Key Takeaways
- The lineup of guest stars in Blue Ridge season two includes Hollywood standouts like Bruce Boxleitner and well-known personalities like the WWE’s Chelsea Green.
- Guest appearances are spread throughout the entire season, with the highest number of guest stars showing up in the second episode.
- While many guest stars have impressive accolades to their name, only two have been associated with an Oscar-winning film. Doug Jones appeared in the 2017 Best Picture winner Shape of Water, and Keith Carradine took home a golden statuette for his 1976 song “I’m Easy”.
Sheriff Justin Wise is back on duty, and the cast of characters around him in the town of Blue Ridge are as interesting as ever. Throughout eight episodes, the lineup of guest stars runs the gamut from Hollywood royalty to WWE champions. Here’s a quick guide to who’s who, where you’ve seen them before, and how they’re showing up in season two.
Sarah Drew
Blue Ridge Character: Hope Henry
Appears In: Episode One
Justin Wise, meet your match. Sarah Drew joins the cast of Blue Ridge as bounty hunter Hope Henry, a woman dead set on doing her job, even if she ruffles some feathers along the way. Drew is perhaps most famous for her stint as Dr. April Kepner, which she portrayed for more than a decade on the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy.
A.J. Buckley
Blue Ridge Character: Carter Crabb
Appears In: Episode One
On the run from a relentless bounty hunter, Carter Crabb keeps making things worse for every person who comes across him. The Blue Ridge antagonist is played by veteran actor A.J. Buckley, a Canadian who is best known for his recurring role on CSI: NY as crime lab technician Adam Ross.
Chelsea Green
Blue Ridge Character: Shelby Hughes
Appears In: Episode Two
Out of the wrestling ring and into the world of Blue Ridge! WWE superstar Chelsea Green guest-stars as Shelby Hughes, a complex character whose famous racing family is on the brink of complete unraveling. This role stands as Green’s television acting debut, but it may not be the last for the wrestling champion.
Eric Close
Blue Ridge Character: Walker Hughes II
Appears In: Episode Two
Being tasked with following in your father’s footsteps can be a tough assignment in life. Eric Close plays Walker Hughes II, the son of a racing titan who finds himself struggling to balance the ambitious desire to carry on his father’s legacy and the crushing weight of those expectations. Known for his roles in Nashville and Without a Trace, Close has made a career out of his ability to portray these types of nuanced characters.
Chris Mulkey
Blue Ridge Character: Walker Hughes I
Appears In: Episode Two
Chris Mulkey has been in front of a camera since 1975, with appearances ranging from Captain Phillips (2013) to Twin Peaks (1990), and he brings all of that experience to his patriarchal role as Walker Hughes I. A staunch defender of his family’s immense racing dynasty, the eldest of the Hughes clan won’t let his legacy go without a fight.
Doug Jones
Blue Ridge Character: Stuart/The Huntsman
Appears In: Episode Three
It’s fitting that Doug Jones’ character in Blue Ridge exists outside of “normal” civilization. This is a man famous for his bizarre, unrecognizable, yet iconic portrayals of non-human characters in the universe of director Guillermo del Toro. In Blue Ridge, Jones portrays Stuart, a man with a shadowy past who lives alone deep in the woods. This mysterious persona and backstory are only enhanced by the moniker for which he is known - The Huntsman.
Okay, one more place you might have seen this man’s acting abilities. The guy (Billy Butcherson) who has his mouth sewn shut in Hocus Pocus (1993)? That’s Doug.
Sean Patrick Flanery
Blue Ridge Character: Bill Fraser
Appears In: Episode Four
Sean Patrick Flanery is best known for his role as Connor MacManus in the beloved vigilante-justice film The Boondock Saints (1999), as well as for the titular character in the 1995 coming-of-age drama Powder. In season two of Blue Ridge, Flanery brings those chops to the character of Bill Fraser, the cousin you can’t decide what to do with. Through the years, the sheriff’s ol’ cuz has learned how to play on Wise’s kind heart, but eventually even the kindest of family members can get fed up.
Bruce Boxleitner
Blue Ridge Character: Oak Miller
Appears In: Episode Five
If you’ve made it this far on an INSP page without knowing who Bruce Boxleitner is, you’re in for a treat! This stalwart of cinema has been a frequent star in Westerns since he broke out alongside James Arness in the successful ‘70s show How the West Was Won. Ever since, he’s captivated audiences in more than 100 roles from Tron (1982) to Far Haven (2023), and now he returns to the screen in Blue Ridge, reprising his role as Oak Miller, an old bull rider who knows how to get justice.
Kellan Lutz
Blue Ridge Character: Silas Creedy
Appears In: Episode Five
Yes, he played a sparkly white vampire in Twilight (2008), but he was easily the most intimidating part of the bloodsucking bunch! Nowadays, Kellan Lutz rolls into Blue Ridge season two as Silas Creedy, a violent criminal out on parole, dead set on being both a thorn in Sheriff Justin Wise’s side and a legitimate threat to the safety of this small community.
Annabeth Gish
Blue Ridge Character: Agent Abigail Smith
Appears In: Episode Seven
The better question is, where haven’t you seen Annabeth Gish? A regular on the silver screen and the small screen, Annabeth might be best known to Western fans as the love interest in 1994’s Wyatt Earp opposite Kevin Costner. The veteran actress portrays Abigail Smith, an agent with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, who comes to Blue Ridge willing to do whatever she needs to get answers.
Nicholas Gonzalez
Blue Ridge Character: Agent Isaac Hernandez
Appears In: Episode Seven
If Abigail Smith is an agent who trusts her gut, then Isaac Hernandez is an agent who trusts the evidence. Played by The Good Doctor’s (2017) Nicholas Gonzalez, Agent Hernandez brings his disciplined demeanor to the small town of Blue Ridge to investigate an officer-involved shooting alongside his previously mentioned partner.
Keith Carradine
Blue Ridge Character: Brother Rusty James
Appears In: Episode Eight
Keith Carradine is certified Hollywood royalty. An Oscar winner for his original song “I’m Easy” from 1976’s Nashville, Carradine comes from a family of bona fide performers and was born with a name that rolls right off the tongue. In Blue Ridge season two, he portrays Brother Rusty James, a minister whose faith is put to the ultimate test. Come for the story, stay for Keith’s pipes and prodigious acting ability.
Nancy Stafford
Blue Ridge Character: Melody James
Appears In: Episode Eight
Behind the strong man is an even stronger woman. Nancy Stafford plays Melody James, the steadfast wife of Brother Rusty, a role that strikes an honest chord. Since 1989, Nancy, of Matlock (1986) fame, has been married to real-life pastor Larry Myers.
Fair warning now that we’ve reached the end of the guest roster. The entire season is a bit of a nail-biter, so prepare accordingly.
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About the Author
Born and raised in South Texas, Cavender Neutze is a writer who prefers to start his days with breakfast tacos and end them with classic Westerns. After graduating with a degree in Telecommunication Media Studies from Texas A&M University in 2014, Cavender began his journalistic career covering every collegiate sport under the sun. Since 2021, he has returned to his cowboy roots as a contributor for INSP. An avid golfer, reader, and lover of history, Cavender is always willing to wax poetically on the values espoused by generations who came before him.
