Love, Victor - Characters & Cast

Initially, Victor's primary motivation is to fit in and avoid conflict, especially with his family. He craves a simple, uncomplicated life and fears that being gay will disrupt everything. As the series progresses, his motivation shifts towards a desire for authenticity and happiness. He wants to live truthfully and love openly, even if it's difficult. By the end, his motivation is to build a future based on who he truly is, not who he thinks he should be.

Victor begins Season 1 as a confused and fearful teenager, struggling to reconcile his burgeoning feelings for men with the expectations of his family and his desire for a "normal" life. He dates Mia as an attempt to suppress his true self. His arc in Season 1 is about internal acceptance, culminating in him coming out to his parents. Season 2 shifts to the external challenges: navigating his parents' mixed reactions, his first real relationship with Benji, and finding his place as an openly gay person at school. By Season 3, Victor's journey becomes more about self-actualization. He explores different relationships and learns to be comfortable with himself, independent of a partner. His final choice to reunite with Benji comes from a place of maturity and self-awareness, having learned that he is brave enough to handle life's complexities.

Benji's motivation is to find stability and genuine connection. Having navigated a difficult coming-out and a struggle with addiction, he longs for a relationship where he feels seen and supported. A major driver throughout the series is his love for Victor, but his arc forces him to find a new motivation: his own sobriety and mental health. He learns that he cannot be a good partner until he takes care of himself first.

Benji is introduced as a confident, openly gay musician who seems to have it all figured out. However, his arc reveals significant struggles, particularly with alcoholism stemming from the pressure he felt before coming out. His relationship with Victor is a source of both immense happiness and significant stress, which triggers his relapse. Season 3 is pivotal for Benji, as he enters rehab and focuses on his sobriety. His journey becomes about learning to prioritize his own well-being and establishing healthier boundaries, even if it means being apart from Victor. His decision to get back together with Victor in the finale is made from a place of greater strength and self-knowledge.

Mia is motivated by a deep-seated desire for a stable, loving family. Having grown up with an absent mother and a frequently traveling father, she seeks connection and emotional security. This initially draws her to Victor. After their breakup, her motivation evolves into a quest for self-reliance and understanding her own worth, learning to build the supportive family unit she craves through her friendships and her relationship with her father and Andrew.

Mia starts as Victor's popular, kind-hearted girlfriend, seemingly living a perfect life. Her arc begins when she is heartbroken by Victor's coming out, which forces her to confront her own identity outside of her relationship. Throughout the series, she becomes increasingly independent, dealing with her largely absent father, meeting her estranged mother, and navigating a new relationship with Andrew. By Season 3, Mia's journey is about defining family on her own terms and making brave choices for her own future, culminating in her decision to move to California to be with her father and new step-family, while committing to a long-distance relationship with Andrew.

Felix's core motivation is to find stability and belonging. He craves the loving family environment he lacks at home and finds it with Victor's family and his friends. He is driven by loyalty and a desire to help and protect the people he loves, sometimes to his own detriment. His journey is about learning to also advocate for his own happiness and navigate relationships where he is seen as an equal partner.

Felix begins as the quirky, unpopular neighbor who becomes Victor's first and most loyal friend. His defining characteristic is his unwavering support for Victor, being the first person Victor comes out to. His own arc deepens significantly with the revelation that he is the sole caretaker for his mother, who suffers from depression and hoarding. His relationships with Lake and later Pilar challenge him to balance his own needs with his deep-seated desire to please others and be part of a family, a void left by his own unstable home life. The finale sees him reconciling with Pilar's family, reinforcing his place as an integral part of the Salazars' lives.