Kate Hudson Joins Apple TV’s Truth Be Told

Kate Hudson joins Oscar winner Octavia Spencer on season two of the podcast-themed hit

Just as the dust settles on true crime podcaster Poppy Parnell’s (Oscar winner Octavia Spencer) redemption of a man framed for murder, the investigative reporter is pulled right back into another thorny case—one that puts her relentless pursuit of the truth in conflict with personal loyalty.

Parnell’s childhood friend, media mogul Micah Keith (played by Academy Award-nominee Kate Hudson), recruits her pal when her husband suddenly dies in a manner that police are ready to dismiss as one thing, but, to those who knew him better, appears suspicious. The truth behind the death, of course, is complicated and threatens to come between two lifelong friends.

Having Hudson, in her first role as a TV series regular, to help shoulder the responsibility of carrying a second season had Spencer thrilled to pieces. “When I heard that we were going to her to play Micah, my whole body was crossed that she would say yes, because I think she’s just really one of the most talented actresses out there,” says Spencer. “To mix it up with her on screen, it was just electric, and I’m excited because I think it’s such a deep dive, the relationship between Micah and Poppy.”

For Hudson, the experience was so moving that she found the job hard to shake once it was over. “I very rarely cry at the end of movies or shows, and when it was over I just sobbed,” the actress reflects. “We were all in it together during the pandemic, and we all got really close. I felt like we really had each other’s back and tried to keep each other as safe as possible. Because we were working in that environment, we all got very connected. Octavia really did set the tone for the most wonderful experience.”

Micah Keith, a character who came from nothing and built her own empire, is not always quite so wonderful, which was something Hudson was eager to explore. She went so far as placing a Post-It Note of the word “narcissist” on her mirror, to be reminded of her character’s default setting. “The basis of Micah, when I was creating the core of who she really is and how she got where she got, was looking deeply into narcissism and how deep her narcissism goes,” says Hudson. “That was interesting because any actor, obviously, is fascinated by psychology and human behaviour, and Micah is a fascinating type of character. How does one come from what she does and become that successful?”

In her second season, Spencer was most eager to delve deeper into the psyche of a woman who leans hard on truth, family and, somewhat unconventionally, has a chapel inside her home. “She’s this journalist who is conflicted by her faith,” says Spencer. “It’s foundational anytime she has to meet the challenges of her job, the fallout of her job and seeking the truth, or how the fallout might affect her family. It was exciting that I got to explore so many aspects of who Poppy is as a woman, and also as a journalist and as a friend.”

Taking on a narrative that makes someone re-evaluate their closest relationships made Spencer ponder the concept of trust, both from her character’s point of view and her own. “Trust and loyalty are very important to me,” she says. “I don’t have people in my life or in close proximity that I can’t trust, because that’s where love happens, that’s where solace happens. One of the things that I really love about Poppy is that she is a very loyal person. We get to see her relationship with trust and the people around her, especially this season with Micah—they’ve been friends for a long time and that does make you ask the question: How well do you know anyone? How loyal should you be to anyone?”

At the core of the series, inspired by Kathleen Barber’s novel, is family, a theme that gets explored even deeper in season two. “There is a family that you’re born into and there is a family that you choose and that ultimately chooses you,” says Spencer. “I’m excited that season two is about family. It’s about family that Poppy’s born into and the family that she chooses. With Micah, they chose each other in the formative years of their lives. We get to see them as adults and revisit their childhood. I think it’s important to have people around you who see and accept you for who you are, and I am excited that is the theme that we’re exploring this season.”

Truth Be Told streams Fridays on Apple TV+