Matthew Rhys is the latest addition to the cast of “Presumed Innocent” Season 2, Variety has learned.
Rhys will appear in the second season of the legal drama alongside previously announced lead Rachel Brosnahan. The first season of the series, which debuted in 2024, was based on the book of the same name by Scott Turow. The second season will be based on the book “Dissection of a Murder” by Jo Murray, which is due to be published in 2026.
Exact plot and character details are being kept under wraps, but the description from publisher Pan Macmillan states, “When Leila Reynolds (Brosnahan) is 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.”
This marks the second Apple TV+ role for Rhys, as he is set to star in the upcoming series “Widow’s Bay” for the streamer. He will also star opposite John Krasinski in “Silent River” for Amazon Prime Video, and will be seen in the Netflix series “The Beast in Me” in November. Rhys’ other recent credits include “Towards Zero” for BritBox and BBC1 and the films “Saturday Night” and “Hallow Road.” Rhys is perhaps best known for his starring role in the FX Cold War spy drama “The Americans,” for which he won an Emmy Award in 2018. He also starred in HBO’s “Perry Mason” series for two seasons.
He is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and United Agents.
David E. Kelley developed “Presumed Innocent” for television and serves as executive producer and co-showrunner under his David E. Kelley Productions (DEKP) banner. Erica Lipez will also serve as co-showrunner and executive producer on Season 2. J.J. Abrams and Rachel Rusch Rich executive produce for Bad Robot Productions. Matthew Tinker of DEKP also executive produces. Jake Gyllenhaal, who starred in Season 1, will executive produce via Nine Stories. Dustin Thomason also serves as executive producer along with Brosnahan. Turow is a co-executive producer, as is Murray. Warner Bros. Television is the studio.
“Presumed Innocent” Season 1 debuted to critical and popular acclaim when it launched in June 2024. The first season has received four Emmy nominations — best lead actor in a limited or anthology series (Gyllenhaal), best supporting actor in a limited or anthology series (Bill Camp & Peter Sarsgaard), and best supporting actress in a limited or anthology series (Ruth Negga).