British-Australian actress Frances O’Connor will take up a spot in the courtroom alongside Sam Neill for the second season of The Twelve, with production on the Foxtel drama now underway across Perth and regional Western Australia.
O’Connor will play Meredith Nelson-Moore, SC working opposite Neill, who reprises his role as Brett Colby, SC as they take on a high-profile murder case.
Joining them in the main cast are Tasma Walton, Kris McQuade, Amy Mathews, Erroll Shand, Fayssal Bazzi, Josh McKenzie, Anthony Brandon Wong, Stefanie Caccamo, Sharon Johal, Luke Pegler, Adriano Cappelletta, Nelson Baker, Greg McNeill, Suesha Rana, Brad Francis, Keith Robinson, and Isabelle Bäsén.
There is a similarly strong supporting cast for the new season, including Shareena Clanton, Anthony Hayes, Myles Pollard, Gerald Lepkowski, Katherine Pearson, Caroline Brazier, Kaila Ferrelli, Jennah Bannear, and Steve Le Marquand.
More than 150 WA cast and crew will work on the series, which is once again being produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia (WBITPA) and Easy Tiger.
Sarah L. Walker, Anchuli Felicia King, Anya Beyersdorf, and Anna Barnes come in as writers for the episodes, which will be directed by Stevie Cruz-Martin, alongside fellow WA director Ben Young, Mark Joffe, and Emma Jackson.
Ally Henville, Ian Collie, and Rob Gibson return as producers for Easy Tiger, working with Warner Bros. Television International Australia’s Hamish Lewis, while Michael Brooks, Sarah L. Walker, Alison Hurbert-Burns, Penny Win, and Neill are executive producers. Foxtel commissioning editor and head of scripted originals, Lana Greenhalgh is also involved.
The series has major production investment from Screenwest and the Western Australian Production Attraction Incentive, and will be distributed globally by Fifth Season.
Binge executive director commissioning Alison Hurbert-Burns said it was exciting to have Neill lead an ensemble cast of local creatives and talent.
“We have wanted to produce in WA for a long time, so it’s great to be here creating the next installment of the award-winning The Twelve, with over 150 West Australian cast and crew, and hundreds of extras, helping to make it happen.”
Screenwest CEO Rikki Lea Bestall said the series would provide WA practitioners with the chance to take their craft to the next level.
“The Twelve is a significant opportunity for our local screen industry and we are excited to be working with Binge, Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia and Easy Tiger to produce a premium Australian series in WA,” she said.
Brooks paid tribute to Bestall, Screenwest, and the WA Government for their “unwavering support and hospitality”.
The Twelve season two will be available to watch on Fox Showcase and stream On Demand on Foxtel.