Yahoo News Poker Face Adds Awkwafina, Corey Hawkins and Simon Rex to Season 2 — Here’s Everything We Know So Far
Murderers, beware: Charlie Cale is back on the case — and she doesn’t take any bulls–t.
Peacock’s murder mystery Poker Face is returning for a second season, with Natasha Lyonne starring as the lie-detecting private eye. And since we’re tired of waiting for new episodes to get here already, we’re putting on our detective caps and sniffing out any and all details about the new season, from casting to the release date to a big shift behind the scenes.
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So join us as we hit the road to share everything we know so far about Season 2 of Poker Face. Plus, we’ll be updating this list as more news comes out.
Wait, what is Poker Face about again?
It’s been a while — Season 1 wrapped up in March 2023 — so let’s refresh your memory: Lyonne plays Charlie Cale, a former casino cocktail waitress who travels the country solving murders using her uncanny ability to tell if someone is lying. The show follows a case-of-the-week format, in the tradition of classic detective shows like Columbo and The Rockford Files, with Charlie taking on a new murder each week. Season 1 welcomed a bevy of guest stars like Adrien Brody, Chloe Sevigny, Nick Nolte, Judith Light, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Barkin and more. It also earned four Emmy nominations, including one for Lyonne for best lead actress in a comedy series. (Lyonne serves as a co-creator as well alongside Knives Out director Rian Johnson.)
Where did Season 1 of Poker Face leave off?
In the season finale, Charlie was forced to sit down with vengeful casino owner Sterling Frost Senior (played by Ron Perlman). Sterling was later shot dead, and Charlie was framed for the murder, sending her into hiding, where she reconnected with her estranged sister Emily (played by Clea DuVall). Charlie figured out that Sterling’s henchman Cliff (played by Benjamin Bratt) was the culprit and got him arrested for her pal Natalie’s murder. But in the end, she had to go on the run again after an ominous call from rival casino owner Beatrix Hasp (voiced by Rhea Perlman), threatening to find Charlie and kill her unless she put her lie-detecting powers to work for her.
For more on the finale, check out our post mortem with showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman.
Did Poker Face change showrunners?
As a matter of fact, it did: Tony Tost (Damnation) will take over as showrunner in Season 2, replacing Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, who are pursuing other projects, a source tells TVLine. (The Zuckermans will remain as executive producers in Season 2, as will Johnson and Lyonne.)
When Rian Johnson announced that filming on Season 2 has begun in July, Tost added in a caption: “First day of filming [Season 2] of Poker Face. Still counting my blessings that I’m getting to step in and help make a new season of one of my favorite shows.”
Who will be guest-starring in Poker Face Season 2?
Expectations are sky-high for Season 2’s guest cast, after the freshman season gave us so many big names, and the early returns do not disappoint: Katie Holmes (Ray Donovan, Dawson’s Creek), three-time Emmy winner Margo Martindale (Justified, The Americans), Academy Award and Emmy nominee Cynthia Erivo (Genius: Aretha), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul), Gaby Hoffmann (Winning Time, Transparent) and Kumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales, Obi-Wan Kenobi) are all set to appear in episodes next season.
Also appearing in Season 2: BJ Novak (The Office), Sherry Cola (Good Trouble), Kevin Corrigan (Godfather of Harlem, Fringe), Ben Marshall (Saturday Night Live), Kathrine Narducci (Godfather of Harlem, The Sopranos), John Mulaney (Everybody’s in L.A.), Ego Nwodim (SNL) and Sam Richardson (Veep).
In November, more guest stars were revealed: Awkwafina (Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens), Corey Hawkins (24: Legacy), Simon Rex (Red Rocket) and Cliff “Method Man” Smith (Power Book II: Ghost).
When does Season 2 of Poker Face premiere?
Unfortunately, we’re still waiting for an official premiere date from Peacock. But since Season 1 began filming in April 2022 and the show debuted nine months later, we can roughly guess that Season 2 may arrive on Peacock somewhere around April 2025. (That’s just a guess, though!)
Want scoop on Poker Face, or for any other TV show ? Email InsideLine@tvline.com, and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!
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