Norwegian actress Pia Tjelta has been cast in the second season of the Sky series "The Day of the Jackal," according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter cited by VG on Thursday.
Tjelta will share the screen with Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne, who leads the series as a professional hitman who works under a series of disguises. The new season is set to premiere in spring 2027.
Why it matters
The casting places one of Norway's most recognized performers in a production that has already drawn a large international audience. VG reports that the show's first season was the biggest launch of an original series in Sky's history, reaching three million viewers in its opening week alone. In Norway, the series is available through Sky Showtime.
The first season also holds a score of 8.1 on IMDb, a rating VG notes puts it among the top tier of television series. A second season with that kind of built-in audience gives Tjelta a significant platform outside the Nordic market.
A cast that keeps growing
Redmayne's role anchors the series, which follows a professional assassin known for changing his appearance. VG reports that Matt Bomer, Pablo Schreiber and Weruche Opia had already been confirmed for the new season before Tjelta's addition was announced.
"The Day of the Jackal" is adapted from Frederick Forsyth's 1971 novel. The book was first turned into a film in 1973.
A busy period for Tjelta
The Hollywood role is one of several projects on Tjelta's schedule. She plays Rakel Fauke in the Netflix series "Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole," appearing alongside Tobias Santelmann and Joel Kinnaman.
She also won best actress honors at both the Karlovy Vary film festival and Norway's Amanda Awards in 2026 for her performance in Nina Knag's film "Ikke kall meg mamma," according to VG.
Next year, Tjelta will appear in the NRK drama "Grønne Fingre," where she plays a gardener who is pulled into a criminal network in order to save her child. The child is played by her own daughter, Sofia Tjelta.
Fans of the series can expect the second season to arrive in spring 2027, with Tjelta's role among the details still to be revealed.
