Hacks Season 2 Has Added Susie Essman And Devon Sawa To The Mix

"Final Destination" star Devon Sawa and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" regular Susie Essman will make guest appearances in the second season of "Hacks," the Emmy-winning HBO Max series starring Jean Smart.

"Hacks" recently screened its season 2 premiere as part of PaleyFest, the annual TV festival in Los Angeles. This is where the announcement of Sawa and Essman's casting came (per Variety), though no details were provided about their roles in the upcoming season. The two actors join a number of other high-profile casting additions that "Hacks" has made in recent weeks, with Ming-Na Wen, Laurie Metcalf, Martha Kelly, and Margaret Cho all boarding the show in recurring or guest roles, in addition to the previously announced Wayne Newton.

Sawa played dual roles in season 1 of Syfy and the USA Network's "Chucky" series, and he was recently seen in such films as "Hunter Hunter," "Black Friday," and "Gasoline Alley." Essman appeared in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" season 11 and is also known for her recurring role on Comedy Central's "Broad City" and for her voice work in the Disney animated film, "Bolt."

Though she had won three previous Primetime Emmy Awards for her supporting work in "Samantha Who?" and her guest-starring roles on "Frasier" and "The District," "Hacks" provided Smart with her first Emmy win as a series lead last year. The show also staged an upset to win Best Writing in a Comedy Series and Best Direction for a Comedy Series, beating out "Ted Lasso," the favorite in those categories. Smart was additionally nominated for her supporting role in "Mare of Easttown," but her co-star, Julianne Nicholson, took home the award that category.

"Hacks" co-star and co-showrunner Paul S. Downs previously discussed the direction that season 2 of the acclaimed series will take, as Smart's character, Deborah Vance, hits the road for a comedy tour, performing and perhaps bombing in smaller venues outside her usual Las Vegas stomping grounds:

"What is it like when you're on the road in small venues and not doing well? What does that do to your spirit, and what does that do to your relationship, and what does that do to your psyche?"

Speaking to Variety on the red carpet at PaleyFest, "Hacks" co-creator Jen Statsky added that Deborah is "taking a little bit of Vegas with her" and will still have "her creature comforts" in the car with her, including her soda fountain.

"Hacks" season 2 is currently in production and does not have a release date yet, but all of season 1 is now streaming on HBO Max.