'Joe Pickett' Cast: Who's Coming Back to Wyoming in Season 2?

A year and a half since the first season of Joe Pickett premiered as a Spectrum Original, the Western thriller is returning with a highly anticipated second season. 

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The first two episodes will drop exclusively to Paramount+ on June 4, with subsequent episodes released weekly after the premiere. 

The series — based on the best-selling novels by C.J. Box — focuses on the rookie game warden for the small town of Saddlestring, Joe Pickett (Michael Dorman), and his family. They're trying to protect their town near Yellowstone National Park and themselves amid a shifting political climate and potential economic collapse. 

In the first season, the Pickett family became tangled in a murder investigation when they found a body outside their home. The warden teamed up with local law enforcement to try to unravel the web of schemes and secrets surrounding the town and the influx of developers trying to get rich off the town's bountiful land. 

But unlike many television shows, its leading protagonist is not a super cop or some larger-than-life hero. Rather, Joe is a soft-spoken underdog who often wears his weakness and childhood trauma on his sleeve while trying to do right by his growing family. 

Though the Western drama can be dark, mysterious and even gruesome at times, its authentic heart-warming moments and unexpected sense of humor propelled the series to become Spectrum's most-watched original series. The breathtaking shots of the vast Wyoming wilderness are just the cherry on top. 

The second season will kick off with Joe investigating a string of grisly murders after finding the body of a hunter in the mountains. He is forced to cope with his tortured past — and deal with a creepy set of twins — before fleeing for his life. 

Here's a roundup of whom you'll see in season 2 of Joe Pickett:

Michael Dorman as Joe Pickett

The intense moral compass of Joe Pickett is, of course, Joe Pickett himself, played by Michael Dorman. He may not have the most power, political sway or money in Saddlestring, but Joe is determined to nobly serve his town. 

A New Zealand native, Dorman brings a light humor and amazing depth to the stoic game warden. In between shooting Joe Pickett, Dorman also stars as the troubled astronaut Gordon Stevens on Apple TV's For All Mankind. He also got to show off his musical chops by playing John Tavner in the dramedy series Patriot. 

As for film, he starred opposite Elizabeth Moss in the thriller The Invisible Man (2020). 

Julianna Guill as Marybeth Pickett

The saying "Behind every successful man is a strong woman" could not be truer for the Pickett family. Marybeth, the matriarch played by Juliana Guill, is probably the smartest and most charming person in Saddlestring. And she uses that intelligence to keep her husband and her family safe. 

Guill taps into her history with action and thriller roles to bring the right intensity to Marybeth. She starred in Hulu's horror series Into The Dark and also nailed recurring roles on Fox's The Resident and Bravo's Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce. 

On the film side, Guill earned credits from roles in Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) with Steve Carell and in the epic Marvel mashup Captain America: Civil War (2016). She also directed her first short film last year.

Mustafa Speaks as Nate Romanowski

As a former special ops soldier turned hardened criminal, Nate Romanowski, portrayed by Mustafa Speaks, lives off the grid. He became an unlikely partner to Joe after they ran into each other deep in the woods around Saddlestring. 

Off screen, Speaks has almost nothing in common with his character. He's an actor, writer and producer who originally wanted to become an environmental scientist before he discovered his passion for acting. He's known for playing Kenny Boone on the CW drama All American and as Messiah in Netflix's hit limited series Seven Seconds. 

Sharon Lawrence as Missy Vankeuren

As Marybeth's mother and Joe's mother-in-law, no one in the Pickett family was particularly thrilled when Missy Vankeuren moved to Saddlestring. But even though she can be a bit overbearing, she's a great babysitter for the Pickett girls. 

But since she moved out at the end of the first season, it's unclear how large Sharon Lawrence's role will be in the next. Regardless of how much screen time she gets, we're sure Lawrence will shine as she always does. You may recognize Lawrence from her award-winning performances on NYPD Blue and Grey's Anatomy.

Skywalker Hughes as Sheridan Pickett

Though she may be young, Sheridan Pickett — Joe's oldest daughter — has wisdom and intelligence beyond her years. She proved essential to solving some of Saddlestring's mysteries and inherited some of her father's love of nature. 

Though Sheridan was her first major role, Skywalker Hughes has since earned a few roles alongside big Hollywood stars. She was cast in the lead role in the drama film Ordinary Angels opposite Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson, which will premiere later this year.

Kamryn Pilva as Lucy Pickett

The spunky, social and smallest Pickett, Lucy is captured by the young and talented Kamryn Pilva. She may be the only Pickett who appreciates Missy living with them, but their bonding makes for some humorous one-liners. 

Joe Pickett is Pilva's breakout role and the first in which she really gets to shine as an actress. Before it, she grabbed two small roles in the thriller The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw (2020) and in the short film A Memento of Life (2018).

Keean Johnson as Luke Brueggeman

New to the second season will be Alita: Battle Angel star Keean Johnson. He signed onto the second season to play Joe's new sidekick, Luke Brueggeman. The Game and Fish trainee, though wide-eyed and lovable, will likely offer some comedic relief to the often-heavy show. Brueggeman reportedly has an odd dislike of horses and relies on an "unconventional method" to round up elk. 

Johnson began filming Joe Pickett shortly after wrapping production of American Tragedies: Waco - The Trials from Paramount+. He starred as a young David Koresh, the cult leader of the Branch Davidians. Johnson has also appeared in the HBO hit Euphoria and in the 2019 war movie Midway.

Vivienne Guynn as April Keeley

Like her character April Keeley — the shy, thoughtful foster daughter of the Picketts — Vivienne Guynn grew up around farm animals. But that might be where the similarities end. In Joe Pickett, April was abandoned by her mother after her father was killed. She hasn't had the easiest life but still brings enormous joy to Saddlestring.

Though she had a smaller role in the first season, Guynn's role was bumped up from recurring to a regular for the second season. And since the Western drama is her first role, the move is a testament to Guynn's blossoming talent.

Chad Rook as Deputy McLanahan

Chad Rook as the bumbling Deputy McLanahan was also hoisted up to be a regular character in the upcoming season. The confident and conceited McLanahan enjoys messing with Joe throughout the first season, and we're confident that will continue into the second.

Before Joe Pickett, Rook was most known for playing the villainous bank robber Clyde Mardon in The Flash series and fisherman Chris Mueller on the fantasy drama Siren. And he's staying busy. Rook starred in the horror action film Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) and performed alongside Mel Gibson in the action film Dangerous (2021).

Aadila Dosani as Cricket Ludlow

Aadila Dosani plays the subtle underdog Deputy Cricket Ludlow. Thanks to her flair for the dramatic — primed from years of playing characters in mysteries and romantic comedies — Dosani's role was also elevated from recurring to regular cast member. Plus, it also helps that the convicted criminal Nate has the hots for the deputy. 

Before landing Joe Pickett, Dosani starred in the CW's Nancy Drew series. She's also made a name for herself in the TV movie world. Her most recent credits include Hallmark's A Picture of Her (2023) as well as the romcoms Yellowstone Romance (2022) and Baking Spirits Bright (2021).

Minor Characters

Joe Pickett showcases a number of characters who live in or around Saddlestring as well as the outsiders who try to take over the town. Here are a few notable characters returning for season 2:

• Patrick Gallagher landed the role of the lackadaisical veteran Sheriff Barnum. But that's not the only member of law enforcement Gallagher has played — he also starred as Sheriff Walter Tubb on ABC's drama Big Sky.
• Zebastin Borjeau takes on the difficult role of playing a young Joe Pickett in the protagonist's flashbacks. You may recognize him as the mysterious Dylan Helsing in I Woke Up a Vampire. 
• Sean Wei Mah (Sean Walking Bear) plays the Saddlestring local and full-blood Native American Charlie Left Hand. The Canadian actor has also landed roles as Omaciw in the action series Frontier and as John in the 2017 thriller Lore. 
• Emily Alabi portrays one of the local Native Americans who live near Saddlestring and plays a crucial role in Joe's investigations. She has also grabbed a few roles in TV movies including Blending Christmas (2021) and The Christmas Edition (2020). 

Stream the new season on Paramount+ when it premieres in June.

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