Hunky Co-Star Added to ‘Chicken Sisters’ Cast as Hallmark Confirms 2nd Season

Good news for fans devouring “The Chicken Sisters” as Hallmark Channel airs its first season, which premiered exclusively on Hallmark+ in the fall of 2024. On April 7, 2025, the network confirmed via Deadline that the star-studded series has been renewed for a second season. Not only that, but the show has a new home and a new Hallmark hunk on board.

David James Elliott Joins Cast of ‘The Chicken Sisters’

As previously reported, the series renewal is no surprise to the cast of “The Chicken Sisters” — led by Lea Thompson (Nancy), Wendie Malick (Gus), Schuyler Fisk (Amanda), and Genevieve Angelson (Mae). They have already reunited in Vancouver to film the new season. On April 4, Angelson posted a photo in her Instagram Stories while getting her hair and makeup done, writing, “and we’re back!”

But according to Deadline, they’ll be joined by a new cast member for season 2 — actor David James Elliott, best known for the decade he spent, from 1995 to 2005, starring on “JAG” opposite another Hallmark star, Catherine Bell. Elliott, 64, will play a man from Gus’ past who returns to the fictional town of Merinac, Kansas.

He joins a handful of Hallmark hunks who are part of the cast, including “Ruby Herring Mysteries” alum James Kot, who plays Amanda’s husband and new restaurant owner Frank Jr. The first season cast also included “Ride” alum Jake Foy and Ektor Rivera, who co-starred with Lacey Chabert in 2022’s “Groundswell,” but their casting for season two hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Based on KJ Dell’Antonia’s popular book of the same name, “The Chicken Sisters” follows the drama between two fried chicken restaurants in the same small town, Mimi’s and Frannie’s.

The townspeople’s loyalty is deeply divided over the restaurants, owned by separate families with complicated ties to each other. The drama is only exacerbated by the arrival of a production crew for the reality TV show “Kitchen Clash.”

Second Season of ‘The Chicken Sisters’ Will Air on Hallmark Channel

Months after the first season of “The Chicken Sisters” premiered on Hallmark+, where it’s still available to stream, the series made its Hallmark Channel debut on March 30, airing on Sunday nights through May 18. According to Deadline, the second season will premiere on Hallmark Channel, with each new episode available to stream the day after it airs.

In another interesting shift behind the scenes, series co-creator and season one showrunner Annie Mebane has been replaced by Erin Gibson, who was a writer on the first season.

Samantha DiPippo, senior vice president of programming for Hallmark Media, told Deadline, “We’re grateful to Annie Mebane for creating the series for television and expertly bringing to life the town of Merinac and its colorful characters in K.J. Dell’Antonia’s beloved book. The show is in great hands with Erin Gibson taking the reins as showrunner this season and we know that our stellar cast … will serve up something special for viewers.”

After Hallmark Channel aired the first episode on March 30, Fisk shared some behind-the-scenes details in her Instagram Stories, including gushing about her castmates. The daughter of Hollywood legend Sissy Spacek, Fisk said it’s “a dream to get to act alongside the incredible wendie malick” and called Angelson “the best tv sister” and “the bessssst friend.”

Of her TV mom, Thompson, Fisk wrote, “i sat next to @lea_thompson at our first table read for the show after basically just meeting her. i was (still am) so in awe of her. she has a poise and strength and a vibe that you just want to be around.”