Rumor Control: Jessica Chastain Not Offered ‘True Detective’ Season 2
With most shows, fans can depend on the lead actors to come back season after season. But with an anthology series likeTrue Detective, all bets are off. And so for the past several months, viewers have been speculating and fantasizing about who might fillMatthew McConaugheyandWoody Harrelson’s shoes forTrue DetectiveSeason 2.
Officially, HBO hasn’t said a single peep on that front. But unofficially, a new rumor has emerged sayingJessica Chastainhas been offered a lead role. Too bad it has been quickly denied by camps on both sides of the process. Get the dirt after the jump.
Whether Chastain signs on or not, though, the rumor may offer some clues about the type of actor HBO and series creatorNic Pizzolattowant forTrue DetectiveSeason 2. They’re obviously not afraid to aim high. Chastain is a multiple Oscar nominee who has her pick of film projects. ButTrue Detective’s unique format makes it perfect for movie stars who may want to experiment with the small screen, but aren’t willing to commit to a long-running series.
The Chastain rumor also fits with Pizzolatto’searlier hintsabout wanting a more female-centric perspective for Season 2, whichapparently centers around"hard women, bad men and the secret occult history of the United States transportation system." Chastain can do hard, as evidenced in films likeZero Dark Thirty.
Of course, even if she had been offered the gig, whether she has time would be another question. Chastain has several movies due out over the next couple of years, including Christopher Nolan’sInterstellar, J.C. Chandor’sA Most Violent Year, and Guillermo del Toro’sCrimson Peak. Promo rounds for some of those could interfere with shooting a long project likeTrue Detective. Recently, she’s also signed on for Andrew Dominik’sBlondeand been rumored forMission: Impossible 5.
