Dark Matter Season 2 Cast: Meet the Stars Returning for Apple TV+’s Multiverse Thriller

Joel Edgerton is, of course, reprising his role as Jason Dessen, the character at the center of the series. Jason is a physicist, college professor, and family man whose life changes after he is abducted one fateful night while walking home. That incident sets him off on a journey through the multiverse. As per Apple TV+, “Season 2 picks up with the Dessens as they settle into a quiet life in a world that finally seems safe until the unimaginable forces them to run once again. As Jason’s obsession with the Box deepens, Daniela’s (Jennifer Connelly) growing paranoia pushes her to the brink, threatening to tear their fragile stability apart.”

As evidenced by the official logline, Jennifer Connelly will return in a key role as Jason’s wife, Daniela Dessen. And it seems like the upcoming season is going to be a stressful one for her. In a recent interview with the Calgary Herald, she explained, “They are really taking stock of what it means and who they are now and how they can stay together,” adding, “He is going into his obsession with The Box and I am retreating into my terror and paranoia and trauma of my history and what that means, how I receive the reality of all these different versions and all the things that I’ve done. It becomes a real challenge to figure out how they can be together in any world and make the marriage work.”

Alice Braga steps back into the character of Amanda Lucas, a psychiatrist as well as Jason Dessen’s colleague and friend. The official synopsis hints at what her storyline will be in Season 2: “Amanda (Braga) and Ryan (Jimmi Simpson) join forces in a desperate attempt to find their way home.” Braga is no newbie to Hollywood, having appeared in several major projects before Dark Matter, including I Am Legend, Blindness, Predators, Elysium, and Queen of the South, among others.

Jimmi Simpson slips back into the role of Ryan Holder for Season 2, with the brilliant scientist teaming up with Amanda in their bid to find their way home. Simpson’s acting credits include White House Down, Under the Silver Lake, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Unhinged, Breakout Kings, Black Mirror, Unsolved, and Pachinko, among others.

Fans will also see Dayo Okeniyi returning as tech CEO Leighton Vance. Apple TV+ also teased his character’s arc in the Season 2 logline: “With Blair (Amanda Brugel) determined to stop him, Leighton (Okeniyi) relentlessly chases his grand vision of creating a perfect world.” In a 2024 interview with ScreenRant, Okeniyi discussed his approach to playing multiple versions of the same character. “It was right there on the page. I just had to read the page and hit my mark and hit my light. But honestly, it just comes down to I'm the kind of actor, I follow breadcrumbs,” he said, adding, “The way they dress, the way they walk, the way they carry themselves, all that. The way he addresses people outside of himself and just try to be as realistic as possible.”

And how could we forget about the youngest member of the Dessen family? In Season 2, Oakes Fegley is back as Charlie Dessen, the teenage son of Jason and Daniela. During his chat with Hollywood Insider, he called Dark Matter an “amazing show.” Fegley noted, “Having Jennifer Connelly and Joel Edgerton as my parents, couldn't ask for better, so it’s been amazing.”