Starz to bring back “Party Down” for Season 2

Jane Lynch will return for Season 2 of "Party Down"
Jane Lynch will return for Season 2 of "Party Down"

Burbank, CA. – November 4, 2009 – Starz’s hilarious original comedy series Party Down ramps up the second season humor with the return of Jane Lynch and Kristen Bell as guest stars. The critically acclaimed half-hour comedy — about a team of Los Angeles cater-waiters stuck working for tips while hoping for their big break in Hollywood — is currently in production on 10 new episodes, scheduled to return to the air on Starz in April 2010.

Jane Lynch, who currently stars in Glee on FOX, reprises her Party Down role as Constance Carmel, an actress who spent years in roles as an extra but who never let her lack of breakout success get her down. “I was thrilled when we were able to figure out the schedule so I could come back for Season 2,” adds Lynch. “This is such a talented group.” Lynch’s TV credits also include Desperate Housewives, Two and a Half Men, Weeds, and The L Word, as well as memorable roles in several films including The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Role Models.

Kristen Bell returns as Uda Bengt, head of the rival Valhalla catering company, who this season becomes the new love interest of Henry Pollard (Adam Scott). Bell, who first worked with Party Down executive producers Rob Thomas, John Enbom and Dan Etheridge on the hit series Veronica Mars, recently appeared on Heroes and Gossip Girl, and was the title character in the feature Forgetting Sarah Marshall, amongst many other credits. She stars in the upcoming romantic comedy feature When in Rome.

Additional guest stars for the upcoming season include J.K. Simmons, Joey Lauren Adams, Steve Guttenberg, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Thomas Lennon, Jimmi Simpson, and more.

Party Down boasts a talented ensemble of actors, including Season 2 newcomer Megan Mullally as middle-aged refugee Lydia Dunfree who leaves a small town life to move to Hollywood where her 13-year old daughter Escapade hopes to make it as an actress; Ken Marino as Ron Donald, the aggressively pious leader of the Party Down Catering company; Adam Scott as Henry Pollard, the one-time actor who has returned to the life of cater-waiter; Martin Starr as Roman DeBeers, the team’s self-proclaimed sci-fi visionary and all-purpose intellectual; Ryan Hansen as Kyle Bradway, who’s an actor, model and frontman for an earnest alt-rock band when not working Hollywood parties; and Lizzy Caplan as Casey Klein, a pretty, smart, funny, and insecure comedienne who happens to make ends meet as a cater-waiter.

Also returning for the second season are the show’s creators and executive producers: Rob Thomas, John Enbom, Paul Rudd and Dan Etheridge. Starz Media, the production and distribution sibling of the Starz premium entertainment channels, is producer of the series.

Photo: © 2009 Starz Entertainment, LLC Credit: Ron Batzdorff