If you’ve been watching Never Have I Ever from the start, you remember Devi’s long-running love triangle with Paxton and Ben. Season 4 flips the script with a fresh face who shakes things up—and fans had plenty of thoughts. Ethan Morales enters Sherman Oaks High as the self-described “smouldering bad boy,” and he immediately complicates Devi’s already messy romantic life.
Portrayed by: Michael Cimino ·
School: Sherman Oaks High ·
Ex-girlfriend: Devi Vishwakumar ·
Seasons featured: 4 ·
Actor birthdate: November 10, 1999
Quick snapshot
- Ethan is introduced in Season 4 as a new student at Sherman Oaks High (Never Have I Ever Wiki)
- Michael Cimino plays Ethan Morales, announced ahead of Season 4 production at the Netflix TUDUM event (Digital Spy)
- Ethan becomes Devi’s ex-boyfriend after a season-long fling (Never Have I Ever Wiki)
- The character’s exact age is never specified on screen
- Whether Ethan appears in any post-Season 4 content remains unknown
- Details on Ethan’s family background are not explored in the series
- Season 4 premiered June 8, 2023 — the final season of the series (Never Have I Ever Wiki)
- Michael Cimino was cast before production, revealed at Netflix TUDUM (Digital Spy)
- Ethan arrives after Paxton departs for college (Season 4 plot) (Never Have I Ever Wiki)
Ethan Morales checks three boxes: he is new to Sherman Oaks, he is a bad boy with a mysterious past, and he crosses paths with Devi Vishwakumar at exactly the wrong—or right—time.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ethan Morales |
| Portrayed by | Michael Cimino |
| First season | 4 |
| Relationship status | Devi’s ex |
| High school | Sherman Oaks High |
| Character archetype | Bad boy / new heartthrob |
| Actor birthdate | November 10, 1999 |
| Prior acting role | Love, Victor (Simon Sparks) |
What happens with Ethan in Never Have I Ever?
Ethan Morales arrives at Sherman Oaks High with an air of mystery. The show never fully explains his backstory, but promotional materials describe him as “the new heartthrob at Sherman Oaks High and a smouldering bad boy” (Digital Spy). That archetype places him squarely in the tradition of the high-school bad boy who pulls Devi away from her usual orbit.
Introduction to Ethan Morales
Ethan enters the story as a distraction—specifically, a distraction for Devi. The Never Have I Ever Wiki notes that “Speaking of boys, Devi will have a new distraction this season and his name is Ethan (Michael Cimino), who arrives on the heels of Paxton’s departure to college” (Never Have I Ever Wiki). The timing matters: Paxton’s exit opens a void in Devi’s romantic life, and Ethan fills it.
Michael Cimino was announced as a cast member ahead of Season 4 production via the Netflix TUDUM event (Digital Spy). This was his first role in the Never Have I Ever universe, and the announcement positioned him as a significant new presence for the final season.
Key plot points in season 4
Season 4 opens with Devi and Ben dealing with the aftermath of their Season 3 encounter. While Ben dates Margot briefly, Devi turns her attention elsewhere—and lands on Ethan (Elle). Their fling plays out across several episodes, with Ethan offering Devi a different kind of romantic experience than what she had with Paxton or Ben.
Ethan is positioned as the rebound guy. While Devi navigates her feelings for Paxton and Ben, Ethan becomes the option that is easiest to access but hardest to commit to—and the series lets the audience feel that tension.
The show follows Devi’s discovery of sex and dating across four seasons, but Ethan represents a specific chapter: the “bad boy” experiment that helps Devi sort out what she actually wants (Elle). By the time the season ends, Ethan’s role as Devi’s ex is firmly established.
Why do Ethan and Devi break up?
The breakup is not played as a dramatic rupture. Instead, it unfolds as a gradual drift—Devi realizes that her fling with Ethan, while fun, does not carry the emotional weight of her connection with Ben. The Elle article confirms that “Devi and Ben reunite romantically at the last moment after flings with others” (Elle). Ethan’s fling serves as the counterexample: the relationship that lacks staying power.
Relationship development
Devi and Ethan’s relationship starts after complications arise with Ben. Season 4 opens with repercussions of Devi and Ben having sex at the end of Season 3, and both characters seek distance from that intensity (Elle). Ben dates Margot; Devi dates Ethan. The parallel is deliberate.
Michael Cimino’s portrayal leans into the “bad boy” persona established in promotional materials. The digital spy profile describes him as “smouldering bad boy,” which tracks with how Ethan carries himself on screen (Digital Spy). But the series stops short of making Ethan a fully developed character—he is a presence more than a person, which ultimately works against the relationship’s longevity.
Reasons for breakup
Three factors converge to end the Ethan-Devi pairing. First, Devi is accepted to Princeton and the final season forces her to confront who she wants to be post-high school (Elle). Second, Ben re-enters the picture in a serious way. Third, Ethan never scales beyond the “bad boy” role—he does not grow with Devi, and she recognizes this.
The breakup is less about Ethan being a bad person and more about the series acknowledging that not every romantic distraction leads somewhere. Ethan exists to show Devi that she can have fun and still know what she wants.
Is Ethan Indian in Never Have I Ever?
Ethan Morales is not Indian. The character’s surname suggests Latin American heritage, and the show does not specify his ethnicity beyond that. In contrast, Devi Vishwakumar is Indian-American, as is her family. This difference is notable given how the show typically handles cultural identity.
Ethnicity details
Never Have I Ever centers on Devi’s experience as an Indian-American teenager navigating grief, academic pressure, and romance. The show is deliberate about representing South Asian identity. Ethan, as a character, sits outside that framework—he is a generic bad boy whose cultural background is simply not addressed.
The show does not comment on this consciously. Ethan simply appears, dates Devi for a while, and exits. His lack of a defined cultural identity may be intentional—the character is meant to be a blank space that Devi projects her desires onto, rather than a fully realized person with his own community and history.
Actor heritage
Michael Cimino, who plays Ethan, is American and of Filipino descent (Never Have I Ever Wiki). This is separate from the character’s ethnicity. The show casts actors regardless of whether their heritage matches the fictional character’s background, which is common practice in television.
The Fandom Wiki notes that Michael Cimino previously starred in Love, Victor as Simon Sparks (Digital Spy). That role, like Ethan, was a supporting romantic presence rather than a lead character. Cimino brought experience with teen dramas to the Never Have I Ever casting.
The trade-off: casting Michael Cimino gave the show an actor familiar with Netflix teen programming, but it also meant Ethan arrived without the cultural specificity that defines most other characters in the series.
Who plays Ethan in Never Have I Ever?
Michael Cimino plays Ethan Morales. He was born November 10, 1999, making him in his mid-twenties during Season 4 production in 2022-2023 (Never Have I Ever Wiki). His casting was announced publicly before the season aired, generating fan anticipation around the new romantic interest.
Michael Cimino profile
Before Never Have I Ever, Michael Cimino starred as Simon Sparks in Love, Victor—the Love, Simon streaming spin-off that ran from 2020 to 2022 (Digital Spy). Love, Victor operated in the same teen-drama space as Never Have I Ever, sharing a streaming platform and a similar audience demographic.
Cimino is described as an American actor and singer in Fandom Wiki profiles (Never Have I Ever Wiki). His role as Simon in Love, Victor positioned him as a capable lead in a teen series, which likely informed the Never Have I Ever casting decision.
A teaser clip featured Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Devi), Jaren Lewison (Ben), Darren Barnet (Paxton), and Michael Cimino together, signaling that the new actor would share screen time with the show’s core ensemble (Digital Spy).
Role debut
Ethan Morales is Michael Cimino’s debut role in Never Have I Ever. The character appears only in Season 4, making him a one-season presence in a four-season series. Fandom Wiki lists him as guest-starring alongside other guest actors like Victoria Moroles and Terry Hu (Never Have I Ever Wiki).
Michael Cimino joins Never Have I Ever at exactly the right moment—as the final season’s romantic wildcard, Ethan needs to make an impression fast. Cimino’s experience from Love, Victor helps him land the character without requiring extensive development time.
Ethan appears in several Season 4 episodes, including those with titles like “lost my virginity” and “gotten sweet revenge” (Never Have I Ever Wiki). These episode titles, while not always directly about Ethan, suggest his involvement in storylines tied to Devi’s sexual and romantic education.
Who did Devi lose her virginity to in Never Have I Ever?
The answer depends on which character you are asking about—and when. Devi’s sexual history in Never Have I Ever is a running theme across all four seasons, and the show is fairly direct about it.
Devi’s romantic milestones
Devi loses her virginity to Ben Gross. The show explicitly frames the end of Season 3 as the moment this happens, and Season 4 opens with the consequences of that encounter (Elle). The timing is confirmed: Devi and Ben have sex at the end of Season 3.
This is distinct from the Ethan’s storyline. Ethan enters the picture in Season 4, after Devi has already been sexually active. His fling with Devi is not her first sexual experience—it is something that happens alongside or after her experience with Ben.
Ethan’s involvement
Ethan is a romantic fling, not a sexual initiation point. The show treats Ethan’s relationship with Devi as exploratory rather than foundational. Devi is already sexually experienced when she dates Ethan; her reasons for pursuing him are emotional and situational, not about discovering sex for the first time.
The Fandom Wiki notes that Season 4 features Devi navigating multiple romantic interests, including Paxton, Ben, and new interest Ethan (Never Have I Ever Wiki). Ethan represents one branch of that exploration—not the origin point.
“While other potential romantic interests pop up here and there—including season 4’s bad boy Ethan (Michael Cimino)—Devi’s ties to Paxton and Ben always caused the most tension.”
— Elle (Entertainment coverage)
“Speaking of boys, Devi will have a new distraction this season and his name is Ethan (Michael Cimino), who arrives on the heels of Paxton’s departure to college.”
— Never Have I Ever Wiki
Confirmed
- Ethan introduced in Season 4
- Actor is Michael Cimino
- Dates then breaks up with Devi
- Season 4 is final season (premiered June 8, 2023)
- Ethan portrayed as “bad boy” / “smouldering bad boy”
Rumors / Unclear
- Exact age of Ethan Morales (never stated on screen)
- Post-breakup storyline details
- Specific quotes from Michael Cimino about the role (limited available interviews)
- Future appearances in any spin-off content
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Michael Cimino brings Ethan Morales to life with nuance, as seen in the show’s comprehensive cast overview alongside stars like Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.
Frequently asked questions
What school does Ethan attend in Never Have I Ever?
Ethan attends Sherman Oaks High—the same public high school that Devi, Ben, and Paxton attend throughout the series.
When was Michael Cimino cast as Ethan?
Michael Cimino was cast ahead of Season 4 production, with his casting announced at the Netflix TUDUM event before the season premiered on June 8, 2023.
Does Ethan appear before season 4?
No. Ethan Morales is introduced exclusively in Season 4, the final season. He does not appear in Seasons 1, 2, or 3.
What is Ethan’s personality like?
Promotional materials and the show’s framing position Ethan as a “bad boy” or “smouldering bad boy”—charming, a little dangerous, and confident around girls. The character leans into the archetype without much depth beyond that.
How does Ethan compare to other love interests?
Paxton is the dreamy, popular senior who Devi obsesses over for seasons. Ben starts as Devi’s nemesis before becoming a genuine romantic interest. Ethan is the short-term bad boy distraction. Unlike Paxton and Ben, Ethan does not have an extended arc—he arrives late and exits when the season ends.
Where can I watch Never Have I Ever season 4?
Season 4 is available on Netflix. All four seasons stream exclusively on the platform.
Is there a Never Have I Ever spin-off with Ethan?
No spin-off has been announced, and the series concluded with Season 4 as the final season. There is no confirmed plans to continue the story in any format.
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Helen Carter covers the economy, business and consumer affairs for Insight Britain.