All about the stars of season 2

Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory

For two decades now, Kaitlin Olson has delivered hilarity and humiliation as Dee Reynolds on the FX mega-hit It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005–present), which recently wrapped its 17th season.

She also led Fox’s The Mick (2017–2018), and has played supporting roles on the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2020) and Hacks (2021–present), the latter of which earned her two Emmy nominations.

Olson stars on High Potential as Morgan Gillory, a single mother of three whose IQ of 160 and roundabout ways of thinking become an asset to the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division. But she’s also got her own mysteries to solve.

“In the beginning it’s money to take care of her kids,” Olson previously told EW. “But she’s also looking for the father of her first-born daughter who disappeared 15 years ago.”

Speaking with Deadline in June 2025, she teased more of what she’d like to see from Morgan in season 2. “It’s so much more interesting to me to have a person who is not perfect and who’s still trying to figure it out and who makes mistakes,” Olson said. “So, I want her to make personal life mistakes. I want her to make professional mistakes as well, but be really convinced that she’s right, but be wrong.”

Daniel Sunjata as Adam Karadec

After a particularly memorable guest spot on a 2002 episode of Sex and the City, Daniel Sunjata found fame as macho firefighter Franco on FX’s Rescue Me (2004–2011).

From there, he appeared in romantic comedies like The Devil Wears Prada (2006) and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009) before landing steady roles on several popular series, from Grey’s Anatomy (2010–2011) and Graceland (2013–2015) to Manifest (2018–2020) and Power Book II: Ghost (2021–2024).

Sunjata costars Det. Adam Karadec, Morgan’s wary partner whose stony heart is slowly softened. The will-they-won’t-they energy is strong with these two, but Sunjata warned viewers not to get too invested in a chat with Us Weekly.

“She’s got options,” he said. “Karadec probably has a few options too. We’ll see what happens.”

Steve Howey as Nick Wagner

For the better part of this century, Steve Howey has played two roles: son-in-law Van Montgomery on The CW’s Reba (2001–2007) and bar owner Kevin Ball on the Showtime hit Shameless (2011–2021).

After a brief leading run on CBS’s series adaptation of True Lies (2023), Howey joins season 2 of High Potential as Nick Wagner, a new captain for Morgan and Karadec to contend with. Press materials describe the character as “a savvy political animal who knows how to wear an expensive suit and oozes effortless charm.”

“We built a character that isn’t just coming in to sort of be the new boss and disrupt in the traditional ways and all that,” Harthan told TV Insider, adding, “He’s a bit of a chameleon and he develops these relationships with each respective character that have their own DNA.”

Deniz Akdeniz as Lev “Oz” Özdil

After several supporting film and TV roles both in the U.S. and his native Australia, Deniz Akdeniz scored a recurring role as Aladdin on ABC’s Once Upon a Time (2016–2017).

Akdeniz went on to play the key role of Max Park opposite Kaley Cuoco on HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant (2020–2022), and joined the starry casts of the 2023 films You Hurt My Feelings and Dumb Money.

The actor plays Oz on High Potential, a detective who found himself at the mercy of a serial killer at the end of season 1. “There’s a serial killer or a game player out on the loose that we have to really resolve, and I think the start of the season will definitely address that,” Akdeniz told TV Insider prior to the season 2 premiere. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to finally bring that person to justice, considering they put me in the bottom of a pool, which I didn’t appreciate.”

Javicia Leslie as Daphne Forrester

Prior to her breakout role as the titular superhero on The CW’s Batwoman (2021–2022), Javicia Leslie starred on BET’s The Family Business (2018–2021) and CBS’s God Friended Me (2018–2020).

Here, she stars as Daphne Forrester, a young, eager, and intuitive investigator in the Major Crimes Division. Speaking with TV Insider, the actress said she’s out to “avenge” Oz’s brush with peril. “This is my guy, this is my partner, and I’m ride or die for my partner. So whoever put him in the bottom of a pool is going to get my wrath.”

Judy Reyes as Selena Soto

Judy Reyes has appeared in some of the most exciting series of the last several decades, including Oz (1999–2002), Jane the Virgin (2015–2019), and Claws (2017–2022). But you likely know her as Carla on Scrubs, a role she played across 169 episodes from 2001 to 2009.

Reyes’ Selena Soto oversees the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division. The actress teased in a chat with ABC’s On the Red Carpet that season 2 will bring Soto “a nemesis that she has to deal with.” Could that be Howey’s Captain Wagner?

Amirah J as Ava Gillory

Rising talent Amirah J appeared in several short films and TV guest spots — including an arc in the ninth season of Shameless (2018–2019) — before landing the role of Ava, Mallory’s oldest daughter, on High Potential. Ava’s father, Roman, is one of the series’ most mysterious characters, with the season 1 finale deepening his story that much more.

The actress shared her thoughts about season 2 in an interview with ABC’s On the Red Carpet. “I’m really excited just to kind of see more about her upbringing and kind of what her life was like when it was just her and Morgan for those few years before her siblings came, and just really see how that has kind of shaped her into who she is now,” she said.

Matthew Lamb as Elliot Radovic

Child actor Matthew Lamb appeared in films like Smile (2022), Manodrome (2023), and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024) and performed off-Broadway before getting cast in High Potential. He plays Mallory’s brainy son Elliot, whom she shares with Taran Killam’s Ludo.

“The main thing I’m excited for is to show off some of Elliot’s other talents that we don’t normally see, and how he uses those talents to fit in in his day-to-day life at school,” Lamb said of season 2 in an August 2025 interview. “I’ve recently seen the first two episodes, and it’s so intense and exciting and just really so much fun to watch.”

Taran Killam as Ludo Radovic

Taran Killam cut his teeth on sketch shows like MADtv (2001–2002) and Saturday Night Live (2010–2016). He’s since guested on everything from Scrubs (2009) and Community (2011) to Sesame Street (2014) and Arrested Development (2019), in which he played a young George Bluth, Sr.

Killam routinely pushes the boundaries of his comedic persona with roles in Steve McQueen’s Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave (2013), FX’s Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021), and the thriller River Wild (2023). He’s also found success on stage, taking over the role of Hamilton‘s King George III in 2017 and playing Sir Lancelot in the 2023 Broadway revival of Spamalot.

On High Potential, Killam plays Ludo Radovic, Morgan’s second ex-husband, with whom she shares two children. When Morgan starts working for the LAPD, Ludo steps in as the kids’ “manny.”

Speaking with TVLine, Harthan said the goal is to unpack Morgan and Ludo’s history in season 2. “I think the audience has a real appetite to find out what really happened,” he said. “What was it like the day they sat down and had a conversation about what wasn’t working? How did they decide how they should co-parent? What caused that? So now it’s our job to come up with a story.”

Garret Dillahunt as Lieutenant Melon

Garret Dillahunt is one of the more chameleonic character actors of the last several decades. He rose to fame playing two very different, very nasty characters on HBO’s Deadwood (2004–2005). He also carried supporting roles in acclaimed films from the likes of the Coen Brothers (No Country for Old Men), Rian Johnson (Looper), and Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave).

You may also know Dillahunt from his scene-stealing turns on Raising Hope (2010–2014), The Mindy Project (2015–2017), and Fear the Walking Dead (2018–2021).

Here, he plays Lieutenant Melon, the department’s Robbery-Homicide head who doubts Morgan’s talents.

David Giuntoli

After appearing on Road Rules: South Pacific in 2003, David Giuntoli found ample success in film and on television, with starring roles on NBC’s Grimm (2011–2017) and ABC’s A Million Little Things (2018–2023).

After briefly appearing at the end of season 1, Giuntoli is slated to return to High Potential as its potential “big bad” for the season — or maybe even the series.

Lest we forget, the finale introduced a new, puzzle-dispensing serial killer that’s equal parts Jigsaw and the Riddler. Just how Giuntoli’s character is connected to the mystery is still murky, and Harthan teased that more surprises are on the way.

“I love a good serialized villain,” he told TVLine following the season 1 finale. “I also love going into a season 2 where there might be another surprise or two, so it’s a bit of an open box.”

Mekhi Phifer

Mekhi Phifer was everywhere in the 1990s and 2000s, with roles in Spike Lee’s Clockers (1995) and slasher sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) giving way to a leading turn opposite Eminem in 8 Mile (2002).

Phifer played Dr. Gregory Pratt on ER from 2002 to 2008, and has since appeared on series such as Lie to Me (2009–2011), Truth Be Told (2019–2023), and Love, Victor (2020–2022).

The actor joins season 2 in a mystery role, with EW hearing that he plays someone who becomes involved with the Major Crimes team.