“I was really happy about it.”

*Paradise *star Julianne Nicholson finds Sinatra’s season 2 finale decision ‘really moving’

"I was really happy about it."

By Samantha Highfill

Samantha Highfill

Samantha Highfill is an executive editor at **, where she’s worked for more than 12 years covering television.

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March 30, 2026 2:08 p.m. ET

Julianne Nicholson, Simon Templeman. Credit:

**This article contains spoilers from the *Paradise* season 2 finale, "Exodus."**

The bunker is gone. And not everyone made it out alive.

After a second season filled with new characters and Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) exploring the outside world, *Paradise* officially put an end to the place where its season 1 story began: The bunker. When it became clear that the bunker was going to explode, they started evacuating. But someone had to stay inside in order to close the doors and save everyone from the blast, the thinking being that if the bunker was built to withstand a nuclear-level blast from the outside, it should also be able to contain one.

In the end, Sinatra (Julianna Nicholson) helps Xavier save both of their daughters, before she hands him a card about Al3x, telling him that there's a quantum computer in a second bunker under the Denver airport. It's awaiting User X. She then tells him to go save the world before she stays behind and goes down with the ship.

* *spoke with Nicholson about her character's sacrifice, the Dylan (Thomas Doherty) twist, and so much more.

Julianne Nicholson, Sterling K. Brown.

**: When you joined this show, did [showrunner] Dan Fogelman pitch you Sinatra's whole arc? How much did you know? **

**JULIANNE NICHOLSON: **No. He did not pitch me the whole arc. I sort of got the outline for the first season. So I was delighted that I didn't die from Jane's [Nicole Brydon Bloom] gunshot wound and I could come back and play again.

**At what point in season 2 did you know about her big finale sacrifice?**

I didn't know right away, but pretty early on Dan told me what her outcome would be. And I love it. I love it for her. It was really moving. I'm really moved by her whole story, actually. That felt like the right way to say goodbye after everything she's done to that point. I was really happy about it.**

**I personally didn't need her to be redeemed, but what I find interesting is that her possible redemption really depends on what happens with Alex in season 3.**

I know! We'll see. I didn't really need her redeemed either, but it is fun to take the audience's idea of someone and turn that idea on its head.

Julianne Nicholson as Sinatra and Thomas Doherty as Link on 'Paradise'.

Ser Baffo/Disney

**We have to talk about the Dylan twist. Did you read that or did you know when Thomas [Doherty] joined?**

I knew when Thomas joined what would be revealed. And they're, like, some really big ideas, right? Which are hard to wrap your mind around. But our writers did the homework. So I would sort of just check in with them before a lot of different [moments] like, "Explain this." And you have to give it some grace. You kind of have to have some faith. In that moment, I feel like Sinatra understood it. Julianne less so. But she understood it and believed it, and so that was my way in.

**This season leaned more into her as a mother, which I think gave her sacrifice more of an impact.****

Oh, I'm glad you think so. I think that was Dan's intention. She starts from a very vulnerable place in the beginning of the season, like what does that do to a person that was so clenched and had everything under control? When you suddenly understand that none of the power, none of the money means anything, you cannot control everything, what does that do to her?

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'Paradise' stars Shailene Woodley and Sterling K. Brown discuss 'devastating' episode 4 twist

**You only had one scene with Sterling this season. So much of the action was split between the bunker and the outside world. Did it feel different for you when you were making it? **

It did feel different because I don't come in until the third episode. But it also felt so smart too. Like, we did just the bunker, but how exciting to introduce these different locations and characters. But I found it very moving actually to have not done any scenes with Sterling throughout the season for when they finally come together. I like that pairing. You know, they're never gonna be besties, but I find it a really interesting relationship. One of my favorite scenes to film was this scene when he and I are in the elevator.

Certain actors drop you in in a different way. Like the starting place is already somewhere deeper and I feel that with Sterling and these two characters. So it was a joy to be back with him. I love episode eight.

**The last thing I will throw at you is: As the person portraying her, do you feel that Sinatra really believes that what she did was the best thing? **

Yes. Hands down, no doubt, 100 percent yes.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.*

*Paradise *is available now on Hulu.

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Original Article on Source

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