'The Fosters' Star Gavin Macintosh Previews Season 3B Premiere; Will Jude And Connor Breakup?

"The Fosters" returns to ABC family — check that, Freeform — on Monday and fans will of course be eager to see what the Season 3B premiere means for Brandon (Adam Lambert) and Callie (Maia Mitchell). However, while the "Brallie" drama is always juicy, it is not the only relationship in crisis.

In the summer finale, Connor (Gavin Macintosh) decided to move to Los Angeles to live with his mother to avoid the harsh treatment and judgment from his father, Adam (Chris Bruno), about being gay. The news was a devastating blow for boyfriend Jude (Hayden Byerly).

Gavin Macintosh, who plays Connor on the show, spoke with International Business Times before the Season 3B premiere to break down what the move means for Connor and Jude's relationship.

Read the full interview below:

International Business Times: Going back to the summer finale, can you explain what was going through Connor's head when he made the decision to move to Los Angeles to live with his mother?

Gavin Macintosh: I think Connor knows that it is just time for a change. He can not put up with his Dad's constant judgment. As much as he cares for Jude and and loves Jude, he can't put himself through that pain. It is more of a decision for himself.

IBT: That was initially a point of contention between Connor and Jude. What did it mean to Connor to have Jude accept that decision at the end of the episode?

Macintosh: I think it was a big surprise to Connor. He was expecting Jude to have a negative reaction and to see Jude react like that kind of made the whole thing harder for him. It is easier in a way, bit harder because he is leaving this guy that he loves who has such an understanding for him. Jude is such a good guy.

IBT: So what does this mean for their relationship heading into the midseason premiere? There was promo where Jude was telling a teary-eyed Connor, "It will never be the same without you." A lot of fans thought that was teasing a breakup? Is that something you can confirm?

Macintosh: I'm not really allowed to say, but it definitely adds more drama to a relationship that is already very traumatic. The writers do everything for the fans and I do too. We just want to make them happy and, hopefully, the outcome is something that they will love.

IBT: Then hypothetically speaking, what would long distance mean to Connor and Jude? Could it threaten their relationship?

Macintosh: It could possibly threaten their relationship, because long distance relationships are tough. You can't see the person and there is a lot of jealousy going on. There has already been jealousy in the past in Jude and Connor's relationship, so I'm sure there will be some drama if they don't break up.

Watch the promo for the Season 3B premiere below:

IBT: Do you think there is a possibility for Connor to come back?

Macintosh: There would probably have to be some big changes in his relationship with his dad. As we've seen in the past, though, the writers can twist the story on a dime.

IBT: All the buzz is about what the move will do to Connor and Jude, but what about Connor's relationship with his father? How will that change? Viewers have watched Adam struggle to try and accept Connor being gay.

Macintosh: I think Adam will probably feel a little crappy for treating his son the way he did. In one of the episodes, Jude came to visit Connor in the hospital after the gunshot wound and Adam had let [Jude] in the room and that was sort of him backing down, but he still had not totally opened his heart to the relationship. Once Connor moves away he will be alone and I think he will feel crappy. I'm sure Connor will end up missing his dad too.

IBT: Do you think a better relationship could develop between Adam and Jude while they are both back in San Diego missing Connor?

Macintosh: It could be a possibility. I haven't really thought about that. We will have to see what happens.

IBT: What is going to be a bigger pull in terms of Connor possibly coming back — Jude or his dad?

Macintosh: Connor will miss them both, but in terms of him coming back he is still going to be hesitant about the way his dad treats him and the lack of acceptance at home. So, I think if he does come back it will be for Jude. Not that he doesn't love his dad, but I think it would be a huge struggle for him to come home.

IBT: You are a big advocate for LGBTQ issues. What does it mean to be on a show that is so positive and empathetic about those issues and its characters?

Macintosh: I'm really lucky to be on a show that tackles these issues. There are just a handful of shows that mean something and spread a positive message to fans and viewers. So, I'm very thankful for the opportunity to spread that message that it is ok to be who you are.

IBT: Did the show make you more passionate about these issues?

Macintosh: During the show is when I started really becoming aware of the LGBTQ movement. I really had no education or knowledge of anything that was going on before "The Fosters." The show really educated me and since then I've been going to many LGBT events and fundraisers that have to do with that. I got involved with Straight But Not Narrow and the No Hate campaign. That all happened after getting the role.

IBT: "The Fosters" has an extremely passionate fan base. How do you deal with that attention? Has it changed you life at all?

Macintosh: It has changed my life. I interact with fans almost every single day and they are all amazing and they are always sharing stories. There are some kids on the opposite end of the country who will tell me stories about how they got bullied in school just for being themselves. I hear so many stories, sometimes five or six a day, and that has made an impact on me and made me even more passionate about the movement.

IBT: Do you also bring that back with you to the show and the role?

Macintosh: Definitely! I hadn't really been getting stories like that until Connor came out as gay. I take that into the role every day, thinking about who is going to watch this and how this is going to impact people's lives. You are showing up on set and this role could change someone's life and that's a huge thing for me to think about on set.

"The Fosters" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on Freeform (previously ABC Family).