When Poker Face returned for Season 2, we expected juicy murder-of-the-week mysteries and Natasha Lyonne’s signature deadpan brilliance. What we didn’t expect? The wildest, most stacked lineup of guest stars this side of an awards show red carpet.
From EGOT contenders to comedy legends, Rian Johnson’s series is turning the guest star episode into an art form. And EVERY character counts!
These are not blink-and-you’ll miss-it cameos. No disrespect to other shows, but Poker Face treats each guest like a co-lead. Cynthia Erivo, for example, isn’t just a marquee name dropped in for flash. She plays multiple siblings in a single episode. And she looks like she’s flexing her range that spans from Harriet to Wicked.
David Alan Grier brings his trademark warmth and precision to a role that earned him fresh NAACP nods. Then there’s Awkwafina, who reunites with Alia Shawkat and Lauren Tom for what is one of the season’s sharpest ensembles.
Every episode is a mini-movie, and the guest stars aren’t just supporting Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie. They’re shaping moral arcs.
Broadway queens to comedy kings
Poker Face Season 2 is a who’s who of iconic performers, and the casting is as sharp as the mysteries themselves.
Erivo, with her triple-threat pedigree and recent Oscar buzz for Wicked, is a casting coup. Her Poker Face episode reportedly explores identity and grief through the lens of multiple siblings. Yes, all played by her!
Then there’s the inspired inclusion of Method Man (aka Cliff Smith), who has over 100 credits spanning The Wire to Shaft, and here brings an edge that’s all muscle and method. His episode with Jason Ritter conflicts beneath the genre gloss.
The brilliance? These stars are placed into each plot within Poker Face Season 2 like MVPs. Richard Kind is not just the comic relief; he’s a ticking emotional bomb.
Carol Kane, fresh off her NYFCC win for Between the Temples, plays her role with the quiet devastation only a veteran could deliver.
This isn’t just casting for clout. It’s curation.
SNL alums, Emmy darlings, and who we want in Poker Face Season 3
The shared (and thus elevated) talents of actors like Simon Helberg (reprising his FBI role from Season 1), Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black), and Adrienne C. Moore create a dynamic worth your attention.
Even comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy’s Ben Marshall sneaks in with unexpected poignancy. And we haven’t even scratched the surface with BJ Novak (Vengeance, The Office US) or Geraldine Viswanathan, whose every role crackles with Gen Z relatability.
It’s clear Poker Face knows exactly what it’s doing. It is crafting living, breathing characters for these guest stars to stretch into. That’s why every performance feels earned, lived-in, and worthy of rewatching.
So naturally, we’re already dreaming up who should get the guest spotlight in Season 3. Florence Pugh? Pedro Pascal? Maybe even Cate Blanchett doing some undercover weirdness? Poker Face sure has rewritten the rules on what “guest star” even means!
