2022 proved to be the year for great detective stories and Apple TV+ is looking to keep the murder mystery train going with Season 2 of The Afterparty. That means the return of some of our fan-favorite characters from the acclaimed series, especially the witty and delightful Detective Danner. Written, directed, and co-executive produced by Christopher Miller, The Afterparty is designed as an anthology series, each season exploring a different murder at a party setting, followed by a detective solving the case. The first season was set at a high school reunion and the second season takes the same approach to a wedding, looking at every guest as a suspect, whether they're family, friends, or even just acquaintances. And just like we saw in the first season, each person recounts their version of the case/incident from their perspective, translating into a unique visual style for their testimonies, told through the lens of popular film and television genres that match each storyteller’s personality.
For the brand-new season, the show’s creators have once again assembled an ensemble of talented actors. Tiffany Haddish, Zoë Chao, and Sam Richardson are back reprising their roles from Season 1, along with several familiar and popular faces of television and films. Read on for a guide to the characters this impressive bunch plays in the second season of The Afterparty. Be warned, there may be some mild spoilers for the season ahead.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on July 13.
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Tiffany Haddish as Detective Danner
Returning to the scene in her second major case is Detective Danner, though she isn't officially a detective anymore. At the start of Season 2, Danner has quit the police force and is now starting out as an author, having landed a book deal to write about the case from Season 1. We learned quite a bit about her background and her capability as a detective in Season 1, so we know that she's still an effective detective with or without a badge. Danner is gritty and persistent, with a sense of humor that makes her suspects open up to her. In the first season, when she arrived at the crime scene to solve Xavier’s murder, she was not supposed to run point on the case. But she was determined to sniff out the killer, and she did a brilliant job using her innovative investigation method. She likes to call it “mind movies”, where she asks each suspect to narrate their version of the entire incident using their creative visualizations. She digs into their POVs and strategically narrows down on motives, mistakes, and all the hidden details that are otherwise overlooked by everyone during the actual events in question.
Stand-up comedian, actor, and author Tiffany Haddish leads the cast in the role of Detective Danner. From her breakthrough performance in the 2017 film Girls Trip, she gained prominence with her role as Nekeisha Williams on NBC’s The Carmichael Show. She also appeared in shows like Comedy Central’s Legends of Chamberlain Heights, The Last O.G., Self Made, and films like The Card Counter and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Haddish is next set to appear as the psychic Harriet in Disney’s new Haunted Mansion movie and as Verna in the Wesley Snipes and Kevin Hart-starrer Back on the Strip.
Zoë Chao as Zoe
Zoe was one of the leading characters (and also a suspect) in the first season of The Afterparty and is equally significant in the second season of the murder mystery as well. She was Aniq’s high-school crush but ended up marrying another man named Brett. They have a daughter together but are separated. By the end of the first season, she and Aniq rekindled their long-lost romantic chemistry and they're now dating in the second season. She is an artist and a teacher and had a vivid mind, which we saw in her “mind movie” from the first case. Now, in The Afterparty Season 2, Zoe’s sister Grace is getting married, and she arrives at the party with Aniq. Things quickly go from bad to worse, hitting a crescendo when the groom is found dead. In the second season, Zoe plays the role of the “protective sister” who would stop at nothing to solve the mystery and clear her sister’s name as a suspect.
Actor and screenwriter, Zoë Chao plays the role of Zoe Zhu. Apart from The Afterparty, she is best known for her role as Isobel in the Facebook Watch series, Strangers. She has also appeared in other TV and streaming series like The O.A, Living with Yourself, Love Life, and Modern Love, and in films like Senior Year, Where'd You Go, Bernadette, and Your Place or Mine. In February 2023, she starred as a regular on the revival season of Party Down and is set to appear in a voice role in the upcoming DC adult animation series, Creature Commandos.
Sam Richardson as Aniq Adjaye
Among all the interesting, quirky characters of The Afterparty Season 1, Aniq Adjaye is unarguably the “adorkable” and memorable one, and not just because he is returning in the second season as well. He is an escape room artist/designer and has had a massive crush on Zoe since high school but was too shy to tell her. Fortunately, he got the opportunity to reveal his feelings to Zoe by the end of Season 1 and learned that she also feels the same way. In the second season, Aniq ends up going to Zoe’s sister’s wedding, where he hopes to impress her parents. And in classic Aniq fashion, he absolutely embarrasses himself at every turn. When the groom is found dead, Aniq reaches out to Danner to solve the case and volunteers to help her, as he did in the previous one. Maybe that will finally help him redeem himself in front of Zoe's parents.
The character of Aniq is played by actor, comedian, writer, and producer Sam Richardson, best known for his role as Richard Splett in Veep, which won him a Screen Actors Guild Award and two nominations. He has also appeared in Detroiters, voiced characters in BoJack Horseman and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and wrote and starred in comedy series like The Second City Project and Champaign ILL. Richardson has also appeared in films like Promising Young Woman, Werewolves Within, and Hocus Pocus 2, and also voiced a character in the recent animated movie Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. He also had a cameo in Ted Lasso as Edwin Akufo, which earned him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Richardson has also played various characters in the sketch comedy show I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, and had major voice roles in Velma and Clone High.
Besides these lead characters, the wedding party includes the bride and groom’s families, their friends, and other guests who will find themselves under Danner's keen observation and interrogation. And there are some exciting new stars lined up to play them, so read on to find out more.
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Ken Jeong as Feng
Comedian, actor, writer, producer, and actual real-life doctor Ken Jeong stars as Feng, Grace and Zoe’s father, and the “desperate father-in-law”, who adds plenty to the comic relief in the grim situation, as seen in the trailer. Feng is a successful businessman, running a chain of Korean shaved ice places. He does not take very nicely to Aniq and there's a hint of trouble between him and his brother as well.
Ken Jeong is most known for playing the iconic Leslie Chow in The Hangover film series, Señor Chang on Community, and as the titular character in Dr. Ken, which he also created and produced. He also appears in the 2023 film Fool’s Paradise and has been a panelist on The Masked Singer since 2019.
John Cho as Ulysses
Harold and Kumar films series star John Cho plays the “fun uncle” Ulysses. Feng's brother, Ulysses is an adventurer and world traveler who appears to be quite beloved by his nieces. His brother, on the other hand, seems to hate his guts.
John Cho is best known for his work in the film Columbus and the Star Trek film series. He became the “first Asian American actor in history to headline a mainstream thriller film in Hollywood” by playing the lead role in 2018’s Searching and also appeared in the series Sleepy Hollow, Cowboy Bebop, and Selfie, among others. He is next set to appear in the 2024 film, They Listen.
Poppy Liu as Grace
Poppy Liu stars as the “unhappy bride” Grace, Zoe’s sister who finds her groom mysteriously dead. Grace is a dreamer, with a love for antiques and everything vintage. Her mind movie, explored in Episode 2, looks like a Bridgerton-style romance, so that should give you some idea of what she's like. Liu is best known for featuring in sitcoms like Sunnyside and iCarly, as well as in Prime Video’s Dead Ringers and Disney+’s American Born Chinese.
Zach Woods as Edgar
Silicon Valley star Zach Woods as Edgar, the groom, and the murder victim. Edgar is an ultra-rich tech guy who lives a highly regimented life. He's also very odd and has a pet lizard whom he carries around with him at all times. While he's awkward and strange, Edgar is also quite nice... according to Aniq anyway.
Zach Woods shot to fame with his role as Gabe Lewis in The Office, and is known for playing Zach Harper in Playing House and Matt Spencer in Avenue 5. He has also appeared in films like The Post and Downhill and his upcoming work includes the Peaco*ck stop-motion animation series In the Know.
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Elizabeth Perkins as Isabel
Weeds star Elizabeth Perkins appears as Isabel, Edgar’s mother, and Grace’s “paranoid mother-in-law” who displays mysterious behavior. Well, mysterious is one way to put it. Isabel is clearly hostile towards Grace and appears to be eternally drunk, lashing out at all the people around her at every given chance.
Elizabeth Perkins is most recognized for her work in the films, He Said, She Said, The Flintstones, Miracle on 34th Street, Finding Nemo, and TV series like The Moodys, Sharp Objects, and Truth Be Told. Perkins' most recent work includes her role as Constance in Minx Season 2 and her voice role as Aunt May in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Anna Konkle as Hannah
Anna Konkle plays Hannah, the “odd sister” who may be adopted. Hannah is strange in her own way, though maybe not as much as her brother. She has a good relationship with Grace and appears to be a fun-loving person. Konkle is best known for her work as the star and co-creator of PEN15. She also recently appeared in the Hulu film The Drop.
Jack Whitehall as Sebastian
Actor, comedian, and writer Jack Whitehall appears as Sebastian, the “shady best man”. He is Edgar's business partner and a charmer with the ladies, which brings him into conflict with Aniq.
Jack Whitehall is best known for his roles in shows like Fresh Meat, Bounty Hunter, and Good Omens. Whitehall's recent work includes the raunchy rom-com Robots, co-starring Shailene Woodley.
Paul Walter Hauser as Travis
Richard Jewell star Paul Walter Hauser plays Travis, the “jealous ex”. That makes him a prime suspect when the murder happens, as Travis has a clear motive. Travis is also an avid Redditor who has a penchant for digging into murders so that may either help or hamper the actual investigation.
Paul Walter Hauser has had some great roles across both comedy and drama and is best known for his work on Apple TV+’s Black Bird, BlacKkKlansman, and Reno 911!, among other films and series.
Vivian Wu as Vivian
The Joy Luck Club star Vivian Wu rounds out the main cast as Vivian, the bride's mother and “secretive mother-in-law", who seems to have a lot hidden under her calm facade. As Zoe's and Grace's mom, she plays a significant role in the proceedings. Vivian Wu is an acclaimed actor who has had roles in movies like The Pillow Book, 1993's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, and Cathy Yan's 2018 directorial debut Dead Pigs. Her most recent work includes roles on the shows Away and Irma Vep.
Two more characters also join the cast who will surely remind you of the first season of The Afterparty. Judson and Jaxon, played by Will Greenberg and John Gemberling, respectively, are reminiscent of Season 1’s Jennifer #1 and Jennifer #2, who are not significant characters but somehow affect the actions of other characters. Greenberg is most known for his work on NBC’s Perfect Harmony and Workaholics, while Gemberling is most recognized for Broad City and the Netflix film, A Futile and Stupid Gesture.
