Gwendoline Christie Joins ‘Top of the Lake’ Season 2

The second season of BBC and Sundance’s Top of the Lake was first announced back in 2014, but we haven’t heard much about it since then. We know it’s happening. We know Jane Campion is returning to direct. We know Elisabeth Moss will also return to reprise her role as Detective Robin Griffin. Today finally brings a new update on Top of the Lake Season 2, as Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie has joined the cast of the long-awaited follow-up.

Variety reports that Christie has joined Moss for Top of the Lake Season 2, and like the first season, this one will air first on BBC Two in the U.K. in — steel yourselves — 2017 before premiering on SundanceTV in the U.S. sometime later next year. That’s a long time to wait, but given the quality of Season 1, it should be worth it.

Best known for her role as Brienne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, Christie recently appeared as Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The actress says she’s “delighted” to join Moss for the series, adding, “Jane Campion has been a major creative influence throughout my life and I could not feel more privileged to be working on the next installment of her unique and enthralling drama.”

Also joining the cast are David Dencik (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) and Alice Englert (Beautiful Creatures).

From the official press release, here is how Season 2 is described:

‘Top of the Lake’ Season 2: China Girl is a crime mystery story that begins four years on from the explosive ending of Season 1. When the unidentified body of an Asian girl washes up on to Sydney’s Bondi Beach, the case seems hopeless, until detective Robin Griffin discovers that China Girl didn’t die alone.

Season 1 followed Moss’ Sydney-based Detective Griffin as she returned to her isolated, small hometown in New Zealand to investigate the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl. The series has been praised for its compelling exploration of sexual abuse, as well as its effective blend of mystery and intimate drama, with many (myself included) feeling as though Top of the Lake succeeded where The Killing often failed.

The first season also featured Holly Hunter as GJ, the enigmatic leader of a group of troubled women who seek her wisdom to help them heal from their hurtful pasts. It’s unclear if Hunter will return for the second season.