Katherine Langford, Dylan Minnette and more of the show's stars spill secrets on what to expect in season two of the hit Netflix series -- including just how involved Selena Gomez is this time around.
It’s been just over a year since 13 Reasons Why premiered on Netflix, and fans are anxiously waiting for a season two premiere date, trailer, or heck, a surprise release!
But while we all remain eager and patient together, we’ve compiled everything we do know about the upcoming season thus far.
1. The Storylines
“We've wrapped and Hannah is back but... different Hannah,” Katherine Langford teased at last month’s premiere of Love, Simon. “You'll see, very different to season one.”
“This season particularly is a lot about recovery” she spilled to ET back in August, "looking at Jessica, looking at the people who are affected and just going from where we left off in season one.”
“It kicks off a few months after season one,” Dylan Minnette revealed at the same event. “I feel like there’s a lot of new story that you’re going to learn and a lot from the past in a familiar timeline that we already know…whether that involves Clay and Hannah, I’m not sure…You will learn more about familiar events, I think.”
“It's naturally going to progressively get to a more emotional place due to the nature of the story we're telling,” Minnette added. “So, I’m sure we're all heading in some dark directions again.”
And since there’s no book to go off this time around, it’s important to remember that season two will be all original content.
“We’re starting from scratch and you can see some of the other characters develop that were not so… developed in season one or in the book,” added Steven Silver, who plays Marcus Cole. ”You know, you can see more of an ensemble.”
Last March, at the season one premiere, Brian Yorkey, the showrunner and executive producer of the series, was already thinking about season two – before it was even greenlit.
“There's a lot more story to tell and a lot more to learn about these characters and what they go through and what their secrets are,” he explained. “You know, Hannah made 13 tapes and told us 13 very specific stories, but there's a lot she didn’t tell us and I want to know more about that, I want to know what her secrets are.”
2. Changes to Help Parents Discuss 'Uncomfortable' Topics With Their Teens
A few weeks ago, Netflix posted a release to its website, revealing they are "taking action" and making changes to the series in hopes of helping parents and teens discuss the "uncomfortable" topics that are often played out on the show.
Episodes in season two will begin with a custom intro video of the cast explaining to viewers how they can get support.
Additionally, new resources have been added to 13ReasonsWhy.Info. "[The site] will now include a viewing guide to help parents and teens start these tough conversations," Netflix explained.
And the cast is much more aware of the sensitivity of the subject matter this time around, too.
“I mean, I definitely, like, personally I was conscious of it, you know, when you have such a big response - it, all these other elements of being an actor start to come into play, but I think at the end of the day, everyone on the show is very committed to telling the story in the most authentic way possible,” Langford said. “I think everyone is very focused on just trying to do the best work possible and really just, you know, knuckling down and not letting any external thoughts or opinions affect that.”
Christian Navarro, who plays Tony Padilla, also weighed in last May at a FYC event for the show.
“I think we’re all on the same page in terms of the cast... were very proud, happy... dialogue is much needed,” he said. “What the media doesn’t see is the overwhelming positive fan response that we get on a personal basis and that means the world to us… teenagers in high schools all over the world really saying the show helped… it means a lot to us."
3. Selena Gomez Is Still Hands-On in Season Two
Selena Gomez, who executive produces and developed the project with her mom, Mandy Teefey, is still very much part of the process.
“She’s always involved, she’s always checking in, she’s always making important decisions, giving important notes, so she's boss, I love her,” Silver said.
Gomez has also been candid about how close to home the show is to her.
“I care so much about this project, we've had it for six years. My mom and I believe in the message,” Gomez told ET at the premiere for the show last year.
“I'm really big on vulnerability, I think people are really scared to be honest with themselves and strength is looked upon as, ‘Oh, I'm strong, I don't need anything. I can handle everything,’ and that's just not the truth,” she added. “And I think kids, especially with social media sometimes; they just feel a little claustrophobic… I want people to know that every single life is valuable, that their voice can be heard, and that there are people who are willing to be there for them.”
4. Script Secrecy and Security
And because season one was such a massive hit, you better believe that Netflix is going to greater lengths to preserve the secrecy of season two.
“This season feels like a very different show, not just because of content, but also just because of the approaches and precautions that we’ve had to take,” Langford shared. “I think everyone wants to very much protect the story and the content of the story 'cause that makes the TV show engaging and so we are looking after it and we are looking after the stories. We’ve put everything into play, so that the audience can have the best experience possible.”
The premiere date for 13 Reasons Why season two on Netflix has yet to be announced.
Check out the video for more from the cast. We can also always chat about the series on Twitter: @Katie_Krause.
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