‘Hacks’ Season 2: Laurie Metcalf, Ming-Na Wen, Margaret Cho, Martha Kelly Join Cast

Laurie Metcalf, Ming-Na Wen, Margaret Cho, Martha Kelly, Jean Smart
Kevin Winter/Araya Diaz/Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images/Walter McBride/WireImage/HBO

Hacks Season 2 has a stacked cast. Laurie Metcalf (The Dropout), Ming-Na Wen (The Book of Boba Fett), comedian Margaret Cho (The Flight Attendant), and Martha Kelly (Euphoria) have been cast in Hacks Season 2, HBO announced March 18.

Metcalf, Wen, and Kelly will be recurring characters, and Cho will appear as a guest star. It’s not clear if Cho will be appearing as herself in the series. But given that Jean Smart plays a fictional legendary comedian, Deborah Vance, it seems like a possibility.

Season 2 will follow “the dark mentorship” between the Las Vegas comedian and her young, entitled writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) as they travel across the country workshopping Deborah’s new stand-up act. Production for Hacks Season 2 is currently underway, with the series expected to return later this spring. An exact season premiere date has not yet been announced.

 

Following the Season 1 finale, the Hacks creators spoke with TV Insider about Deborah and Ava’s future together.

“Well, I think love is and can be tumultuous and difficult and challenging and painful,” Downs said. “I think that, to me, means they’re very much in love.” But, as Aniello chimed in, “You don’t always end up with the people you love.”

Hacks Season 1 also stars Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Jane Adams, Christopher McDonald, Kaitlin Olson, Paul W. Downs, Poppy Liu, Rose Abdoo, Mark Indelicato, Meg Stalter, Angela E. Gibbs, Luenell, Johnny Sibilly, Joe Mande, Ally Maki, and Lorenza Izzo. They will all return for Season 2.

The Emmy-winning comedy is created and showrun by Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky, who also executive produce. Downs and Aniello executive produce under their Paulilu banner. Statsky executive produces via First Thought Productions. Other EPs include Michael Schur for Fremulon, David Miner for 3 Arts Entertainment, and Morgan Sackett. Hacks is developed by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Hacks, Season 2, Premiere Date TBA, HBO Max