Tina Fey’s The Four Seasons, loosely adapted from Alan Alda’s 1981 film, returns for season 2 following the dramatic season 1 cliffhanger, which saw Steve Carell’s Nick killed in a car accident.
“I think we had all that pitched out and ready to pitch to him before he even signed on,” Fey previously told Deadline. “And so we pitched out the whole season to him, and he was like, ‘Oh, why does this keep happening to me?’ [after his character died in a car accident in The Morning Show].
“And so, I was like, ‘Oh no.’ But I was like, ‘I think I still want it to happen to you. Sorry.’ And of course, he had such a good time. I think we all had such a great time together. And we had a really funny group text chain that when we got picked up for Season 2, everyone was like, ‘Yay, hooray, blah, blah.’ And then five minutes after everything, Steve just wrote, ‘I’m dead.’”
Naturally, that development sends shockwaves through the group, who are now forced to navigate life without their long-time friend.
“They have to learn to re-form as a group in a different configuration,” Fey said (via Tudum). “It was fun to find ways in which these dynamics wouldn’t have shifted if not for Nick’s dying. There’s a midlife crisis feeling, but it’s amplified.”
With that in mind, read on for everything you need to know about the cast assembled for the Netflix comedy series.
The Four Seasons on Netflix cast: Who stars in the comedy?
Here’s a quick overview of the key players in the Netflix series – read on for more detailed breakdowns of each character and who plays them – including where you might have seen them before.
- Tina Fey as Kate
- Will Forte as Jack
- Colman Domingo as Danny
- Marco Calvani as Claude
- Kerri Kenney-Silver as Anne
- Erika Henningsen as Ginny
- Steven Pasquale as Mark Brett
- Julia Lester as Lila
- Ashlyn Maddox as Beth
- Steve Carell as Nick
Tina Fey plays Kate
Who is Kate? Kate is a woman who has been married to her husband, Jack, for decades. Together, they have holidayed with the same group of coupled friends for many years, but the dynamic of the group is thrown into disarray in season 1 when Nick and Anne split up. The upheaval prompts all to question if they are happy in their relationships or if there is anything else they want from their lives.
In a previous interview with Forbes, Fey opened up about why the hardships of life make for good comedy.
When asked if she agrees with the saying that comedy is tragedy plus time, Fey responded: “I think that one is true, for sure. The other axiom is that only the truth is funny. So, if something rings true in some way, it’s probably going to be funny.”
What else has Tina Fey been in? Fey became famous in the cast of American sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, which she followed with her own sitcom 30 Rock – which satirised the chaotic production of a live television series. She went on to produce and guest star in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News and Girls5eva. Most recently, she played icy podcast host Cinda Canning in Only Murders in the Building.
Meanwhile, Fey’s big-screen work includes teen comedy Mean Girls, its musical remake, plus Muppets Most Wanted, Pixar’s Soul, A Haunting in Venice and Date Night, where she appeared opposite The Four Seasons co-star Steve Carell.
Will Forte plays Jack
Who is Jack? Jack is Kate’s husband. The pair appear content to the casual observer, although Nick’s change of circumstances causes even themselves to ask questions about whether they are happy together. In particular, Jack’s tendency to be the butt of a joke perhaps masks a deeper issue that needs addressing.
Talking about his on-screen chemistry with Fey’s character, Forte previously told Collider that their trust as friends helped them embrace romantic scenes. “There’s something a little nerve-wracking about having a kiss scene with somebody you’ve known for so long,” he said, but agreed it was “less weird than having a kissing scene with somebody you don’t know at all”.
What else has Will Forte been in? Forte is a longtime collaborator of Tina Fey’s, having previously worked with her on both Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock. He is also known for his comedy character MacGruber, a parody of ’80s action heroes, plus his acclaimed post-apocalyptic comedy series The Last Man on Earth, which ran for four seasons.
Other credits include animated shows Win or Lose, Gremlins: The Wild Batch and Sausage Party: Foodtopia, plus Netflix’s sci-fi drama Sweet Tooth and sketch show I Think You Should Leave.
Colman Domingo plays Danny
Who is Danny? Danny is another member of the friendship group, who is married to his passionate Italian husband Claude. In season 1, Danny suffered some health issues, which caused Claude to fuss over him even more than usual. In season 2, Ginny’s pregnancy prompts Danny and Claude to consider whether parenthood might be on the cards for them too.
What else has Colman Domingo been in? Domingo has recently earned Academy Award nominations for his roles in powerful biopic Rustin and prison drama Sing Sing. His other film credits include collaborations with Chadwick Boseman on 42 and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, plus Lincoln, Selma and the recent musical version of The Color Purple.
Domingo worked extensively on stage before moving into regular screen roles on Fear the Walking Dead, Euphoria and, most recently, Netflix’s The Madness.
Marco Calvani plays Claude
Who is Claude? Claude is Danny’s husband, who is deeply in love with him and struggles to cope with his haphazard lifestyle choices.
What else has Marco Calvani been in? Calvani may be unfamiliar to viewers, having primarily worked as a playwright and director on theatre productions alongside taking acting roles in a handful of Italian films. He played Oliviero Carafa in the Canal+ and Sky Italia co-production Borgia, set during the Renaissance period.
Kerri Kenney-Silver plays Anne
Who is Anne? Anne is another member of the friendship group, who was married to Nick for many years, with whom she has one university-aged daughter. But when Nick leaves Anne and strikes up another relationship with a much younger women, her sense of identity is shaken.
What else has Kerri Kenney been in? Kenney is best known for co-creating and starring in Comedy Central’s Reno 911! – a spoof of factual police shows, like COPS – which has recently been revived on Quibi and Roku. Kenney’s other credits include Netflix’s Love and A Series of Unfortunate Events, NBC’s Superstore and FX’s What We Do in the Shadows. She’s also known for comedy films Role Models and Wanderlust, both of which star Paul Rudd.
Erika Henningsen plays Ginny
Who is Ginny? Ginny is Nick’s much younger girlfriend, who starts joining the group for their vacations following his separation from Anne. His friends are unsure of how to behave around her, given both her differing interests and opinions, plus their own loyalty to Nick’s ex-wife. In season 2, Ginny is pregnant with Nick’s baby, which unexpectedly brings her and Anne closer together after some initial hiccups.
What else has Erika Henningsen been in? Henningsen is the voice of Charlie Morningstar on Prime Video’s cult hit animated series Hazbin Hotel. Her other credits include Peacock/Netflix comedy series Girls5eva and the original Broadway production of the Mean Girls musical, where she played Cady Heron.
Steven Pasquale plays Mark Brett
Who is Mark Brett? Jack and Mark become friends during the group’s Jersey Shore holiday, but Kate is also keen to set Mark up with Anne.
What else has Steven Pasquale been in? You might know him from Aliens vs Predator: Requiem, Rescue Me and Six Feet Under.
Julia Lester plays Lila
Who is Lila? Lila is Nick and Anne’s daughter, who is currently at university. Nick hoped that their separation wouldn’t overly affect her given that she’s reached adulthood and left home – but that proves incorrect.
What else has Julia Lester been in? Lester is best known for Disney Plus teen comedy High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, where she played the main role of Ashlyn Caswell.
Ashlyn Maddox plays Beth
Who is Beth? Beth is the daughter of Kate and Jack, who attends the same university as Lila but runs in different social circles.
What else has Ashlyn Maddox been in? Maddox has previously appeared in long-running US crime drama Law & Order.
Steve Carell plays Nick
Who is Nick? Nick was part of a close-knit social group made up of three couples who regularly holidayed together. But after decades of marriage, he came to realise he was unhappy with his wife, Anne, and left her for Ginny — a decision that divided the group. However, his time with Ginny was cruelly cut short when he was killed in a car accident at the end of season 1.
What else has Steve Carell been in? Another sketch comedy alum, Carell broke through on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, which led to roles in high-profile comedy films Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Bruce Almighty. He is probably most famous for his portrayal of Michael Scott on the US edition of Ricky Gervais sitcom The Office.
He re-united with The Office (US) showrunner Greg Daniels for Netflix sitcom Space Force and also lends his voice to Gru in the Despicable Me films. In recent years, Carell has also taken more dramatic roles in acclaimed films Foxcatcher, The Big Short, Battle of the Sexes and Beautiful Boy as well as thriller miniseries The Patient.
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