Farrell is nearing a deal to play Ray Velcoro, a law enforcement official who has been damaged by years of issues both professional and personal. Tying that in with what we already know, Ray is a California Highway Patrol officer who sexually exploited a young girl he pulled over, leading to his temporary suspension. Ray also wrestles with cocaine addiction and a fierce temper.
As for Kitsch, who is still in talks, he’s aiming to play Paul Woodrugh, “a handsome, 28-year-old military veteran who has seen his own share of violence and destruction.” No additional details from TheWrap with regard to his role, but between him and Farrell, True Detective has already locked in its two lead male detectives.
Then, we come to Moss. HBO, likely stunned by her Golden Globe-winning performance in SundanceTV’s Top of the Lake (a similarly dark crime drama), wants the actress to take on the lead female role of Ani Bezzerides, “a tough, no-nonsense Monterey sheriff whose troubled upbringing has driven her to gambling and alcohol.”
Finally, Forbes, whose work as a grieving mother on AMC’s The Killing won her a Saturn Award and an Emmy nomination, does not yet have a set role. She could either portray Semyon’s “charming but mercurial” spouse or Farrell’s ex-wife, who is a survivor of sexual assault. Both parts sound great, and it will be exciting to see Forbes join the show in either one.
Behind the camera, HBO is also working hard to recruit top-level talent. Apparently, though Cary Fukunaga helmed every installment of the first series, the network doesn’t expect another director to demonstrate that level of commitment. Instead, HBO is looking for talented helmers to tackle two or three episodes each. Andrew Dominik (Killing Them Softly) was approached, but it’s believed that he’s too busy with his Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde, starring Jessica Chastain (who passed on the role Moss is now circling).
William Friedkin (L.A. Confidential) is also apparently in the mix to direct True Detective, though no news has come out about that since the initial suggestion that he could direct.
Lots of great news about the second season of True Detective today, and there’s reason to expect more on the horizon. We’ll keep you posted as this highly anticipated series gets closer to filming.
