Hamish Linklater, Michelle Buteau and Simu Liu Join Elizabeth Banks-Led Apple Comedy Series in Recurring Roles

Apple TV+ has cast Hamish Linklater, Michelle Buteau and Simu Liu in recurring roles in an upcoming half-hour comedy led by Elizabeth Banks, expanding a previously announced ensemble that includes Ted Danson, Katey Sagal, Rob Delaney, Jared Goldstein and Spencer Moss, Deadline reported on July 16.

The series will be produced with Banks serving as a lead creative force, and the three new casting additions join the earlier lineup that has been described as part of Apple’s comedy slate. Deadline’s report did not name the show’s title in the excerpt provided, but it placed Linklater, Buteau and Liu in specific recurring parts alongside the previously announced actors.

Linklater is known for roles including “Widow’s Bay” and “Manhunt,” according to Deadline, and he will now appear in the new Apple TV+ comedy in a recurring capacity. The production also brought in Buteau, whose credits include “Survival of the Thickest,” for a recurring role, with Deadline identifying her as among the additions.

Simu Liu, who has appeared in “Shang-Chi” and “Barbie,” is also joining the Apple series in recurring form, Deadline said. The casting update places Liu in the same ongoing cast framework as the already announced performers, indicating that Apple’s comedy is building toward a multi-character ensemble rather than a rotating guest-only model.

Deadline reported that filming is scheduled to begin later, with production set to shoot in Los Angeles. The article did not provide a specific start date or episode count in the excerpt, but it tied the casting announcement to the studio’s timeline for principal photography.

Apple’s comedy series is notable for its blend of actors associated with film and television comedy, alongside performers known for dramatic or genre work. The addition of Linklater, Buteau and Liu expands the range of the show’s casting profile while keeping the emphasis on a recurring ensemble structure.

The next steps for the project, based on the casting update, involve continuing pre-production and finalizing production scheduling ahead of the Los Angeles shoot. Casting of recurring characters typically includes wardrobe tests, rehearsals and alignment on series arcs before filming begins, and the network will then proceed with production through the remainder of its development timeline.