As School Spirits returns for its third season on Paramount+ on January 28, the mystery surrounding Split River High deepens, but something unexpected happens among the living: unity. Spencer MacPherson, Kiara Pichardo, and Rainbow Wedell—who play Xavier Baxter, Nicole Herrera, and Claire Zomer—sat down with Entertainment Affair’s Raffael Alejandro to discuss shifting alliances, emotional growth, and how Season 3 flips the dynamic fans thought they understood.

After two seasons filled with suspicion, betrayal, and tangled relationships, Season 3 finds the trio finally aligned. As MacPherson puts it, the biggest change is simple but powerful: “None of us are suspects anymore. We’re on the other side now—and we’re all trying to figure out how to get Simon back.” That shared goal reshapes everything, transforming former rivals into reluctant allies navigating undercover missions, emotional reckonings, and dangerous truths buried within the school’s past.

For Pichardo, that evolution reflects maturity earned the hard way. “We’re better at working together for sure,” she explains. “There was a lot of bickering in earlier seasons that we had to iron out—but now we’re a team.” That teamwork becomes essential as Nicole continues to prove herself as one of the show’s quiet emotional anchors, willing to take risks and “take one for the team” even when the cost is high.

Xavier’s complicated love history—once tied to Maddie, then Claire, then emotionally connected to Nicole—remains a fan obsession, but MacPherson is quick to reframe it. Rather than romance, he describes Xavier and Nicole as two people who understood each other when no one else did. “They had each other’s backs,” he says, emphasizing connection over labels. And while fans may still be rooting for endgame pairings, Season 3 focuses less on triangles and more on healing.

That healing takes a powerful turn when Xavier becomes the only person able to see and communicate with the dead—placing him in a uniquely poetic position to help Maddie confront the trauma of her father’s death. “For him to go from where he was in Season 1 to being the one who can help her through that grief,” MacPherson says, “there’s something really beautiful about it.”

Meanwhile, Claire continues to evolve beyond the archetype viewers first met. Wedell describes how a new relationship—particularly scenes involving Diego—allows Claire to show a side of herself that’s softer, more open, and less guarded. “He brings out a different side of her that she hasn’t really been able to show anyone,” Wedell shares, hinting at emotional growth without giving too much away. Still unapologetically confident, Claire remains fully herself—but now with more layers.

That sense of layered growth mirrors the actors’ own journeys. Wedell credits Claire’s confidence with helping her tap into her own self-assurance, while Pichardo sees Nicole’s bravery reflected in her real-life instincts. MacPherson adds that Xavier’s increasing honesty and impulsiveness has subtly shaped his own approach as the series has progressed. “He stops being so guarded,” he says. “And I think I’ve adopted some of that along the way.”

Even as Maddie’s journey continues across the veil between life and death, the cast admits there’s a certain nostalgia for the earlier group dynamics—especially when it comes to Simon. With fewer shared scenes this season, his absence is deeply felt, reinforcing the emotional cost of everything the characters have survived.

Season 3 of School Spirits premieres January 28, exclusively on Paramount+.