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Jennifer Jason Leigh takes on a pivotal role in the second season of the popular ABC series, High Potential. Her presence adds intrigue to the unfolding mystery surrounding Morgan’s ex, Roman, a storyline that has captivated audiences since the show’s return.
This season has kept viewers on edge with hints about Roman’s fate, especially after Soto, portrayed by Judy Reyes, arrests Eric Hayworth, played by John Pyper-Ferguson. Eric’s arrest unveils a significant lead, pointing to Willa Quinn—a well-connected political fixer linked to Roman’s mysterious disappearance.
In an exciting turn, Soto travels to New York to confront Willa, brought to life by Jennifer Jason Leigh. The encounter is charged with tension as they delve into the enigma of Roman’s vanishing. Their interaction takes an unexpected twist when Willa decides to join Soto on a flight back to Los Angeles, leaving her true motives shrouded in mystery.
Jennifer Jason Leigh, now 64, brings her seasoned acting chops to the role, having previously appeared in an episode of All’s Fair and the fifth season of Fargo. Her impressive resume includes performances in Atypical, Lisey’s Story, The Affair, Patrick Melrose, the Twin Peaks revival, and Weeds, showcasing her versatility across a range of genres.
As High Potential embarks on its extended second season, fans eagerly anticipate which familiar faces will return. The series, which made its debut in September 2024, centers around Morgan, a brilliant intellectual played by Kaitlin Olson, who collaborates with the LAPD to crack murder cases alongside her partner, Karadec, played by Daniel Sunjata. The dynamic between the characters continues to be a driving force in the show’s success.
High Potential premiered in September 2024 and introduced Morgan, a high-potential intellectual who teams up with the LAPD to help solve murders. The season 1 finale confirmed that Morgan’s ex Roman was still alive after being missing for more than a decade. Morgan learned her ex worked as an FBI informant and doesn’t trust the LAPD.
“On set we would all talk about [who we think could play Roman]. I think Jesse Williams would be cool,” Amirah J, who plays Morgan’s daughter, exclusively told Us Weekly in September 2025 about her onscreen father. “We said Michael Ealy. Whoever they cast is going to be great. I’m just excited to see who it is.”
Reyes, 58, also weighed in on the possible casting, throwing Michael B. Jordan‘s name in the mix. While executive producer and showrunner Todd Harthan previously teased a “deepening mystery” about Roman, he remained tight-lipped about who could be cast.
“I think frustration is a good thing with an audience. It is a healthy frustration — don’t give them too much of what they want too soon,” Harthan told Us in February 2025. “I’d be totally lying if I said I have all the answers to that mystery. The wonderful thing about welcoming other brains to the room is how we make sure we don’t fumble this ball and we tell this story in the most satisfying way imaginable. There’s some cool stuff coming though.”
Roman is such a hot topic on ABC’s High Potential — but who should play the mysterious character? High Potential, which premiered in September 2024, follows a high-potential intellectual named Morgan (Kaitlin Olson) who teams up with the LAPD to help solve murders. The season 1 finale confirmed that Morgan’s ex Roman was still alive […]
Harthan discussed the casting process for a role like Roman.
“We’ve talked about it quite a bit like, ‘Wow, we have the time and hopefully now the show is a success and we could go and get this actor or that actor.’ But the truth is, I haven’t had a deep conversation with Kaitlin about it — and she’ll have a strong opinion. She’s very active and involved with casting and has incredible instincts,” Harthan told Us. “So, the short answer is no. We have some favorites and actors I really respect that would be great.”
Harthan was looking forward to bringing in more characters into the fold in season 2, adding, “Just the casting opportunities — not just for guest star roles — but recurring roles. We’ve never met Morgan’s mother and father either. We haven’t met anybody. So, Roman is a really important and amazing piece of casting. I fantasize about who it could be, but I haven’t zeroed in on a person yet.”
High Potential airs on ABC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET. The show is streaming on Hulu.