“Breaking Amish” is getting an all new cast for its second season, after finding success on TLC.
The first season of the show saw five young Amish people move to New York to test their luck outside the lives they’ve always known; this time around, the cast members will be moving to L.A.
“’Breaking Amish’ is about the challenges and opportunities anyone faces when at a crossroads in life -– deciding which path to take and finding your road to happiness. With an all-new cast and a different, vibrant city, ‘Breaking Amish: LA’ opens the door to these fascinating lives and the journeys they all embark on, as they explore this new world in search of who they want to be -– at the risk of everything they’ve ever had,” Amy Winter, General Manager of TLC, said in a statement.
The new cast includes:
Betsy: Amish, 21 years old, from Ohio. Adopted as a baby into an Amish household, she has tried living outside of the faith, but recently married an Amish man. Despite this, Betsy continues to struggle with being a member of the community, and hopes to come to peace with a decision.
Devon: Amish, 21, from Indiana. Living at home with his Amish parents, Devon remains conflicted about the Amish lifestyle. He remains unsure of his future and is interested in experiencing life with the English before making a final decision.
Iva: Amish, 19 years old, from Pennsylvania. Iva’s parents divorced when she was young, and her father left the community, though her mother remained. Iva explored life among the “English” but hasn’t been able to make it work and remains unsure of where she belongs.
Lizzie: Amish, 21 years old, from Pennsylvania. From a large Amish family, she tried to forge a life outside of the community, much to the disappointment of her parents. Lizzie’s harboring a secret that makes her want to set on a new life journey and hopes that this is her opportunity.
Matt: Mennonite, 24 years old, from Pennsylvania. Matt’s family joined the Mennonite faith when he was 7, changing his life forever. Two of his siblings have already left the community, and he wonders if exploring his interest in fashion design will set him on the same path.
The new cast members will decide after their West Coast adventure whether they want to continue to live among the English or if they want to go back home. In traditional Amish culture, young people are given a time to sow their wild oats and experience modern technology, partying, and all the other things American teens love during “Rumspringa”. They are given the choice after Rumspringa is over to continue down that path, but if they do, they are usually banished from their community.
“It’s just really hard to feel like you’re trapped in a box,” says Lizzie, 21. “No matter what you do, you can’t get out.”