Back in June, Apple TV's surprise hit, Presumed Innocent, was confirmed to be returning for a second season with an entirely new cast. The first season starred Jake Gyllenhaal as a prosecutor, who became the prime suspect in the murder of a colleague with whom he was having an affair.
When season two of Presumed Innocent was confirmed, Rachel Brosnahan was announced to star. It has now been revealed that she will be joined by Ugly Betty star Judith Light (via Variety).
Light joins an already stacked cast, including The Americans' Matthew Rhys, Lovecraft Country's Courtney B. Vance, Killing Eve's Fiona Shaw, Midsommar's Jack Reynor, Past Lives' John Magaro, Tiny Pretty Things' Michael Hsu Rosen, Lucifer's Lesley-Ann Brandt and Until Dawn's Ji-young Yoo.
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We don't know who Light will be playing yet, and the plot for season two has yet to be fully revealed. Going off of the book upon which the show is based (Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray), we can presume we'll be following Leila Reynolds (Brosnahan) as she's "handed her first murder case. She’s shocked at how high-profile it is: the murder of a well-respected, well-known judge.
"This shouldn’t be the kind of case she’s leading; it’s way beyond her expertise. But the defendant, Jack Millman, is clear. He wants her, and only her.
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"To make things worse, he's refusing to talk. How is she supposed to prove herself on what appears to be an unwinnable case? Losing is not an option. She must find the most persuasive argument.
"Trials aren’t won by convincing judges or fellow barristers – they're all about convincing a jury. Suddenly, Leila finds herself fighting not only to keep Jack out of prison, but also to keep her own secrets buried."
Light is a veteran of film, TV, and the stage. She has been nominated five times for Emmy awards, winning Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy in 2023 for Poker Face with Natasha Lyonne.
She also received back-to-back Tony Awards in 2012 and 2013 for Other Desert Cities and The Assembled Parties. So it's safe to say she's an impressive addition to an already impressive cast.
The first season of Presumed Innocent was based on Scott Turow's 1987 novel of the same name, and garnered positive reviews from critics when it aired in 2024.
"There are plenty of twists and turns, and Gyllenhaal is a sturdy anchor holding it all together, aided by one of the more enviable casts on TV right now," wrote TheWrap.
Movie Files called it "a detailed week to week nail-bitingly tense gripping courtroom thriller lead by such great performances, including a world class role from Jake Gyllenhaal" and "one of the best murder mysteries of the year".
No release date for Presumed Innocent season 2 has been confirmed. Presumed Innocent season 1 is available to watch on Apple TV.
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