‘Ripple’: Ian Harding Teases Netflix Show’s Core Connections & a ‘PLL’ Easter Egg

A ripple event in your life is a decision or incident that you don’t realize will alter the path of your future. It is ground zero for the shape of the rest of your life, at least, according to the new series Ripple, which was originally developed by Lionsgate and Hallmark but will now premiere on Netflix on December 3. The series was created by Michele Giannusa and stars Frankie Faison, Ian Harding, Julia Chan, and Sydney Agudong, as four strangers brought together when the ripples of their lives serendipitously intersect.

“It’s a show that has hope and heart. It’s funny. It has romance and romantic tension. It’s got all of these elements of a really great TV show,” Ian Harding told TV Insider when we were on set last fall. “I think, especially given the state of things in our world, we need to have a bunch of very different people coming together and finding a common bond and a common connection. I think that if you enjoy seeing that in the world because you think it might be lacking, then this is the show for you.”

Harding plays Nate, a wine bar owner hit with an unexpected health crisis as his marriage falls apart. His bar is where the show’s central characters gather. Faison plays Walter, an older widower who frequents the bar because it was his late wife’s favorite place. Nate also finds himself in the orbit of Kris (Chan), a music A&R executive looking to break out on her own by championing an exciting young talent. Sydney Agudong (Lilo & Stitch) plays Aria, a talented singer who performs at Nate’s bar and catches Kris’ ear.

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And yes, Harding was just as tickled to learn of Sydney’s character’s name after playing the love interest of another Aria (Lucy Hale) on Pretty Little Liars for seven seasons. Ripple’s Aria and Nate are not romantically entwined, but Harding is trying to get a little wink out to his PLL fanbase.

“I don’t know if they’re going to keep it, but one of the first times we are introduced, I say something like, ‘I love that name,'” he teased. “That’s a little Easter egg. We have a couple of things like that [in the show], and I think it’s nice for people to find those.”

While Nate and Aria are not romantically connected, they do relate to each other as they try to achieve their dreams in one of the toughest cities on the planet.

“Aria is somebody who is taking a shot at her dreams, and he wants to be there for that journey,” Harding said of the bond. “Nate grew up in Connecticut, in a place that is very detached from the city but is very close. At the same time, he always wanted to create a place where people could come together. He clearly loves people. He loves music. He loves wine. He backpacked through Europe for a year. He wanted to create this for himself. He knew it was going to be a struggle to have a business in New York.”

While Aria inspires Nate to continue working toward his dreams, it is Kris who gets to his heart.

“[His ex-wife] is somebody who always seemingly had it all together but has this big flaw. Nate just feels like he can’t necessarily trust her. Whereas with Kris, she’s very buttoned up and businesslike. She has her own stuff, and Nate is in a weird place in his life, but when he’s with her, he feels like he can fully be himself,” the actor explained. “He doesn’t feel like he needs to be on guard. He can fully trust her. He knows what she’s thinking.”

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Walter offers his wisdom to all the characters as they support him in his grief over his wife. The characters connect in their own ways and meet because of the different decisions they make throughout the series. Harding said his path to the show felt similarly serendipitous.

“I don’t think I would have been in the position for this job if I hadn’t gotten this one other job that I didn’t want to do. I wouldn’t have gotten that job if I wasn’t living in a certain area at this certain time,” he said. “I’ve seen how decisions that I made have led me to this point and have led me to this role. I think my ripple moment is literally this job.”

Now, Harding is hoping the show will connect with the audience the way it has connected these characters and with him personally.

“I’m so in love with this character. I love this show. I love the people in it. I’ve been extremely lucky,” he proclaimed. “The show has heart, but it has a lot of hope and has people moving through hard things. There are lots of reasons to love it.”

Ripple, Series Premiere, December 3, Netflix