Jeff Hiller Promoted to Series Regular for ‘Widow’s Bay’ Season 2 After Emmy Nomination
Apple TV’s haunted-island comedy has been enjoying a remarkable surge in popularity, quickly becoming one of this year’s standout new series. With its unique horror-comedy premise and a cast filled with familiar faces, ‘Widow’s Bay‘ has successfully established a unique presence in the competitive streaming market.
This success has translated into significant awards recognition, with the show earning a total of nineteen Emmy nominations, solidifying its position as a frontrunner among new series this year. As it gears up for its confirmed second season, the show is making a noteworthy change to one of its standout supporting characters.
Jeff Hiller, who portrays Town Hall staffer Dale alongside Matthew Rhys’ Mayor Tom Loftis, will be elevated from guest star to series regular for Season 2. This promotion comes after Hiller captured fans’ hearts during the first season, particularly with Dale’s now-iconic panicked scream, “This place is a death trap!”
Hiller’s journey to ‘Widow’s Bay’ began long before the show was created. He met series creator Katie Dippold in an improv group about twenty-five years ago, and when it was time to audition for the role, he submitted a self-tape without informing his longtime friend.
Initially, Hiller’s role was not expected to last long. After he secured the part, Dippold informed him that Dale was originally written as a Town Hall staffer destined to die early in the story. However, as the script evolved, Dippold reached out to him with a change of plans, asking, “Do you mind if I don’t kill you?”
Hiller credits his long-standing improv relationship with Dippold for shaping Dale’s comedic breakdowns on screen. Reflecting on their creative rapport, he shared with Deadline, “I have a shorthand with Katie. She liked when I would melt down and scream. The whole team would always make me do these dramatic monologues where I would end up screaming and crying on the ground.”
That improvisational freedom sometimes made it into the final episodes, even when Hiller wasn’t certain it would. He recalled a moment he was quietly proud of, despite it going largely unnoticed by viewers, where Tom mutters that he doesn’t think his microphone is on.
In addition to his role on ‘Widow’s Bay,’ Hiller has been experiencing a remarkable period of awards recognition. He is currently Emmy-nominated for his guest role as Larry in Apple TV’s ‘Pluribus,’ a mind-bending pandemic drama from Vince Gilligan starring Rhea Seehorn, and he won an Emmy last year for his supporting role as Joel in ‘Somebody Somewhere.’
Details about Season 2 remain mostly under wraps, but creator Katie Dippold has shared some positive updates regarding the writing process. During a panel discussion, she described the Season 2 writers’ room as being in a strong position, noting that the team is already several weeks into writing and finding it more enjoyable than the initial groundwork required for the show.
Matthew Rhys has also hinted at what’s coming next, describing Season 1’s finale as setting up a “massive cliffhanger” for the upcoming season, with his character now aware that the island’s ancient curse is real and directly tied to his son’s fate. With Hiller’s new role and a confirmed second season in the works, ‘Widow’s Bay’ seems poised for an even bolder creative direction in its sophomore outing.
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