Three years after “The Last Thing He Told Me” became Apple TV’s most-watched limited series ever, Jennifer Garner returns to her badass stepmom role of Hannah Hall.
The thriller, initially billed as a limited series at the streamer, became so popular that Hello Sunshine’s president of film & TV Lauren Neustadter knew she needed to bring audiences more. She returned to Laura Dave, who penned the novel “The Last Thing He Told Me” and convinced her to consider writing a sequel.
Rather than waiting on a finished manuscript from Dave, Hello Sunshine and showrunner Josh Singer only had the first 100 pages to kick start the journey of Hannah Hall (Garner) and her stepdaughter Bailey (Angourie Rice) as they hide out from mobsters coming for their husband and father, respectively.
“It really was a magnificent trust fall from Laura,” Neustadter told TheWrap.
“What happens, which I think is really unique and thrilling, is we take parallel paths, but we’re not sort of faithfully checking in with the novel,” she added. “[Fans] can look to the novel and they’re going to have one experience, and then when they come to the show, we’re giving them all of these delicious extras.”
Season 2 jumps forward five years from the end of the first season. Viewers catch up with Hannah and Bailey having built a new life in Los Angeles before Owen resurfaces. When Owen shows up at Hannah’s art show and sneaks her a note, Hannah has no choice but to pick up and run with Bailey in tow.
The premiere episode sees Garner tap back into her action roots. A man approaches Hannah’s door asking about a gas leak, but she quickly realizes he is undercover working for the mob family that is coming after Owen. The two then erupt into a gruesome fight before Hannah escapes the house to protect her stepdaughter, who has become like her own.
Garner told TheWrap that this was not her first encounter with the stunt performer, Saul. She fought him years ago on the set of “The Kingdom.” During their last fight, Garner was told to do whatever she could to survive — so much so that she bit off part of his ear.
“Saul shows up in the first episode of Season 2 of ‘The Last Thing He Told Me.’ We hadn’t really [seen each other since],” she said. “He’s such an incredible fight partner and, by the way, an amazing actor. He’s in the whole season.
“It’s a really fun, gratifying fight, and what’s fun about it is that he and I were just like, ‘Oh, good to see you. Let’s go,’” she said. “To the point where the crew — it’s our first episode. Most of them knew me, but some of them didn’t, and they were just like, ‘What is happening?’”
Even co-star Judy Greer said she could hear the rumblings about the premiere episode fight from her costume trailer.
“It was terrifying,” she recalled. “I wasn’t on the stage, but I was hearing it happen … Everyone’s buzzing around you.”
Garner also commended Dave for expanding the “Last Thing He Told Me” world after her unintentional cliffhanger in Season 1.
“Her first first book was such a juggernaut. She didn’t even realize she had written this incredible cliffhanger at the end,” Garner said. “And lucky for us, the viewers of the first season, were like, ‘Hold up a second. You have to tell us what happens now.’”
Season 2 ups the stakes not only for Hannah and Bailey, but also for the Campano family, who have been after Owen since Season 1. Judy Greer stars as the daughter and Luke Kirby as the son of the Campano mob boss, played by John Noble.
“The stakes are raised,” Garner added. “This new family is introduced, and you really see familial trauma passed down. You see how lies, betrayal, drama, disappearing, showing up again, forgiveness. These are themes you see through every single aspect of family in this season, so much so that you could talk about that and forget that there’s a thriller underneath.”
“The Last Thing He Told Me” releases new episodes Fridays on Apple TV.
The post ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’: Jennifer Garner Says Season 2 Premiere Fight Was a Rematch With Stunt Man Whose Ear She Bit Off appeared first on TheWrap.
