Love Life season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max, and here’s every major character that appears in the second installment of the rom-com anthology. Love Life season 1 followed Darby Carter (Anna Kendrick) as she navigated her personal and romantic relationships through the years. By the end of the first season, which ran for 10 episodes, Darby was co-parenting her newborn son Theo with her ex-boyfriend Augie (Jin Ha). It was also revealed that she’d found her soulmate upon meeting Grant (Kingsley Ben-Adir) at her friend’s wedding.
Darby remains a part of Love Life season 2, although peripherally, as the anthology shifts its focus to Marcus Watkins (The Good Place star William Jackson Harper). As the series’ second outing begins, Marcus has been married for several years but he finds himself stuck and embarking on an emotional affair. After the marriage ends, Marcus slowly and reluctantly reenters the dating world. But, as those close to him point out, there’s a lot that he needs to figure out about himself.
Kendrick, who also serves as an executive producer on the series, has compared Love Life season 2 to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She pointed out that the romcom is built on interconnected stories, bolstered by a talented cast of leading and supporting characters who could step into the spotlight at any given moment. Releasing three episodes each week until the finale on November 11, the show has already highlighted some of its talented ensemble.
William Jackson Harper as Marcus Watkins
Marcus is a book editor in New York, who has been tasked with editing frivolous self-improvement books by social media influencers. In addition to emotionally recovering from a difficult divorce, he hopes for more fulfilling work. Harper, best known for playing Chidi on The Good Place, has also been in films such as Midsommar and Dark Waters. More recently, the actor starred in the romantic comedy We Broke Up alongside Aya Cash and appeared in Barry Jenkins’ acclaimed miniseries The Underground Railroad.
Jessica Williams as Mia Hines
Mia works alongside Darby, and she’s invited to the wedding of Darby and Magnus. It’s there that she meets Marcus, with the two soon beginning an emotional affair that teeters close to becoming physical. Credited as the second lead of Love Life season 2, Williams is an actress and comedian. She’s best known for her work as a senior correspondent on The Daily Show and as co-host of the podcast 2 Dope Queens. She’s also known for playing Professor Eulalie “Lally” Hicks in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, a role she’ll reprise for the sequel and for her role as Miss Fine in 2019’s Booksmart.
Punkie Johnson as Ida Watkins
Ida is Marcus’ sister, and he stays with her for a short time after his marriage ends. A featured player on Saturday Night Live, Johnson has also appeared in Netflix’s Space Force, Adam Ruins Everything, and A Black Lady Sketch Show.
Comedian CP as Yogi
Yogi is Marcus’ close friend, regularly offering a listening ear for the book editor’s professional and personal troubles. He advises Marcus wisely to stop focusing on Mia and turn his attention to his marriage. Comedian CP is a writer and actor. He’s portrayed Ned in the Comedy Central series Detroiters and recurred on Empire as L’il Prince.
Love Life Season 2's New Supporting Cast & Characters
Maya Kazan as Emily Hexton: Maya is Marcus’ wife of four years. She decides to end their marriage after discovering Marcus’ text correspondence with Mia. Kazan, meanwhile, is best known for portraying Eleanor Gallinger in the drama series The Knick.
Arian Moayed as Kian Parsa: Along with Yogi, Kian is another close friend of Marcus. Moayed is best known for playing Stewy Hosseini on HBO’s Succession. Other shows he’s guested on include White Collar and Madam Secretary. He also has a role in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Steven Boyer as Josh: Josh is Marcus’ boss, who pushes him to work on editing the books of influencers. Boyer had a small role in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, in addition to guest roles on shows like The Good Wife and Orange Is the New Black.
Yasha Jackson as Destiny Mathis: Destiny is the focus of episode 3. She went to high school with Marcus, and the two reconnect when Marcus returns home to visit his parents. Jackson, a familiar face to small screen fans, has appeared in The Flight Attendant, Manifest, and The Bold Type. She also starred in the Black Mirror episode “Black Museum.”
Jordan Rock as Trae Lang: Trae is the author of a sci-fi manuscript, which tells the alternate history of a world in which Haiti wasn’t colonized. Though a fan of Trae’s work, Marcus says the manuscript needs to be refined before it can be published as a novel. The two clash as a result. Long is perhaps best-known for playing Kevin on the Netflix series Love.
Aline Mayagoitia as Paloma: Paloma is the focus of Love Life season 2, episode 2. Marking the first major role for Mayagoitia, Paloma is a 22-year-old college student that has an awkward hook-up with Marcus after his divorce from Maya.
Janet Hubert as Donna Watkins: Hubert, best known for playing the original Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, plays Marcus’ mother. The actress has had guest appearances on Friends, Gilmore Girls, and Pose.
John Earl Jelks as Kirby Watkins: Jelks, who appears in Love Life season 2 as Marcus’ dad, has had roles in films like Compensation, Miracle at St. Anna, and Enter the Dangerous Mind.
Keith David as the narrator: David steps in to voice the anthology’s sophomore installment, serving as something like Marcus’ inner-monologue. It’s a fitting choice. In addition to being a well-known actor, David has lent his vocal talents to Ken Burns films such as The War and Muhammad Ali. He’s also voiced numerous characters, including the Arbiter in the Halo series, Goliath on Gargoyles, and Spawn.
Love Life Season 2's Returning Cast & Characters
Anna Kendrick as Darby Carter: Kendrick is recognized for playing Jessica Stanley in the Twilight franchise. She's also best known for her role in Up in the Air, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and for her starring role in the Pitch Perfect series. Kendrick's Darby is seen celebrating her wedding to Magnus, which goes unseen in season 1, and it’s revealed that Mia is her co-worker.
Zoë Chao as Sara Yang: Darby’s roommate and best friend. She’s seen drunkenly cutting the wedding cake. Chao is best known for playing Isobel in the series The Strangers, which ran from 2017 to 2018. She’s also had roles in the movies Downhill and Where’d You Go, Bernadette.
Nick Thune as Magnus Lund: Though he’s seen as Darby’s husband in the Love Life season 2 premiere, the two end up getting a divorce, but he also serves as an acquaintance of Marcus and Emily’s. A musician, in addition to being an actor and comedian, Thune has had roles in Venom, as “Beardo at Bar” and The Possession of Hannah Grace.
Sasha Compère as Mallory Moore: Mallory is Darby’s other roommate and friend. Compère previously recurred on Miracle Workers as Laura.
Peter Vack as Jim: Jim is Sara’s boyfriend in Love Life, though they break up later on. Vack is perhaps best-known for playing Alex Merriweather in the Prime video dramedy series Mozart in the Jungle.