Alex Cross is back, and Season 2 pushes the detective into darker, more dangerous territory. The new chapter kicks off when billionaire business titan Lance Durand, played by Matthew Lillard, contacts the FBI after receiving a chilling death threat, one that links him to the murder of a fellow billionaire playboy.
What begins as a standard protection detail quickly spirals into a twisted investigation marked by gruesome clues, buried secrets, and a killer executing a very specific plan.
As bodies pile up and surgical patterns emerge, Cross (Aldis Hodge) teams up once again with FBI Agent Kayla Craig (Alona Tal) to lead a joint task force, while his longtime partner John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa) faces an unexpected and potentially dangerous connection of his own.
The season promises deep psychological warfare and moral tension, with Cross racing against time to stop a serial killer while questioning the very system he’s sworn to protect.
In this exclusive conversation, stars Aldis Hodge and Matthew Lillard discuss the “vigilantism” theme that drives the new narrative and the unique energy of filming a second season before the first had even aired.
Hodge reflects on the importance of showcasing Black men dealing with trauma and mental health, while Lillard jokes about his “method” preparation for playing a billionaire.
QG: Mr. Hodge, I want to know what was different about being on set for season two versus season one.
Matthew Lillard: Matthew Lillard was there. I was in the house. I changed it all.
Aldis Hodge: Yes, that is one element. We had a very different story. We get to travel to some different locations. And then, also with this season, we get to explore some interesting backstories of some of the other favorite characters. Obviously, with the new additions to the Cross family, such as Mr. Matthew Lillard, we had a really great time.
QG: With Season 2, was there any pressure?
Aldis Hodge: Let me give you the timeline, because we got picked up for season two before we even really finish season one. We finished shooting season two before anybody saw a trailer for season one. So we honestly were walking in the same sort of confidence and energy that we had with season one. No pressure, all love, all fun. Even now, if we go into a season three, we won’t have the pressure. We’ll just have the support and the fervor that we’ve been kind of feeding off of for the last couple of years with the fans.
QG: Mr. Lillard, you play one of these billionaires who is one of the targets. I want to know what type of preparation did you do to fully embody the character?
Matthew Lillard: I bought myself a fancy steak meal 10 days in a row. I gave zero Fs about first class tickets on a train. No, listen, the great news is that to Al’s point, that writing crew is so good. They gave me so much to work with. I didn’t have to go out and sit there and study sort of what Bill Gates walks around doing in his life, right? I had so many things coming off the page. That writing team’s incredible. The creative team’s incredible. And yeah, so I didn’t have to do much.
QG: Mr. Hodge, we see Cross as multifaceted, not just a hero, but a father, a man with trauma, still searching, still learning. Why is it so important for that depiction and representation?
Aldis Hodge: The representation is… sort of for me it’s intrinsically important just because it is the nature and the truth of who we are, but we get to see a side of us that I find to be more common. But as is presented in media, it’s not as common, right?
When it comes to accountability, when it comes to the relationship with Sampson, shout out to Isaiah Mustafa. The brotherhood that he and Cross have when it comes to dealing with… Mental health. Engaging your trauma so you can… you got to go through it to get through it. Those kind of things I feel are rich within our community, but they are not necessarily represented as our normalcy. So I was happy to be a part of what I presume to be a vehicle that helps shift that sort of perspective. To something a bit more positive, something that opens up to other people to look at us more humanely.
Matthew Lillard: Yeah, I think that’s one of the reasons this show is so successful. You have an authentic… depiction of what it’s like to be Alex Cross and walking through this world right now, and I think that that’s why people resonate with the show.
Cross premieres on Prime Video on February 11 with three episodes, followed by a weekly release. Check out the full interview below.
