Have you missed White House press secretary C.J. Cregg? Well she may not be speaking on behalf of Josiah Bartlet’s administration anymore, but Allison Janney’s (I, Tonya) days communicating with the American people are far from over.
Debora Cahn, fellow The West Wing alum and creator of The Diplomat, is swearing Janney in to Season 2 of the tense drama series starring Keri Russell. Janney will play the oft-mentioned but yet-to-be-seen Vice President Grace Penn. The Academy Award winner and seven-time Emmy Award winner will guest star throughout the season.
Read everything you need to know about The Diplomat Season 2 below.
Still recovering from The Diplomat’s explosive cliff-hanger ending? Well, fear not: We’ll find out what happened after that jaw-dropping final scene in Season 2 of the political drama. “We had such a great time making The Diplomat. And it’s a thrill to see how much people are enjoying it,” says series creator Debora Cahn. “We’re so glad we get to do it again.” Executive producer and star Russell, who was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as US ambassador to the UK Kate Wyler, is ready for more, too. “I am thrilled to be headed back for another round of this smart screwball show. Dare I say it’s fun?”
Having worked on The West Wing and Homeland, Cahn knows how to reel viewers in with high stakes political and personal tension. In the last minutes of the finale, Kate finds out that it was none other than British prime minister Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) who planned the explosion of the British aircraft carrier in the series pilot. As if things couldn’t get worse, the finale ends with a second explosion — possibly leaving her husband Hal (Rufus Sewell), Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Hayford (Ato Essandoh), office clerk Ronnie (Jess Chanliau) and MP Merritt Grove (Simon Chandler) dead.
“I wanted it to make people want more,” says Cahn of the finale. “I wanted to bring together all of the different dynamics of the political relationships and the personal relationships in one event that splits apart all at the same time.” Adds Sewell, “All I know is that if you resolve it one way or another too quickly, we’re screwed. I like to think there are enough problems to last us [a few seasons].”
The Diplomat premiered on April 20 and debuted at No. 1 on Netflix’s weekly global Top 10 TV (English) list. In its first weekend, the series had 57.48 million hours viewed and appeared in the Top 10 in 87 countries. “Fans around the world are loving every minute of The Diplomat’s gripping and propulsive drama, and embracing Keri Russell’s powerful performance as Kate Wyler,” says Jinny Howe, vice president of drama series, Netflix. “After that jaw-dropping cliffhanger, we can’t wait for them to see what the amazing visionary team of Debora Cahn, Janice Williams and Keri Russell have in store for Season 2.” Alex Graves also joins the fold as executive producer alongside Cahn, Williams and Russell for the second season.
Alongside new cast member Janney, Russell will swear into duty once again as Kate Wyler, the US ambassador to the UK who was unexpectedly thrusted into a top-level government position in the debut season. Tasked with stopping a war from happening, she navigates an international crisis in tandem with her rocky marriage to her veteran diplomat husband. “What I loved is the constant discomfort and sweatiness and nervousness and just overall unpolished quality of her –– matched with the bossiness to everyone, which I think is really funny,” Russell previously told Tudum.
Season 1’s cast also featured Essandoh, Kinnear, David Gyasi as UK foreign secretary Austin Dennison, Ali Ahn as CIA station chief Eidra Park, Nana Mensah as White House chief of staff Billie Appiah, Miguel Sandoval as US secretary of state Miguel Ganon, Michael McKean as US president William Rayburn, Celia Imrie as Meg Roylin, and T’Nia Miller as Dennison’s sister Cecilia.
Find out who the survived that major finale explosion and where Kate’s relationships go from here when The Diplomat returns in 2024. In the meantime, stream the series again to see what you missed and read all about the political players involved.
