The highly anticipated third season of Physical, a blockbuster drama airing on AppleTV+, is already in the works. Two months after learning of its third season renewal, the streaming service revealed that Emmy and Golden Globe candidate Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) will be joining the show’s already strong cast. Deschanel’s new series regular role as Kelly marks her return to television following the conclusion of her groundbreaking role as Jess on the critically acclaimed Fox comedy New Girl in 2018. In the show, Deschanel’s character, Kelly, is a network sitcom celebrity who has decided to branch out into the thriving fitness sector. Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), the show’s protagonist in Season 2, left viewers on a cliffhanger when her husband broke the news of the arrival of a new opponent just as she had worked up the nerve to release her first workout video.
Based on what we know about Kelly, she may be Byrne’s newest opponent or at least one of many in the industry. Before New Girl, which started in 2011, became a smash hit and ran for seven seasons before finishing in 2018, Deschanel was a familiar face on the indie cinema scene. Deschanel not only had a pivotal role in the show, but she also directed an episode, produced the show, and served as an executive producer. She was nominated for many Emmys, numerous Golden Globes, and the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance.
Among her many projects are the critically acclaimed 500 Days of Summer, the hilarious family animation Trolls, and the box office smashes Elf from 2003. (2016). Deschanel will next be seen in the live-action adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon, directed by Brazilian animator Carlos Saldanha, and in Bill Pohlad’s biographical film Dreamin’ Wild, which had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Deschanel will be joining a cast that has gained universal acclaim: Byrne, Dierdre Friel, Della Saba, Lou Taylor Pucci, Paul Sparks, Ashley Liao, and Geoffrey Arend.
Annie Weisman is responsible for creating, writing, and producing the show Physical from the Tomorrow Studios (ITV Studios collaboration) stables. Byrne, Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Alissa Bachner, Stephanie Laing, and Craig Gillespie are all involved in the production process. Laing is the director, but Gillespie, Liza Johnson, and Dan Lazarovits all have a turn sitting in her chair. While the premiere date for Physical Season 3 has not yet been announced, episodes from both the first and second seasons are presently available to view on AppleTV+.
Synopsis
Sheila Rubin (Byrne) is a quietly tormented, presumably devoted housewife who is backing her husband’s brilliant but controversial run for state assembly in 1980s sunny San Diego. Physical is set in this gorgeous but fragile beach paradise. Sheila keeps her darkly comedic outlook on life hidden from public view. She’s also dealing with a tangled web of insecurities about her own sense of self-worth, which she can only overcome by turning to aerobics of all places.