One of TV’s best surprises this year was Showtime’s deliciously scary, sexy drama Penny Dreadful, a richly imagined series boosted to must-see levels by the go-for-broke performances turned in by star Eva Green week after week. And though we won’t see a second season until next year, Showtime is already giving us more reasons to be excited about Penny Dreadful‘s sophomore run.
Today, the network announced that Patti LuPone has joined the show’s cast in a key role. A Broadway-honed actress and veteran of the small screen, she recently appeared on American Horror Story: Coven and Girls, and is on board here as a guest star, playing a mysterious character from Vanessa’s (Green) past. No further details on her character were made available.
The actress is just one of multiple new additions for Penny Dreadful‘s second season. Douglas Hodge (Robin Hood), Sarah Greene (The Guard) and Jonny Beauchamp (the upcoming Stonewall) have all also been added to the cast in guest roles.
The show’s sophomore run will also see more of two familiar faces. Helen McCrory, whose character Madame Kali was teased by showrunner John Logan at Comic-Con as the show’s main antagonist in season 2, and Simon Russell Beale, who played Egyptologist Ferdinand Lyle, have both been upped to series regulars.
All members of the main cast, including Timothy Dalton, Josh Hartnett, Reeve Carney, Harry Treadaway and Billie Piper, are returning.
Penny Dreadful will return for an expanded 10-episode second season in 2015.
