'Designated Survivor' season 2 release date, spoilers: Zoe McLellan is latest cast addition

Promotional image for ABC's political drama series "Designated Survivor." Facebook/Designated Survivor

The first season of "Designated Survivor" saw the passing of the torch of the U.S. presidency to Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) after the fateful explosion. The new season will experience a character shuffle as his story continues.

Brilliant attorney Kendra Daynes (Zoe McLellan) will be joining Kirkman's administration as White House counsel. She will be dealing with legal issues in the highest office of the land while advising the most powerful man in the world.

Throughout her journey, she will be forging new relationships with other White House colleagues and discovering new things about herself in the process.

McLellan's credits include "NCIS: New Orleans" and "Dirty Sexy Money."

Daynes comes on the heels of two other new characters namely Damian Rennett (Ben Lawson) and Lyor Boone (Paulo Costanzo).

Rennett is an MI-6 special agent who goes undercover as a Dutchman and gets involved with FBI agent Hannah Wells (Maggie Q). Their relationship is professional and competitive but will soon become complicated when they start feeling a mutual attraction for each other.

Meanwhile, Boone will be the new political director of the administration who will help with political messaging and dealing with the White House press corps.

Kirkman will not be entirely at ease with Boone's style of political dealing in Washington D.C. However, the president understands that his administration cannot do without Boone and that latter is the key to his transition from an outsider to an insider.

Lawson's credits include "Doubt" and "Grimm," while Costanzo's include "Royal Pains," "The Night Of" and "The Expanse."

One character that will not be returning this season is Kimble Hookstraten (Virginia Madsen). The actress revealed on Twitter that her character won't be back for season 2.

Keith Eisner recently took over as showrunner from Jeff Melvoin, who will stay on as executive producer.

"Designated Survivor" season 2 is expected to premiere in September on ABC.

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