Apple TV+’s Emmy-nominated drama The Morning Show has added Hasan Minhaj to the cast ahead of its second season, proving that one legacy streamer’s loss is another nascent platform’s gain. Per Deadine’s report, the former Patriot Act host will be stepping in to play Eric, who is described as a “charismatic, rising star who joins The Morning Show team.” Minhaj joins returning cast members Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Bel Powley, Karen Pittman and Desean Terry and new series regulars Greta Lee and Ruairi O’Connor.
This development comes nearly three months after Netflix’s surprising cancellation of the comedian’s Peabody Award-winning talk show, which ran for only two seasons and 39 episodes. With a comedy-heavy portfolio, The Morning Show’s drama makes for a slight pivot for Minhaj, but still falls in line with his penchant for timely content. Currently, there is no information on any plot points involving Minhaj’s character.
Season one of The Morning Show heavily dealt with #MeToo and gendered dynamics in the news room. While it didn’t garner the most enthusiastic of reviews, it did land a number of acting nominations for Aniston, Carell, Duplass, and Crudup, who won for Outstanding Supporting Actor. There is no set return date for The Morning Show as of yet.