‘Task’ Season 2 Becomes ‘Mare of Easttown’ Crossover With Julianne Nicholson Reprising Emmy-Winning Role (EXCLUSIVE)

It’s a “Task” and “Mare of Easttown” crossover.

Julianne Nicholson has joined Season 2 of the HBO detective drama, reprising her Emmy-winning role as Lori Ross, the mother of three children who lives in Easttown.

While, until now, “Task” was not directly connected to “Mare of Easttown,” both series hail from creator and showrunner Brad Ingelsby and take place in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia.

It’s unclear how, exactly, Nicholson’s character will factor into the storyline of “Task.” The vague Season 2 logline reads as follows: “Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) takes the helm of a new task force, but the deeper the operation runs, the harder it is to tell who’s the target.”

Aside from Ruffalo, Nicholson joins previously announced Season 2 cast members Mahershala Ali, Harry Melling, Adam Nagaitis, Aminah Nieves and Edgar Ramirez.

“Mare of Easttown” premiered on HBO in 2021 and starred Kate Winslet as Marianne “Mare” Sheehan, a police detective investigating the murder of a teenage mother while her own life bursts at the seams. Nicholson played Lori, Mare’s best friend, whose son becomes embroiled in the murder investigation.

Winslet and Ingelsby have teased a second season of “Mare of Easttown,” which was designed as a miniseries. In 2024, HBO’s drama head Francesca Orsi said there were “early discussions” about continuing the show, and earlier this year Winslet said about a second season, “I think we probably will do it,” even suggesting it could film in 2027. It remains to be seen what that might look like, or whether Winslet could also enter the world of “Task.”

Nicholson is a two-time Emmy winner, whose other award came from her guest starring role as Dance Mom in the HBO comedy “Hacks.” She also recently starred in “Paradise” as the tech billionaire Sinatra, and as Kate in BBC’s “Dope Girls.” Nicholson’s credits also include “Winning Time: Rise of the Laker Dynasty,” “The Outsider,” “Boardwalk Empire” and the upcoming Brad Pitt movie “The Riders.”

Nicholson is represented by United Talent Agency, Untitled Entertainment and the U.K.-based B-Side Management.