“Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo will take on a uniquely challenging role in the upcoming season of Peacock’s “Poker Face,” portraying multiple siblings who appear on screen simultaneously. The revelation came during PaleyFest LA 2025 at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, where series co-creators Natasha Lyonne and Rian Johnson screened the Season 2 premiere featuring Erivo’s tour-de-force performance.
The season opener, titled “The Game Is a Foot,” showcases Erivo in a technically demanding role that director Johnson described as reminiscent of classic split-screen techniques from “The Parent Trap,” according to NBC Insider.
“It’s all Natasha and it’s Cynthia,” Johnson explained during the panel discussion moderated by former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Aidy Bryant. “We had a 10-day schedule to shoot that, which is a very fast schedule for the amount of script it was. It’s not like we were using crazy camera technology. It was literally like, leave the camera there, then Cynthia would do half of her scene and she would go and change.”
A Technical and Acting Challenge
Johnson revealed that Erivo filmed the episode during a break in the intensive promotional tour for “Wicked” in 2024. The Oscar-nominated actress managed to squeeze in time to travel to upstate New York, where she juggled playing multiple characters in scenes with herself.
“[Erivo] somehow kept it all in her head and was the loveliest person in the world while she was doing it,” Johnson added, highlighting the remarkable skill and professionalism Erivo brought to the complex role.
Lyonne, who stars as human lie-detector Charlie Cale, praised Johnson’s direction of the episode, joking that it was “quite possibly the most Rian Johnson thing to ever Rian Johnson.” She noted that the director used “87 screens within screens to figure out how the whole game and magic trick would work.”
Wicked's Cynthia Erivo explains "totally insane" Poker Face roles https://t.co/nkPip2jk4Z
— Digital Spy (@digitalspy) March 31, 2025
Star-Studded Second Season
Erivo joins an impressive roster of guest stars for the Emmy Award-winning mystery series’ second season. According to IndieWire, the lineup includes John Mulaney, Awkwafina, John Cho, Katie Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, Melanie Lynskey, Giancarlo Esposito, and Haley Joel Osment, among many others.
“We still can’t believe we got to work with rockstars like Cynthia Erivo, Katie Holmes, John Mulaney, and Awkwafina (and many many more, the list is kinda dizzying) who all dove into the game with joy and came ready to play,” Lyonne and Johnson said in a joint statement.
Several of these guest stars joined the PaleyFest panel, including Season 1 and 2 performers Clea DuVall, Judith Light (who won an Emmy for her guest role last season), Kumail Nanjiani, John Cho, Melanie Lynskey, GaTa, and Haley Joel Osment.
A ’70s-Inspired Road Trip
The new season continues Charlie Cale’s journey across America, with each episode presenting a self-contained mystery in a new location. Johnson and Lyonne revealed that Season 2 draws visual inspiration from 1970s American cinema, including the works of directors Robert Altman, Bob Rafelson, and Peter Bogdanovich.
“From minor league baseball to big box retail, from funeral homes to alligator farms and even a grade school talent show, Charlie navigates her crime solving existential road-trip with deadpan wit, human empathy, and her signature uncanny lie-detecting ability,” the creators explained.
Johnson emphasized the case-of-the-week format as one of the show’s strengths, noting that it allows for “wonderful people coming in every episode.” He acknowledged the “incredible effort” required from Lyonne, who must regularly work with new acting partners. “The fact that she makes it look so effortless on the screen and creates a character that you want to travel across the United States with, speaks massively to her,” he said.
Award-Winning Formula
The first season of “Poker Face” earned four Primetime Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Lyonne. It also garnered Peacock its first Emmy win thanks to Judith Light’s performance as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
The series was created by Johnson, who also writes, directs, and executive produces. Lyonne directs, writes, stars in, and executive produces, with Tony Tost serving as showrunner. “Poker Face” is produced by T-Street and Animal Pictures.
Season 2 of “Poker Face” premieres on May 8 on Peacock with the first three episodes, followed by new episodes streaming every Thursday. All 12 episodes of the first season are currently available on the platform.
