WhenTrue Detective’s first season was released back in 2014, one of the main attractions was the fact that real-life friends and movie stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson were the leads (and Michelle Monaghan was a supporting player). Since that first season, which helped move along the acting renaissance of McConaughey, proving that the actor was more than a pretty face, many other well-known movie actors have led the show. From Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams, and Taylor Kitsch in season two, to Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff in season three.
True Detective
On June 07, 2025, the fourth season will be released, with Jodie Foster as the lead in her first TV role since she was young. The critics who have already seen the show say the actress is great in the role, having Kali Reis as her reluctant partner. All these great pairings made us think, what other actors could appear in the show? Here are 10 actor duos we would love to see in futureTrue Detectiveseasons:
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10Owen and Luke Wilson
Owen Wilsonhad a moment in the early 2000s when he was a comedy movie star in Hollywood, especially in films with Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell, while continuing to collaborate with his friend, Wes Anderson. His brother,Luke Wilson, spent much more time in romantic comedies, and satirical stories likeIdiocracy, and playing supporting roles in both movies and TV.
The Brothers Haven’t Worked Together in Decades
The Wilson brothers haven’t worked together sinceThe Royal Tenenbaumsin 2001, so aTrue Detectiveseason where they work together would be the perfect excuse to reunite them after all these years. Their characters could also be brothers, who are detectives in a small town in Texas (where the Wilson brothers are from), Louisiana, or Georgia, who have a serial killer and must prove they can deal with someone so scary and deadly. Both actors have done dramatic work in the past, and these could be roles for them to prove they can play those kinds of characters in the future if they want to.
9Wyatt Russell and Liam Neeson
Wyatt Russellmight still not be a household name, but he has a very eclectic, interesting career, playing slackers, soldiers, and men in horror films, and right now, he’s playing the young version of his father, Kurt Russell, inMonarch: Legacy of Monsters.His collaborator would beLiam Neeson,one of the most famous actors alive. He used to be a lead dramatic actor who appeared in films likeSchindler’s List,but in the last decade, he discovered a new career as an old-school action hero with a unique set of skills in films likeTaken.
A Couple of Dissatisfied Detectives
TheTrue Detectiveworld is not a kind place to work in, so both actors could play dissatisfied detectives whom the bosses have put together to give them one last chance before they fire them. Both Russell and Neeson can get fiery, but they also know how to play charming people, so it would be interesting to see them as a team that doesn’t start out great together but who discovers that they’re much more alike than they might think.
8Aubrey Plaza and Kristen Stewart
Aubrey Plazahas spent most of her career playing comedic roles, like inParks and Rec, orDirty Grandpa, although in the last few years, she’s starting to prove she can play more than just sarcastic millennials. For her part,Kristen Stewartbecame famous for playing Bella in theTwilightfranchise, and since then, has spent most of her time working for unique, incredible directors. Last year, she got her first Academy Award nomination for her role as Diana inSpencer.
They’ve Already Proven They’re Great Together
Plaza and Stewart already proved they’re great together when they collaborated onthe perfect Christmas movie,Happiest Season.A dark role like this one would continue Plaza’s transformation into the tough performer that she started inEmily the Criminal,and Stewart has proven in indie films before that she’s up for a challenge and proving she’s as tough as they come. Old friends who work together on one last case might be the perfect story beat for them, as it would help their already-known chemistry while creating a new dynamic in aTrue Detectiveseason.
7Elle Fanning and Tommy Lee Jones
Like her sister, Dakota,Elle Fanningstarted as a child actor, and in the last few years, she’s transitioned perfectly into adult roles, proving her versatility as an actress inThe Great, a TV series that she led. On the other hand, there’s nothingTommy Lee Joneshasn’t done in Hollywood; he’s played a comic role in theMen in Blackfranchise, and authority roles for decades, earning four Academy Award nominations, with one win for his supporting role inThe Fugitive.
They Couldn’t be More Different if They Tried
Fanning and Tommy Lee Jones couldn’t be more different if they tried, so that’s why it would be very interesting to see them work together. She could play the young ingénue who still gets sick when she sees a dead body, and he could play a role he’s done before as the weary detective who is getting too old for the job. Or, to be more original, she could be the one who has been working on disgusting cases for a couple of years, and he’s the one who is not used to seeing dead bodies, making for an even more interesting and surprising acting challenge for both. Whatever the story is, their different styles and looks would make for a season worth watching.
Related:Best Tommy Lee Jones Movies, Ranked
6Miles Teller and Glen Powell
Miles Tellerhas been one of the younger actors of his generation posed to be the next big thing and proved them right with his performances inThe Spectacular NowandWhiplash.Glen Powellsurprised many inEverybody Wants Some!!and this might be the year when he finally becomes an A-lister thanks toAnyone But YouandHit Man.
The Chemistry Between Them Would Be Off the Charts
Teller and Powell have been on the cusp of stardom for years now, and both played supporting roles to Tom Cruise inTop Gun: Maverick.Although in the movie they played rivals, the chemistry between them was off the charts, so a show where they play buddies would be very interesting to see. Teller has specialized in playing internal characters with a lot of angst, while Powell is more the cocky, wisecracking one, so their style and relationship could be similar to the chemistry McConaughey and Harrelson had in the first season.
5Charles Melton and Kate Winslet
Until a couple of years ago,Charles Meltonwas only known for his role in Riverdale,but he’s taken on many interesting rolessince to change that idea, and he could even get an Oscar nomination and maybe win for his role inMay December.Kate Winslethas been doing interesting projects for decades, and has already won an Academy Award (and has been nominated six other times).
They Could Play the Newbie/Old Detective Troupe
Melton and Winslet could play the young newbie/old detective troupe, where she teaches him all the bad things that can happen in aTrue Detectivescenario, while they investigate some gruesome deaths caused by a serial killer. Winslet already did something similar with Evan Peters inMare of Easttown, givingone of the best performances on TV of 2021, so it would be interesting to see if the chemistry with Melton, and the script would give the actress another chance to prove how great she is in this kind of role.
4Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence
Emma Stonemight be one of the biggest movie stars out there, and she might earn her fourth Academy Award nomination for her work inPoor Thingsthis year. At the same time, she’s already on TV inThe Curse,where she plays one of the worst characters on the medium. On the other side,Jennifer Lawrenceis also back making movies after a break to have a family. She’s always beenan incredible comedian, and in the last two years, she has done two completely different things: in the comedyNo Hard Feelingsand the dramaCauseway,proving she’s expanding her acting choices.
Real-Life Friends Finally Working Together
Stone and Lawrence are real-life friends, so this would be a way for them to finally work together. Both actresses are great at their craft and have proven that they can tackle dramatic roles with the best of them, so their version of aTrue Detectiveseason could be absolutely dark and heinous. Stone and Lawrence could play best friends detectives who’ve been on the job long enough to start getting disillusioned with it, and they cope in very different ways while still getting the job done.
3Zoë Kravitz and Cate Blanchett
Zoë Kravitzhas been getting bigger and bigger roles for years, and since 2021, she became both Catwoman and led her own show as Rob inHigh Fidelity,and the actress proved that she was more than ready for the challenge. As forCate Blanchett, she’s one of the most respected actors in the world, and her performance inTárproved she’s still incredible at her job, and will earn more awards and recognition sooner than later.
They Have Very Different Energies
The duo could work in a Black community, where, for once, the young detective (Kravitz) would be the one showing the old one (Blanchett) how things work there. The actresses have very different energies, and that would benefit the chemistry between them, creating a yin and yang-style of detective team that would discover the worst that’s happening in their area and should solve it, consequences be damned.
Related:Best Cate Blanchett Performances, Ranked
2Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons
Kirsten Dunstwas known for being Mary Jane in the firstSpider-Mantrilogy and Sofia Coppola’s muse, whileJesse Plemonsfirst got noticed inFriday Night LightsandBreaking Badbefore getting supporting roles working with great directors. They met in season two ofFargowhile playing a couple and fell in love some time later. Since then, they’ve also worked together onThe Power of the Dog,for which both received Academy Award nominations in supporting roles, and will appear together once again in Alex Garland’sCivil War.
True Detective Needs More Man-Woman Partnerships
Only inTrue Detective’s season two, there was a man-woman partnership, so it would be a way to spice things up a bit. As with the old buddy cop movies, for once, the actors could play characters who start hating each other, before becoming friends. Both actors can handle the darker and sadder material, so they would fit right in with the show’s genre and style. Maybe the season could be about something dark happening in the heart of Texas, as Plemons is from there, mixing the uniqueness of the state with the surprising crimes that always happen in this TV series.
1Ben Affleck and Matt Damon
Ben AffleckandMatt Damonstarted their careers together, co-writing and starring inGood Will Hunting, and, since then, they’ve become two of the biggest stars in Hollywood. One was Batman, and the other was Jason Bourne; they’ve both had Academy Award nominations for acting, and after almost two decades, they have started working together again.Affleck directedDamon onAir,and in 2021, the duo wrote (with Nicole Holofcener)The Last Duel.
The Best Friends Work Together One More Time
True Detectivestarted with two real-life friends taking the leads, so it would make perfect sense to repeat that formula in the future with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and get the two friends to work together one more time. The two actors have played dark roles in the past, so this wouldn’t be a stretch for them to work on this kind of project. What would make it even better is if they got David Fincher to direct it (surprisingly, Damon and Fincher have never worked together), and even get Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en, The Killer) as the writer. Who wouldn’t watch a season ofTrue Detectivewith that kind of pedigree?
