Lili Taylor, who played a victims rights advocate in the first season of John Ridley‘s drama “American Crime,” will return for the second season of the series, ABC confirmed to TheWrap on Wednesday.
King will play a different role in Season 2, and will move from a guest star to a series regular.
Like “True Detective,” American Horror Story” and other series, “American Crime” will feature a different setting and story from season to season.
Cast members Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton, Regina King, Elvis Nolasco and Richard Cabral have previously been confirmed to return in new roles for the second season.
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“We are beyond fortunate to not only welcome Lili back for our new cycle, but to have her as a series regular,” said Ridley in a statement. “As a guest star last year Lili absolutely shined in every scene she did for us.
“Playing a mother forced to deal with her child’s very public tribulations, Lili’s got the capacity to bring to the character the emotional complexity that our viewers have come to expect.”
The season, Ridley told TheWrap, will be set in the Midwest. The first season was set in Modesto, Calif. It will deal with many of the same hot-button issues as the critically-acclaimed first season, including race, justice and faith in America, though it will also delve into sexuality.
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“This is subject matter that’s not going away, and I feel like I’m staying with it in some way, shape or form,” “12 Years a Slave” screenwriter Ridley said in the Movies and Limited Series issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine. “Two years from now, three years from now, I can promise you I will still be exploring this space.”
Like the first season, the second will be filmed in Austin, Texas. Michael McDonald will serve as executive producer with Ridley.
ABC has yet to announce an airdate for Season 2, which is scheduled to begin shooting in August.
