Variety has reported that Mahasara Ali has been chosen to play the lead role in season 2 of “Tusk.”
Ali will co-star with returning star Mark Ruffalo in the HBO crime drama, which is currently in pre-production. The show originally premiered on premium cable TV in September 2025 and was renewed for a second season shortly thereafter.
The official logline for the new season reads, “Tom Brandis (Ruffalo) takes command of a new task force, but the deeper the operation gets, the harder it becomes to tell who’s the target.”
Ali will star as Eddie Barnes, who is described as “an experienced and respected Philadelphia Drug Enforcement Administration agent who clashes with Tom’s unit.”
Ali is the first confirmed cast member for season 2, beyond Ruffalo. The first season starred Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, Tuso Mbedu, Fabian Frankel, Alison Oliver, Raul Castillo, Sylvia Dionisio, Phoebe Fox, and Martha Plimpton.
Ali is no stranger to HBO, having helmed Season 3 of the network’s hit series “True Detective.” He was nominated for an Emmy Award for that series. As an actor, Ali was nominated for his work in the Netflix political drama “House of Cards” and the Hulu comedy series “Ramy.” In the film industry, Ali is a two-time Academy Award winner. He won the first Best Supporting Actor Award for “Moonlight,” and the second time for “Green Book.” His other credits include the films “Into the Spider-Verse,” “The Swan Song,” “A Place Beyond the Pines,” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”
He is repped by Cognition, CAA, Relevant and Sloan Offer.
“Tusk” debuted to high praise from both critics and audiences. Season 1 received a 96% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is widely considered a strong contender for this year’s Emmy Awards.
Brad Inglesby created the series and also serves as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. In addition to starring, Ruffalo will also serve as executive producer. Paul Lee and Mark Roybal will serve as executive producers for WIIP along with Jeremiah Zagar and Ron Schmidt. Nicole Jordan-Webber and Karen Wacker will serve as co-executive producers.
