‘Elsbeth’: Carrie Preston on Hopes for Michael Emerson & Stephen Moyer Return in Season 2

Elsbeth may have just ended its first season on May 23, but we’re already looking ahead—and we very much hope that Carrie Preston‘s dream guest star appears this fall.

Elsbeth will be back for its second season in the fall, and when TV Insider asked Preston for her dream guest stars, she has someone in mind: “You know I have to say Michael Emerson,” she said with a laugh. (Preston and Emerson are married and have appeared together onscreen in the past, including on Person of Interest.) “We’re hoping that he’ll come to the Elsbeth world now that he’s done with the Kings other show Evil. So that would be wonderful.”

She also already has an idea of the role she’d like to see him play. “It would be fun to see Michael not be a murderer or someone evil. It would be fun to see him be maybe even part of the police department or something like that,” she shared. “It’s not up to me, but I’ll take him in any role that I can get him in.”

Preston was quick to add, “and there’s just so many brilliant actors in New York that I could give you 50 names and they could cast 50 other people, and I would be just as happy.”

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When it comes to bringing back a criminal from Season 1 for Elsbeth to encounter again, showrunner Jonathan Tolins pointed out, “I kind of feel like these are murderers who did terrible things. I mean, it’s possible one or two of them might get out of prison at some point.” That being said, he hasn’t ruled out seeing Laura Benanti as Nadine again. “There is a really nice friendship growing between Elsbeth and Nadine, and Laura had such a wonderful time on the show that I think we might see Nadine again.”

Preston would love to have Stephen Moyer, her True Blood costar who played the series’ first killer in the pilot, return. “I’ve always thought it would be really fun if Elsbeth went back to visit Alex in prison to maybe get some acting tips or something from him because he’s a director,” she said. “Their dynamic was fun, I think partially because it was the pilot and we were all inventing the world together, but I think also because Stephen Moyer and I have such a history together having been on True Blood for seven years together, so I think that could be a really cute and fun and kind of dangerous little revisit.”

Elizabeth Fisher / CBS

And as it was her first case, “it has a special place in her heart, even though he is a terrible person,” she continued. “Elsbeth always seems to find the humanity in these people. She wants to know why they’ve done such things, and so she gets to know them in a way that maybe other detectives don’t.”

Who do you want to see in Season 2? Let us know in the comments section, below.

Elsbeth, Season 2, Fall 2024, CBS