When Sean Blakemore announced in February that he would be leaving ABC’s “General Hospital,” citing “other obligations” as the reason, many wondered what would be next for the Daytime Emmy Award-winning actor. Turns out he has been cast as a lead in the second season of Freeform’s “Cruel Summer” which debuted last year and is now being billed as an anthology series beginning with its second season, premiering later this year on the network.
In Season 2, “Cruel Summer” will be set in an idyllic waterfront town in the Pacific Northwest and will follow the rise and fall of an intense teenage friendship. Approaching the story from three different timelines surrounding Y2K, the season twists and turns as it tracks the early friendship between Megan (Sadie Stanley), Isabella (Eloise Payet) and Megan’s best friend Luke (Griffin Gluck), the love triangle that blossomed, and the mystery that would impact all of their lives going forward.
Blakemore will play Sheriff Myer, an old-fashioned law-and-order type, under pressure to solve the first major crime in Chatham.
Also starring in the series will be KaDee Strickland (“Private Practice”) as Debbie, Megan’s hardworking single mom who thinks hosting Isabella will open Megan’s eyes to a bigger world than their small town. Lisa Yamada (“Little Fires Everywhere”) is Parker, a popular musician who becomes more cynical as the world takes a dark turn around her. Paul Adelstein (“True Story”) will recur as Steve Chambers, Luke’s high-profile dad, whose influence in town is far-reaching.
“Cruel Summer” comes from studio eOne and was created by Bert V. Royal. Elle Triedman serves as showrunner. Executive producers include Triedman, Bill Purple, Tia Napolitano, and Iron Ocean Productions’ Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple. The series is distributed internationally by eOne.
The first season of “Cruel Summer” was a critical and ratings hit, making it Freeform’s most-watched series in network history.