Samuel Brace with three actors who should star in True Detective season 3 alongside Mahershala Ali…
We have learned today that Academy Award Winning actor Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) is in early talks to star in the third season of HBO’s True Detective. And while we can speculate about what type of character he would be playing, and the story of the proposed third season, perhaps it would be more fun to think about just who might be joining him should his talks prove successful.
Now, it’s no given that Ali will be playing one of the show’s detectives; his role on the show could be more along the lines of Vince Vaughn’s in season 2. However, let’s assume for the duration of this article that Ali will in fact be one of two detectives, with the show deciding on a small starring cast after season two’s bloated and jumbled outing. Who then should Ali partner with? Just which actor — who is at least somewhat likely to be cast – should be brought on board? Indulge me for a second, if you would be so kind, while I run you through my top three picks to star in the third season of True Detective.
Jude Law
With the relationship already forged between Jude Law and HBO through this year’s miraculous religious drama The Young Pope, Law may be, hopefully, a star that HBO will be looking at to bring on board. Law was astonishing as Pope Pius XIII, portraying a vibrant range of emotion and bottomless depth that many never knew he was capable of. Just thinking about Law alongside Ali, perhaps playing an English/American detective, hunting down some sick killer in a rural setting equivalent to the majestic environs of season one’s Louisiana, is an exciting prospect indeed. Law would be a perfect choice, and has shown the variety of character’s he can really play — asshole, straight-laced, emotionally damaged; Law’s got the skills, and HBO would do well to sign him up, should his busy schedule allow.
Anya Taylor-Joy
While Anya Taylor-Joy is likely too young to be playing a detective, with a plot that explains her involvement in what’s going on, perhaps this exciting young actress could be a great accomplice to whatever horrors Ali might find himself in during the season. Showing what a fantastic talent she is in the likes of The Witch and Split, Taylor-Joy isn’t a huge name yet but certainly has some recognition and is surely someone that HBO could lure into the fold with a promise of a starring role in TV’s most premium of prestige dramas. Perhaps we could see her as a rookie cop, fresh out of the academy, with Ali’s seasoned detective forced to bring her onto the case because of a personal involvement she has in whatever heinous crime is being perpetrated. Think of the wide-eyed freshness of a Clarice Starling for example. This could be a great fit and provide the show with a wonderful dynamic different than what we’ve seen in the series before.
Keanu Reeves
Stay with me on this one, folks, but my number one pick to join season three’s murder police is Keanu Reeves. Much like Matthew McConaughey in season one, Reeves has seen resurgence in his career of late – admittedly not quite as notable as Matthew’s – and is now constantly taking on exciting and interesting projects. Reeves doesn’t just look for the biggest blockbuster or highest pay check, he seems to be after what excites him creatively, so True Detective could be a perfect fit. And while Reeves is by no means the best actor in the world, he’s wonderful at being Keanu Reeves – and him playing an emotionally closed off and reckless detective, partnered up with a by the books Ali, could have the makings of something awfully special, while still playing to Reeve’s strengths. Imagine these two on the trail of an evil psychopath up in Alaska, or perhaps somewhere like down in rural Florida – it could something really special. Not only is Reeves a big enough name to bring in the uninitiated, but at this point in his career a season of hard hitting cable TV could be right up his alley.
Get it done, HBO. Make True Detective season 3 everything that it can be. Season 1 was not only among HBO’s best ever efforts, but up there with the finest things TV has ever produced. The medium would benefit greatly if the show were to return to form with a third season of such an immaculate standard. Make it happen.
Samuel Brace
Originally published July 1, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
