Kevin Bacon's New Role in Hulu's Upcoming Series Southern Bastards
Charlotte Adams
Updated on May 17, 2026
By Published May 1, 2026, 5:04 PM EDT Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour. follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
A star has joined the cast of Kevin Bacon's upcoming Hulu series Southern Bastards.
reports that Cara Buono, who played Karen Wheeler on Stranger Things, has signed on as a recurring character on Southern Bastards, though details about her role have yet to be revealed. Their co-stars are Erin Kellyman, Tim McGraw, Jonathan Tucker, Amin Joseph, Ethan Suplee, Derek Luke, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.
As of writing, Hulu has only ordered a pilot for Southern Bastards, which centers on a military veteran who wants to find her estranged father. However, along the way, she discovers an organized crime ring being led by a very successful high school football coach. The series is adapting Jason Aaron and Jason Latour's graphic novels, which debuted in 2014 and won multiple comic book awards.
Chicago PD co-creator Matt Olmstead is the showrunner of the TV adaptation. He's also an executive producer alongside Aaron, Latour, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Layne Eskridge, Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Zinzi Coogler, Simone Harris, Kate Berry, Hannah Baker, and D'Angelo Louis. Green is directing the pilot, with Bill Dubuque writing the script.
Even though , he's also appeared on several TV shows, including The Following, City on a Hill, The Bondsman, and Sirens. Now he's returning to the small screen in Southern Bastards.
Buono just ended her five-season run on the , where she played Mike, Nancy, and Holly's mother. Before that, the actor had starred in Paper Towns, Third Watch, The Sopranos, Mad Men (which earned her an Emmy nomination), Person of Interest, Supergirl, and The Girl from Plainville.
McGraw recently joined the cast of Southern Bastards, which will see the country music singer playing the football coach who's running a criminal organization.
While he's known for singing hit songs like "Live Like You Were Dying" and "Just to See You Smile," he also has a long history of acting. One of was in the 2004 movie Friday Night Lights before appearing in The Blind Side, Tomorrowland, The Shack, and other films.
On the small screen, when he's not performing at country music award shows, McGraw has played James Dutton in . Last year, he had a voice role on Prime Video's animated series The Mighty Nein.
Now Bacon, McGraw, Buono (in her first post-Stranger Things role), and several other actors are coming together for Hulu's pilot adaptation of Southern Bastards. Since the show is only at the pilot stage right now, there's no guarantee that it will be greenlit as a series.
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StreamingDirectors Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz Writers Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock Creator(s) Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Main Genre Executive Producer(s) Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Curtis Gwinn, Cindy Holland, Karl Gajdusek, Iain Paterson, Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Producers Rand Geiger, Justin Doble, Lampton Enochs Seasons 5 Streaming Service(s) Franchise Stranger Things Expand Collapse
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