellious way. I wouldn’t mind seeing him do a few bad things.

ScreenRant: You’ve been such a good sport about the online age jokes when it comes to Austin, and thankfully, the showrunner has said they have no plans for you to go anywhere. How do you plan to stay youthful in season 4, and where do you hope to take Austin’s storyline?

Diesel La Torraca: Well, I definitely can try to continue with what we’ve been going with. Ginny goes to Korea, and we skip the Summer. How he grows in that summer? I’m not too sure yet, we’ll just have to wait and see. But if push does come to shove, and he is still a little bubba, I can try my best to look like a 9-year-old! He should actually be 10, technically.

I think it would be interesting to see him dealing with the events that happened in season 3. Maybe he’ll react in a rebellious way. I wouldn’t mind seeing him do a few bad things; that would really be cool. Delving into his character more, given his experience with many of these traumatic things, I feel it wouldn’t be so out of the blue to see him do something a little naughty

ScreenRant: You have spent six years on Ginny & Georgia, and very formative years, too. What would you say is the biggest lesson that you’ve taken from it that you’ll be able to carry into whatever your next project is?

Diesel La Torraca: Austin is a character who really doesn’t say much. He’s gone through quite long periods of being really quiet. Even when he isn’t in those dark times in his life, he doesn’t say much anyway. So, I feel like I’ve really learned, from when I was young to now, that acting can convey emotion without words. That is one really big thing that I take from his character.

All 3 seasons of Ginny & Georgia are currently available to stream on Netflix.