Merle Dandridge is headed to USA Network’s legal drama The Rainmaker for its second season.
Based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham, The Rainmaker follows Rudy Baylor, a recent law school graduate who quickly finds himself navigating high-stakes legal battles. Rudy goes head-to-head with courtroom veteran Leo Drummond while also dealing with the complicated dynamic of facing off against his former law school girlfriend, Sarah.
Working alongside his boss Bruiser (Lana Parrilla) and her eccentric paralegal Deck (P.J. Byrne), Rudy becomes entangled in a case involving the mysterious death of a client’s son. As they dig deeper, the team uncovers two connected conspiracies that threaten to expose powerful forces behind the scenes.
Season 1 also stars John Slattery, Dan Fogler, Wade Briggs, and Robyn Cara.
Dandridge has been cast as a series regular for the show’s upcoming second season, where she will take on the role of Amanda Vonn — a formidable attorney whose arrival shifts the power dynamics inside and outside the courtroom.
Dandridge’s character is described as a powerhouse lawyer who offers Sarah (Madison Iseman) a new pathway to influence and opportunity, while simultaneously becoming a new kind of adversary for Rudy Baylor (Milo Callaghan).
Season 2 will additionally feature Austin Nichols in a recurring role as Bruiser’s ex-husband — a former minor league baseball player and coach who becomes caught up in the growing conspiracy.
The Rainmaker is produced by Lionsgate Television and Blumhouse Television. Michael Seitzman serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside John Grisham, Patrick Moran, Jason Richman, David Gernert, and Jason Blum.
Dandridge is widely recognized for portraying Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies, in HBO’s The Last of Us, a role she originated in the video game from Naughty Dog. She also recently appeared as Chief Ross in ABC’s Station 19. Her other credits include Zarina Killebrew in Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told, the lead role of Grace Greenleaf in Oprah Winfrey’s Greenleaf, and Joana in the upcoming second season of Prime Video’s Citadel.