The acclaimed Netflix series, Heartbreak High, has officially announced the commencement of its second season with Sam Rechner and Kartanya Maynard joining the cast as new students at the infamous Hartley High.
Newly enrolled Rowan Callaghan, portrayed by Sam Rechner, is a country boy character with a fondness for classic films. Having featured prominently in Spielberg’s The Fabelmans and Ruby’s Choice, the actor brings his dry wit to the chaotic Hartley High, finding himself in the midst of an intense love triangle.
Kartanya Maynard, a Trawlwoolway woman from Nipaluna/Hobart, Utruwita/Tasmania, with roles in Deadloch, The Messenger, and Gold Diggers, will play the opinionated Zoe Clarke. Her character, along with her Puriteen followers, is set to disrupt the SLT class from within with her strong advocacy for celibacy.
The second season will welcome back 2023 Logie nominees Ayesha Madon, Chloé Hayden and Thomas Weatherall.
Other returning cast members include James Majoos, Asher Yasbincek, Will McDonald, Gemma Chua-Tran, Sherry-Lee Watson, Bryn Chapman Parish, Josh Heuston, Brodie Townsend, Chika Ikogwe and Rachel House.
Set to continue depicting the raw reality of modern-day teenagers, the series showcases everything from first love, trauma, and break-ups to neurodiversity, sexuality, and the significant relationships they rely on. The second season is under production by Fremantle Australia and NewBe, with shooting taking place in Sydney on Gadigal, Dharug, Dharawal, and Ku-ring-gai lands.
The first season debuted on Netflix on 14 September 2022, receiving positive reviews for its authentic depiction of teenage life, earning several award nominations, including for the 2023 Logie Awards for Most Popular Drama and Most Popular New Talent.
It took home the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama, Best Screenplay in Television, and Best Costume Design in Television at the 2022 AACTA and won three Audience Choice Awards. The series also achieved impressive streaming stats, featuring in Australia’s and the world’s top 10 TV shows on Netflix and reaching over 42.6M hours viewed within three weeks. On social media, the series hashtag #heartbreakhigh gathered over 700 million views on TikTok.
