Mahersala Ali has been tapped for a major role in “Task” Season 2, Variety has learned.
Ali will appear alongside returning star Mark Ruffalo in the HBO crime drama, which is currently in pre-production. The show originally debuted on the premium cabler in September 2025 and was renewed for a second season soon after.
The official logline for the new season states, “Tom Brandis (Ruffalo) takes the helm of a new task force, but the deeper the operation runs, the harder it is to tell who’s the target.”
Ali will star as Eddie Barnes, who is described as “a seasoned and well-respected DEA agent in Philadelphia whose team comes into conflict with Tom’s unit.”
Ali is the first confirmed cast member for Season 2 beyond Ruffalo. The first season starred Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, Thuso Mbedu, Fabien Frankel, Alison Oliver, Raúl Castillo, Silvia Dionicio, Phoebe Fox, and Martha Plimpton.
Ali is no stranger to HBO, having led the third season of the network’s hit series “True Detective.” He received an Emmy Award nomination for that series. As an actor, Ali was also nominated for his work on the Netflix political drama “House of Cards” and in the Hulu comedy series “Ramy.” In film, Ali is a two-time Academy Award winner — the first for best supporting actor in “Moonlight” and the second for best supporting actor in “Green Book.” His additional credits include the “Into the Spider-Verse” films,” “Swan Song,” “The Place Beyond the Pines,” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”
He is repped by Cognition, CAA, Relevant and Sloane Offer.
“Task” debuted strong acclaim from both critics and audiences. The first season holds a 96% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is widely regarded as a strong contender for this year’s Emmy Awards.
Brad Inglesby created the series and also serves as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. Ruffalo executive produces in addition to starring. Paul Lee and Mark Roybal executive produce for wiip along with Jeremiah Zagar and Ron Schmidt. Nicole Jordan-Webber and Karen Wacker are co-executive producers.
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