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This article is about the Netflix series character. You may be looking for the book character.

Hannah's truth is not my truth. No way.
— her truth vs Hannah's truth on the tapes, in "Tape 6, Side B"


Courtney Crimsen is a recurring character on 13 Reasons Why. She is the daughter of Todd and Steve Crimsen. She is portrayed by Michele Selene Ang.

She was a popular student at Liberty High School. She is very intelligent, very manipulative and is generally liked by her peers.

Courtney is Hannah's fifth reason for committing suicide; she spread sexual rumors involving Hannah around the school to save her reputation when a photo of her and Hannah kissing, leaked by Tyler was confirmed to be Hannah and herself to Montgomery, who made fun of her and asked her about it which made her panic and throw Hannah under the bus.

She serves as a minor antagonist in Season 1, and a supporting character in seasons 2 and 3. She makes a small cameo in season 4.

Early Life

Little is known about Courtney's early life. However, she mentions in "Tape 3, Side A" that she's had two gay dads since preschool, implying that she was adopted when she was about three years old.

Throughout the Series

Season 1

Courtney approached Clay as she saw him coming out of school and embraced him in a tight hug asking him how he was and told him that they all need to be there for each other, she continued telling him that Hannah killing herself didn't make sense, to which Clay agreed. After a while, she hugged him again and left before he could even say goodbye.[1]

Courtney and Marcus were having a meeting with Mr. Porter was talking to them regarding the posters that were torn down. He asked Courtney if she thought Clay may have torn down the posters in the school hallway. Courtney denied this. Mr. Porter continues inquiring if Courtney was friends with Hannah, she affirmed with a side note that she only had a couple of classes with her. Courtney stated that there were times Hannah seemed a little emotional.

Courtney dressed up Katy Perry as a part of the costume contest. She tried to get Clay's attention and told him that she was worried about him, and asked why he didn't join the costume contest. The whole school had participated, with the exception of Clay.

Then there was a flashback of Courtney, sitting down in the same spot in class, telling Hannah she was going to get in trouble. She told Hannah to watch and learn as she laid her head right side down and joins her hand to her head making an example of how Hannah should be sneakily getting some sleep. Courtney tells Hannah that with her schedule, a power nap is an essential thing for her after Hannah asks "You sleep in class?". Hannah tells Courtney she couldn't sleep last night and Courtney asks Hannah, "Obsessing over the History exam?" to which Hannah denies, she then asks further questions, "About who you're gonna take to the Winter Formal?", to which Hannah is surprised people actually take people to the Winter Formal, they are then caught out by their teacher who asks for quiet study. Courtney then asks what else has her up at night. Hannah confesses that there could be a Peeping Tom at her house, outside her window. Jessica shushes them. Courtney talks a little quieter and carries on telling Hannah that nothing that interesting happens to her, Hannah tells Courtney that interesting isn't the first word that should come to mind, Hannah hinting that it's more creepy for her: "It's sort of awful". Courtney tells her she has to do something about it, Hannah asks for ideas, Courtney says she doesn't know but is willing to help. The teacher interrupts them again with a stern warning. Courtney writes something down on paper and shows it to Hannah, it reads "We set a TRAP!". Hannah quietly laughs, happily.

We see Hannah and Courtney digging through some things. Courtney and Hannah lie to Courtney's Dad when he starts asking questions as he comes in. After her father leaves, Courtney continues rummaging and finds a flashlight telling Hannah it's for blinding bears, giving people time to run away. Courtney asks who Hannah thinks it is, Hannah says it could be a stranger she sees sometimes, walking with an umbrella on sunny days. Courtney shows Hannah how bright the light is, adding she may want to look away.

We see Courtney come to Hannah's house, they sort out a plan, but things get a little out of hand as they drink alcohol and play a game of truth or dare, which ends up with Courtney and Hannah kissing, Hannah hears the clicking of someone taking a photograph and picks up the flashlight, first accidentally flashing it in Courtney's face and then to the window. Hannah realizes it's Tyler and then Courtney becomes suddenly really scared that it's someone from the school and walks out of Hannah's room ashamed and scared that someone knows she's gay that she doesn't trust and is also from their school.

Hannah tries talking to Courtney, who pretends everything's fine and tries to brush off most things, until Tyler texts the photograph to almost over half the school, causing Courtney to push Hannah away and tell her to sternly stay away from her, causing Hannah to cry into her locker at their friendship being over because of Tyler.[2]

Hannah tried to reach out to Courtney, even though Courtney was trying to keep her distance. Eventually, she'd had enough of it approached her at her lunch table carrying her tray, uninvited, in hopes of being friends again. When Courtney's friends arrived, Courtney decided to invite Hannah to go to the school dance with her and her friends, to which Hannah agreed. Courtney was confronted by Montgomery concerning the photo of two "unidentified" girls kissing. Realizing that her reputation was on the line, she spread sexual rumors about Hannah, deepening Hannah's sense of loneliness and depression, thus becoming the fifth reason why Hannah committed suicide.

Clay, angered by Courtney's actions, makes Courtney drive to the cemetery to see Hannah's grave. He yells at her for being too cowardly to admit she was gay, and for throwing Hannah under the bus. Courtney insists that her circumstances were hard for her to deal with and that she never meant to hurt Hannah that bad. Courtney then returns to her car and drives away.

Throughout the rest of the season, Courtney selfishly attempts to silence Hannah and stop the tapes from being heard, in fear that it would damage her reputation and make her seem guilty for Hannah's suicide. Many of the other people responsible for Hannah's suicide are disgusted by how vulgar Courtney reacts to Jessica and Hannah's rapes, she claims that they are only alleged. Courtney continually cowers and denies what Hannah says throughout the season.[3]

Season 2

Courtney was the second person to testify in the Andrew and Olivia Baker vs The Evergreen County School District trial. Sonya confronted Courtney with pictures of Hannah kissing Courtney back, and suggested Hannah had a crush on Courtney and wanted to take advantage of her. Courtney started crying as Sonya kept suggesting Hannah bullied Courtney, and revealed she was to one who had the crush on Hannah, and not the other way around. A flashback showed Courtney coming out to Hannah after having her first kiss with her, and Hannah kissing her back. She said that Hannah was being a good friend and was there for her at that moment.[4]

Courtney started dating Tamika, a girl who she earlier saw at Monet's. She attended Hannah's funeral and went to the Spring Fling dance with her girlfriend.[5]

Season 3

Courtney called Clay out of class to give a new student, Ani, a tour. She had an appointment in the careers centre, so couldn't help Clay with the tour.

Courtney became the Student Body President after Marcus, who she calls a "sexist pig who likes strippers", was ousted form the position. She encouraged Jessica to run for next year's president, as she herself would soon graduate.[6]

Season 4

Courtney attended the other characters' graduation along with Ryan and her dads. She's shown getting annoyed by her dads announcing that they had designed the graduation theme at the school's gym and mentioning that they like to keep a hand in besides Courtney not attending the school anymore. After graduation, Courtney and the other tape subjects buried Hannah's tapes at the place Clay first listened to his tape.[7]

Courtney's Mistake (Reason #5)

Hannah's Reasons Navigation
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"Tyler Down #4"
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"Marcus Cole #6"


Courtney is Hannah's fifth reason for why she committed suicide.

After Tyler spreads the photo of Hannah and Courtney to the entire school, Courtney attempts to distance herself from Hannah in order to prevent people from figuring out that they are the ones in the photo. Eventually, Hannah sits next to her at lunch and the two begin talking again and Hannah accompanies Courtney and her friends to the Winter Formal.

However, Montgomery approaches Courtney and claims that he knows that she is one of the girls in the kiss photo along with Hannah. Realizing that she is close to being exposed as a lesbian Courtney completely throws Hannah under the bus and lies to Montgomery and claims that Hannah and another girl, Laura, are the ones in the photo and that Hannah asked her for a three-way and also claims that the rumors about Hannah and Justin are true as well. Montgomery tells Hannah's exactly what Courtney told him and Hannah angrily confronts Courtney. Courtney half-heartedly apologizes and claims she did it because people were starting to talk, though Hannah is completely angered at her for piling more rumors about her on top of the ones already floating around just because she is afraid to admit she is a lesbian and tells her that she is not Courtney's shield to hide behind. This completely ruins Hannah and Courtney's friendship permanently.

 Personality

Courtney: "Hannah was a liar. She was jealous and needy and emotionally unstable. She thought everyone was out to get her."
Tyler: "Aren't you describing yourself?"
―  Courtney telling the group their cover story for when what they did gets revealed[src]


Season 1

In the first season, on the exterior, Courtney is sweet, mindful, caring and friendly. She organizes many events in school, claiming to do it for her fellow students. She does help people, sometimes when it benefits her, other times out of the actual goodness of her heart.

But on the inside, she's selfish, cruel, arrogant, manipulative, cowardly, uncaring and unconcerned about others' well-being. The thing she cares about most is protecting her reputation and absolutely refuses to admit that she is a lesbian due to being afraid that people will point to her gay fathers, being the reason for her homosexuality. She does most things in school to expand her influence and strengthen her farce of being good and caring, though, under pressure, she'll always think of herself first. She is somewhat of a bully as well as she is shown laughing at Hannah after her poem was stolen by Ryan and published around the whole school and also after seeing her work at her job at the Crestmont Theater. She also puts on a personality when it comes to anyone who doesn't know about her and Hannah as seen at Hannah's memorial when Olivia Baker, stops by the memorial and Courtney lies and tells her that everyone loved her and she had friends. Olivia obliviously doesn't fall for this and dismisses this while looking at roses, knowing that "anyone who knew Hannah knew she hated them" as she thought they were "cliché".

Of all the people on Hannah's list, Courtney is possibly the most selfish of them all as she sacrifices a friend to save her own reputation by destroying Hannah's and shows absolutely no remorse for her actions when Hannah kills herself. She agrees with covering up Bryce's being a rapist to have the tapes silenced because she is too afraid to admit being gay and shows no concern or remorse towards Hannah and Jessica as rape victims. She also doesn't shun Bryce for his crimes, even at one point calling him "an alleged rapist" because of his status on the campus, unlike Tyler, who she self-righteously shames for being a stalker.

She absolutely refuses to admit that the tapes are true and calls Hannah an "unstable, jealous liar." She refuses to accept being responsible for her part in Hannah's suicide showing that she is completely arrogant. When Tyler suggests turning in Bryce as a scapegoat for the school, she no doubt considers this, wanting to get out of the situation. Ultimately, Courtney seems to be a complete coward who will always put herself ahead of others, though she isn't totally ignorant of other people's pain. She cried tears of guilt when Clay brought her to Hannah's grave, but her selfishness prevailed, thus she continues to oppose the truth for her own sake.

Season 2

In the second season, Courtney undergoes a personality change. After she publicly comes out on the stand and admits what she did, she is briefly afraid people will look at her differently. When her fathers have no problem with the fact that she is a lesbian, and no one at school does either, she becomes more friendly with Ryan and even starts dating another girl. She has accepted that what she did was wrong, and tries to make up for it, even hoping that others who have not yet done so will also do so. She is shown multiple times to be disgusted with Marcus for not owning up to what he did, as she has done, and later both she and Ryan express disgust when witnessing the fight between the jocks and the outcasts (which she breaks up by pulling the fire alarm). She later appears along with others to offer support when Jessica goes to admit to the police that Bryce raped her, and later introduces her girlfriend to Tony and Caleb. Later, she joins Clay, Tony, Jessica, Alex, Zach and Ryan in a slow dance to the song "The Night We Met", to mourn Hannah, showing her repentance.

Physical Appearance

Courtney's sense of style is very preppy and she always looks very put together. She likes to wear dresses, skirts, button up shirts, and sweaters, and is hardly (maybe not ever) seen wearing pants. She has short, straight black hair that comes down to her neck, which is almost always styled with a headband. Courtney is also often seen carrying a stack of books or a bag of some sort.

 Relationships

Hannah Baker

S02E02-Two-Girls-Kissing-031-Courtney-Hannah

Courtney and Hannah kissing in a flashback in "Two Girls Kissing"

Courtney and Hannah were shown to have a good relationship at first as Courtney kindly volunteered to help Hannah expose her stalker (Tyler), though it is possible she was using this as an opportunity to get close to Hannah as she secretly had a crush on her, as Courtney is a lesbian. While spending the night together, the two began kissing after a game of truth or dare, however Tyler took a photo of the two in the act and was caught by Hannah and Courtney, leading Courtney to flee from Hannah's house.

Following this, Tyler spread the photo to the entire school after Hannah refused to go out with him and this angered Courtney and told Hannah to stay away from her, in spite of the fact no one in the school figured out it was Hannah and Courtney in the picture. Courtney attempted to distance herself from Hannah after this, though after Hannah sat next to her at lunch, Courtney appeared to accept her again when her friends sat next to them and agreed to have Hannah accompany them to the Winter Formal. However at the formal, Courtney was confronted by Montgomery and he claimed to have figured out that Courtney is a lesbian. Realizing that her reputation would be damaged and that she will be exposed as a lesbian, Courtney lies to Montgomery and claims that Hannah and another girl are the ones in the photo and that Hannah asked her for a three way and confirms the rumors about Hannah and Justin that are already floating around. Montgomery later tells Hannah what Courtney told him and Hannah angrily confronts Courtney. Courtney barely apologizes and claims that she had no choice as people were talking and that she is afraid to come out as gay and indirectly points out that since Hannah's reputation is already damaged, she can be easily sacrificed. This angers Hannah and she ends her friendship permanently with Courtney.

The two barely interact much following this, though Courtney is shown laughing at Hannah after her poem is published by Ryan in the school newspaper and also after seeing her working at the Crestmont Theater. Hannah later admits during her meeting with Mr. Porter that Courtney is not a friend to her, showing that she hated her to a degree.

Courtney shows little (if any) remorse for Hannah's death and does all in her power to make it seem like she and the others at school actually cared about her by putting up a memorial and anti-suicide posters on the wall. She continuously denies her involvement in Hannah's death and wants her tapes silenced at all costs. She calls Hannah a liar numerous times and does not even believe that she and Jessica were raped by Bryce, once calling him an "alleged rapist". In spite of this when Clay brings her to Hannah's grave she does show some slight signs of remorse and begins to break down, although her selfishness eventually prevails and she leaves. However, later, she tries to make up for what she did, showing true remorse for her actions. She even comes out in court in order to defend and tell the truth about Hannah.

Tyler Down

S01E07-Tape-4-Side-A-030-Marcus-Courtney-Tyler-Clay

Courtney confronting Tyler in "Tape 4, Side A"

Courtney absolutely despises Tyler due to him taking the picture of her and Hannah kissing and spreading it to the entire school which ultimately led her to having to destroy Hannah's reputation further just to save her own and thus becoming a reason for Hannah's suicide. She tells him to leave her and the others on Hannah's list alone numerous times, refuses to let him take part in plans to silence Clay and likely threw rocks through his window like the others on Hannah's list. She openly tells him that he can tell the truth about his actions if he wants, but nobody will believe him and will just laugh at him like they always do.

Tyler does not appear to care much for Courtney either and shows no remorse for taking and spreading the picture of her and Hannah to the entire school and appears disgusted at her attitude towards Hannah by claiming she was a liar and her photograph is later seen on his hit-list, possibly showing that Tyler wants to kill her along with the others on Hannah's list.

Ryan Shaver

S02E11-Bryce-and-Chloe-066-Ryan-Courtney

Ryan and Courtney in "Bryce and Chloe"

Ryan used to tell Courtney off whenever she tried to blame Hannah and say that she lied. He also told her to come out. They become friends in the second season, Ryan "welcomed her to the club" after Courtney came out in court. They attended the other characters' graduation together.

Appearances

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4


 Quotes

You of all people should know what a picture can do to someone's life
— Courtney to Hannah[src]


People were starting to talk. I just had to do something.
— Courtney to Hannah after spreading rumors about her to hide her homosexuality.[src]


I want to be your friend, Courtney. I have been a friend to you, and this thing you're scared for people to know about you doesn't matter to me. Okay, it doesn't fucking matter. And I'm sorry if you're scared, but I'm not your shield, okay? You don't get to hide behind me. You don't get to fuck with my life because you don't like who you are.
— Hannah to Courtney over her spreading rumors about her.[src]


Courtney : "It's not my fault. Clay, look, I know she was special to you. And I know you're upset, and I get it, but but this was Hannah's choice. Okay, this isn't on anyone but her."
Clay : "No. No, it's on every person who talked shit about her, and every guy who fucked her over, and it's on you because she thought you were a friend, and you sent one more asshole in her direction just to cover the fact you're gay."
―  Courtney and Clay speaking about Hannah while at her grave.[src]
Clay: "Christ, Courtney, you've got two gay dads! "
Courtney: "Yeah, and I have since I was in preschool, when no one had gay dads. Do you have any idea what that's like? Even now. I mean... What if I were? What do you think everyone would say? "She's got two gay dads, that's why she's" ... And my dads, they've taken so much crap, my whole life, for being gay and then for being dads, and I just can't I couldn't do that to them."
―  Courtney to Clay about why she is afraid to come out as a lesbian.[src]
Courtney : "I got scared, okay? And I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. I'm so sorry."
Clay : "I'm not the one who needed to hear that."
―  Courtney expressing remorse for her actions to Clay.[src]

When you're the target, you do anything you can to protect yourself.
— Courtney Crimsen[src]


No it's not possible because it was the other way around. I liked her. I was the one with the crush.
— Courtney, after being asked about a possibility of Hannah being a lebsian/bissexual.[src]


What's the truth? What's true? I think we each have our own truth.
— Courtney[src]


We all have things we keep hidden, sometimes keeping secrets is how you survive, because in high school, one rumor, one picture, one incident can define you, forever.
— Courtney[src]


When rumors spread, you can fight them or ignore them, but they never really go away. When you're the target, you do anything you can to protect yourself. Sometimes you hide. Sometimes you fight back. Anything you have to do. Because the thing is, in high school, everyone's watching you all the time. You have to be careful.
— Courtney[src]


Fucking boys.
— Courtney, before she pulls the alarm after a fight erupts between the boys in the halls of their school.[src]

Look, Jessica, I am super sympathetic to your feelings. All right? Especially given the circumstances under which I ascended to president, e.g. the ouster of Marcus, the sexist pig who likes strippers. That being said, the student council has no actual power and student councils as a rule never do. And like most, I actually just did it for my college applications. So, if you really want to stir some shit up and make this student council more than just a joke, you should run for next year's president, okay?
— Courtney to Jessica[src]

Trivia

  • Courtney was the recording secretary of the honor board.[8]
  • Her Instagram name is 'courtney.crimsen'.

Gallery

See also: Category:Images of Courtney Crimsen

Playlist

References

  1. Yorkey, Brian (writer) & McCarthy, Tom (director) (March 31, 2017). "Tape 1, Side A". 13 Reasons Why. Season 1. Episode 1. Netflix.
  2. Higgins, Thomas (writer) & Shaver, Helen (director) (March 31, 2017). "Tape 2, Side B". 13 Reasons Why. Season 1. Episode 4. Netflix.
  3. Bicknell, Julia (writer) & Alvarez, Kyle Patrick (director) (March 31, 2017). "Tape 3, Side A". 13 Reasons Why. Season 1. Episode 5. Netflix.
  4. Higgins, Thomas (writer) & Araki, Gregg (director) (May 18, 2018). "Two Girls Kissing". 13 Reasons Why. Season 2. Episode 2.
  5. Tyler, Hayley (writer) & Yu, Jessica (director). (May 18, 2018). "Bye". 13 Reasons Why. Season 2. Episode 13.
  6. Yorkey, Brian (writer) & Morris, Michael (director). (August 23, 2019). "Yeah. I'm the New Girl". 13 Reasons Why. Season 3. Episode 1.
  7. MacDonald, Allen, Higgins, Thomas, Tyler, Hayley, Yorkey, Brian, Kumar, Rohit (writers) & Guerrero, Aurora (director). (August 23, 2019). "The World Closing In". 13 Reasons Why. Season 3. Episode 10.
  8. Bicknell, Julia (writer) & Hittman, Eliza (director) (May 18, 2018). "The Smile at the End of the Dock". 13 Reasons Why. Season 2. Episode 6.
List of Characters Navigation
Characters in bold joined in that Season
Season 1


Clay JensenHannah BakerTony PadillaZach DempseyJessica DavisJustin FoleyOlivia BakerBryce WalkerAlex StandallTyler DownLainie JensenKevin PorterAndrew BakerMontgomery de la CruzMatt JensenCourtney CrimsenSheri HollandMarcus ColeRyan ShaverGreg DavisDennis VasquezGary BolanSkye MillerDeputy Bill StandallKaren DempseyMrs. BradleyJeff AtkinsMr. DownAmber FoleyBrad
Minor Characters
PrattersMrs. AntillyJane ChildsMr. CantrellMrs. CantrellLauraJamie GarrisonTodd and Steve CrimsenRobert WellsMason PorterHarris AtkinsMrs. AtkinsJaven ReynoldsNoelle DavisPeter StandallMrs. DownSeth MasseyTracy Porter

Season 2


Clay JensenHannah BakerTony PadillaZach DempseyJessica DavisJustin FoleyOlivia BakerBryce WalkerAlex StandallTyler DownLainie JensenKevin PorterAndrew BakerMontgomery de la CruzMatt JensenCourtney CrimsenSheri HollandMarcus ColeRyan ShaverGreg DavisDennis VasquezChlöe RiceGary BolanSonya StruhlNina JonesCyrusSkye MillerBill StandallJackieScott ReedCalebKaren DempseyMackenzieNora WalkerMrs. BradleyJeff AtkinsMr. DownRick WlodimierzAmber FoleyNoelle DavisMrs. DownBarry Walker
Minor Characters
Peter StandallThe PriestJudge Franklin PurdyErica CharlesTommy ShusterChad MooreSeth MasseyTracy PorterTamikaLuke Holliday

Season 3


Clay JensenAni AcholaTony PadillaZach DempseyJessica DavisJustin FoleyOlivia BakerBryce WalkerAlex StandallTyler DownLainie JensenKevin PorterMontgomery de la CruzNora WalkerMatt JensenCourtney CrimsenAmara Josephine AcholaGreg DavisCasey FordCharlie St. GeorgeDennis VasquezChlöe RiceGary BolanCyrusSheriff DiazBill StandallCalebKaren DempseyMackenzieMr. DownCoach KerbaMrs. DownBarry WalkerSeth MasseyWinston WilliamsDr. Priya SinghMr. de la Cruz
Minor Characters
Graciella PadillaMelody ScottDean HolbrookHarrison ChathamTim PozziLuke Holliday

Season 4


Clay JensenAni AcholaTony PadillaZach DempseyJessica DavisJustin FoleyBryce WalkerAlex StandallTyler DownCharlie St. GeorgeZach DempseyLainie JensenMontgomery de la CruzNora WalkerDr. Robert EllmanDiego TorresChlöe RiceGary BolanMatt JensenWinston WilliamsLuke HollidayDeputy StandallCalebEstela de la CruzSheriff Diaz

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