The women of Maple Brook, Texas, are back to spice things up with more country glamour, secrets, and scandal. Season 2 of Netflix’s “The Hunting Wives” premieres Nov. 26 with eight episodes. Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman return as series leads Sophie O’Neil and Margo Banks, respectively, and several new faces are joining the mix.
Netflix isn’t waiting to see how the new season lands. The streamer has already greenlit Season 3, with production set to begin in December. Here’s what we know about the show’s cast, its casting process, and how actors can prepare for future opportunities.
JUMP TO
- What is “The Hunting Wives” about?
- Who is in the cast of “The Hunting Wives” Season 2?
- Who are the casting directors for “The Hunting Wives”?
- How were the leads cast for “The Hunting Wives”?
- What are the best audition tips for landing a role on “The Hunting Wives”?
- Where can you find “The Hunting Wives” casting calls and auditions?
- How should you prepare for an audition for “The Hunting Wives”?
Based on May Cobb’s bestselling 2021 novel, the steamy thriller became a breakout hit for Netflix when it debuted in July 2025. The series follows Sophie (Snow), a newcomer to an affluent Texas community who falls under the spell of Margo (Akerman) and her circle of wealthy, gun-toting socialites. What starts as an intoxicating escape from Sophie’s ordinary life pulls her into a world of sex, secrets, betrayal, and murder.
The second season moves beyond Cobb’s novel, with creator and showrunner Rebecca Perry Cutter carrying the story forward. When Season 2 begins, Sophie and Margo are not on speaking terms, but their estrangement doesn’t last. Unresolved secrets and new threats draw them back into each other’s orbits, putting both women in danger. Netflix hasn’t revealed any plot details for Season 3.
Returning cast members include:
- Brittany Snow as Sophie O’Neil
- Malin Akerman as Margo Banks
- Dermot Mulroney as Jed Banks
- Evan Jonigkeit as Graham O’Neil
- Alexandria DeBerry as Taylor
- Jaime Ray Newman as Callie Baskin
- George Ferrier as Brad Thompson
- Chosen Jacobs as Jamie Martin
- Karen Rodriguez as Deputy Wanda Salazar
- Branton Box as Sheriff Jonny Baskin
- Hunter Emery as Deputy Walter Flynn
New additions include:
- John Stamos as Chase Brylan
- Kim Matula as Nadia Kelly
- Alex Fitzalan as Lincoln Trout
- Dale Dickey as Zelda Moffitt
- Cam Gigandet as Gentle John Moffitt
- Angel Reese as Trainer Barbie
Nicole Abellera Hallman and Jeanne McCarthy, whose credits include “Project Hail Mary” and “Hacks,” cast the first two seasons of “The Hunting Wives” and are returning for Season 3.
In a Spotlight interview, McCarthy shared that the performers who stand out to her are the ones she connects with emotionally. “What attracts me to somebody is when I can feel them,” she said. “I get an emotional connection with them. I feel who they are.”
Her advice for actors entering an audition room is simple: They should “be themselves.”
Read more about what went into McCarthy’s casting process for films like “Foxcatcher” and “Big Eyes,” and find out why Hallman says CDs are often more understanding than actors think.
Both Snow and Akerman were approached for their roles, and they read all eight scripts before signing on. Snow told Collider that the experience was unlike anything she’d had on past projects.
“I got all eight scripts. They were all sent to me, which is very rare and normally doesn’t happen when you’re in conversations for a show,” she said. “I read all eight episodes in one sitting. It took me pretty much the whole day, but I couldn’t stop.”
The material made her a bit anxious, but it was part of the draw. “I was scared and nervous about a lot of the things that happened in it,” she explained. “But I usually have a rule of thumb where if I am very nervous about something and it’s something that I’ve never done before, then I probably should investigate it further to find out if that’s something that I should explore and do.”
She also praised Cutter’s writing: “You really fall in love with these people, regardless of their antics, and that’s a really rare thing.”
Akerman told People that reading the full season gave her a fuller understanding of Margo. “I got to see her whole arc and see where she begins and where she came from and where she ends up, and it’s just such a meaty role,” she said. “She’s a master manipulator, she’s vibrant, she’s sexy…. There was no way I could say no to it.”
The stars’ best audition advice is less about technique and more about mindset.
Keep rejection in perspective: “I would love to tell everyone that I’m so used to rejection now…. But I still am a very sensitive human,” Snow told us. What has changed is how she processes it: “I do truly believe that it was either a learning process, not meant to be, or something was getting me ready for something else.”
Know which feedback to take: Akerman admits criticism doesn’t come easily, but she’s learned to separate the useful from the noise. “If it’s constructive criticism, I’m open to it,” she told Glamour. “But criticism just for criticism’s sake—everyone’s a critic nowadays. So you just have to let it roll off your sleeve and let it go.” She takes notes from the people closest to her to heart and tunes out social media. So, find a coach or scene partner whose notes you trust, and let the rest go.
Be sure to listen: “Listening is the biggest superpower that we have as humans,” Akerman added, describing the value of understanding “what’s beneath the surface of what everyone is saying.” The same skill applies in the audition room. Stay present with your reader, respond to what you’re actually given, and be open to adjustments. In a show where practically everyone has something to hide, listening closely might be the most useful skill of all.
There don’t appear to be any public casting calls for “The Hunting Wives” Season 3 at this time. With production moving from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Georgia, we suggest bookmarking our casting directory page for Atlanta-area listings. Our guide on how to audition for Netflix may also be helpful as you prepare for future opportunities.
The production recruited local background performers for previous seasons, so keep your headshots, résumé, and special-skills information up to date in case opportunities arise.
Actors can get a head start on auditioning for Season 3 by studying the show’s stars, source material, and creative team.
Ground the camp in something real: Akerman told What’s on Netflix that she talked with Cutter, Cobb, and the producers to understand Margo’s motivations. “What does she want? Where is she going? Where is she coming from?” she asked. Cobb also shared stories about the real Texas women who inspired her novel, helping Akerman make her character believable rather than a caricature.
Snow approached Sophie as a “caged animal,” telling us that the character’s nail-biting and fidgeting reflect a woman afraid of herself more than her circumstances. Try playing a scene where your character’s outward behavior conceals what they’re really feeling, and let small physical choices reveal the tension.
Study the scripts and the book: Both actors read Cutter’s scripts before Cobb’s novel. Snow said the book helped her understand “what made [Sophie] tick,” while Akerman found the author’s descriptions useful for developing Margo. Since the series takes liberties with the source material, watch how the characters and relationships evolve onscreen, then read the novel for additional context. Compare a scene from the book with its onscreen adaptation, then try performing it both ways.
Work on dialect: Akerman told What’s on Netflix that the accent helped her step further into the character, with support from the production’s dialect coach. It was no small leap. “Sweden to East Texas is a big jump,” she recalled to TheWrap. Rehearse a scene in the appropriate regional dialect, and focus on making the dialogue sound natural, not exaggerated.
Prepare for intimate scenes: Snow told us she credits intimacy coordinator Lizzy Talbot with helping the actors understand how scenes would be staged and shot, which let them concentrate on their performances. Snow’s advice to other actors is to “advocate for yourself.” She added, “If you don’t have an intimacy coordinator, you can definitely ask for one, as you should. Especially as a woman, you need to feel so safe.” Before taking on intimate material, discuss what the role requires, establish your boundaries, and ask what support is available.
