Hacks Cast Expands for Season 3 as Tony Goldwyn, Helen Hunt and More Are Among Big Names Joining

The third season of the Emmy-winning comedy series is due out this spring and will feature a a show-stopping lineup of guest stars

The Hacks world is growing ahead of its eagerly anticipated third season.

The hit HBO comedy — which stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder as a comedic duo with a complex mentor-mentee relationship — has added several familiar faces to its cast, all of whom are set to guest star in season 3.

Helen Hunt, Christina Hendricks, Christopher Lloyd and George Wallace are all confirmed to appear in the new episodes, which are set to debut this spring, per HBO. It’ll also be a reunion for former Scandal costars Dan Bucatinsky and Tony Goldwyn, who are both confirmed to guest star.

The talented bunch joins the returning cast members, including Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Mark Indelicato, Rose Abdoo, and Lorenza Izzo.

Season 3 will take place one year after the conclusion of season 2, which saw Smart’s character Deborah Vance cut the cord with her longtime mentee, Ava (Einbinder), to encourage her to pursue her own dreams.

“A year after parting, Deborah Vance is riding high off the success of her standup special while Ava pursues new opportunities back in Los Angeles,” the official logline states.

Season 2 of the hit comedy series aired in May 2022 before concluding the following month, leaving fans with a break that’s approaching the two-year mark between seasons. 

In the meantime, though, Smart, 72, collected a SAG Award win for the second consecutive time at last year’s awards show as she was voted outstanding female actor in a comedy series by her peers. She beat out Christina Applegate (Dead to Me), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) for the prize.

Though she couldn’t be in attendance to accept the award due to her then-ongoing recovery from a heart procedure, she -

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had hercostar Christopher McDonald share some words on her behalf.

"I'm so sorry I can't be with you tonight," McDonald read for his costar. "I'd like to acknowledge my brilliant Hacks cast and crew, HBO, Universal, my representatives and tonight, especially, I'd like to honor all of the guest stars that appeared in season 2."

Smart also thanked the many stars who’d made appearances on the show, includingLaurie Metcalf, Martha Kelly, Ming-Na Wen and Margaret Cho.

McDonald also gave a special shout-out to comedians Susie Essman and Martha Kelly, actress Polly Draper, among others, on Smart’s behalf.

"Lastly, Conner and Forest — that's her boys — you are everything. My everything and I love you so much.”

Following its premiere in 2021, Hacks star Clemons-Hopkins described the series in an essay penned for PEOPLE as “a world that was brilliantly written, and simultaneously beautiful and hilarious.”

“The opportunity to work with the incredible creators and cast of Hacks is one that I will be eternally grateful for, because it allows audiences to see proof that such a world is possible,” he continued. “Furthermore, the opportunity to play Marcus, a hard-working, dedicated individual who is just embarking on a journey of self-discovery, has been the most beautiful blessing I didn't know I needed.”

He concluded, "The experience of Hacks and the embrace of the character Marcus has been incredibly helpful for me to continue in this space, especially given the fact that Black Queer artists are so frequently discounted for what we are not, and so seldom find the necessary nourishment for the gifts we possess."

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Hacks' first two seasons are streaming on Max.

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