High Potential is expanding its cast ahead of season 2 — but who does everyone play?
The hit ABC series, which premiered in September 2024, follows a high-potential intellectual named Morgan (Kaitlin Olson) who teams up with the LAPD to help solve murders. She gets paired up with Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), who is initially skeptical about how Morgan can assist the Major Crimes unit but ultimately starts to rely on her.
Before the show returned for a second season, executive producer and showrunner Todd Harthan exclusively spoke to Us Weekly about elevating story lines.
“The No. 1 thing that we try to build in the writers room is a compelling case that will also be really wonderful to watch Morgan’s complicated brain take you through,” he explained at the time. “That then is complimented by these wonderful detectives that are surrounding her. We know the audience — and we as the writers — have a big appetite for that serialized mystery. But the challenge is you don’t want that serialized component to overtake these wonderful cases that the audience looks forward to every week.”
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Harthan continued: “Finding that balance is tricky and that’s why you have a staff of people that come in and keep you honest. They tell me, ‘If we reveal that, then it really overtakes the next episode and upsets the balance.’ So it’s tricky and it is one of the harder parts of building each episode of the show.”
Raising the stakes on screen has also led to some new faces — including Steve Howey joining the show as a recurring cast member. Keep scrolling to meet the entire season 2 cast:
Kaitlin Olson
After working as a cleaning lady, Morgan’s high intellect paved the way for a consulting opportunity with the LAPD. She helped the authorities solve a multitude of cases by picking up on details no one else noticed — all while trying to get to the bottom of a cold case related to her ex.
Daniel Sunjata
Sunjata’s Adam Karadec is Morgan’s partner at the LAPD. Despite being initially skeptical about what she can bring to the table, the duo have since learned to depend on each other.
Javicia Leslie
Since season 1, Leslie has played Daphne, who is a Major Crimes investigator.
Deniz Akdeniz
Akdeniz plays another Major Crimes investigator — and Daphne’s partner.
Amirah J
Morgan’s eldest child is a large reason why she joined the LAPD in order to track down Roman, who is also Ava’s father.
Matthew Lamb
Lamb has played Morgan’s son — who inherited his mom’s high-potential intellect — since season 1.
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Judy Reyes
As head of the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division, Selena Soto was the one to bring Morgan on board as a consultant.
Steve Howey
It was previously revealed that Howey will star on season 2 as “a savvy political animal who knows how to wear an expensive suit and oozes effortless charm.”
According to the official character description, Nick is “a guy who can launch a million fundraisers with his smile” and “has disruptor tenacity and likes thinking outside the box” like Morgan. “He has a way of putting himself right in the middle of the action … whether he’s wanted there or not,” the description continues.
Taran Killam
Killam has won Us over as Ludo, a.k.a Morgan’s ex-husband and Elliot and Chloe’s father.
Mekhi Phifer
The only secret bigger than Roman’s whereabouts is the identity of Phifer’s mysterious character who joins the show in season 2.
