Rachel McAdams Offered 'True Detective' Female Lead

After what seems like forever parsing every news story the cast of True Detective's second season, it looks to finally be coming to an end. Yesterday we learned Keira Knightley was the latest big name added to the list of actresses circling the female lead, and now today comes word that an offer had been made to one of the first who was up for it. Variety says Rachel McAdams has beaten out Knightley, Rosario Dawson, Elisabeth Moss, Brit Marling, and more for the coveted part.

Assuming she accepts, McAdams would join Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn, while the site says Taylor Kitsch is "expected" to take the third male lead. Nic Pizzolatto has put together a California-set mystery centering on three cops and one career criminal who must navigate a web of conspiracy in the aftermath of a murder. McAdams' role would be Ani Bezzerides, "a tough, no-nonsense Monterey sheriff whose troubled upbringing has driven her to gambling and alcohol".

So certainly not the kind of thing we've ever seen McAdams do before, but that was also the case for last season's cast. There's been a ton of criticism lodged against the casting this time around but I think that's because we can't help but compare it to McConaughey and Harrelson. The chances of this second season being better than the first without the presence of Cary Fukunaga are pretty slim but that doesn't mean it can't be great in a different way.  Justin Lin will direct the first two episodes of True Detective when the show returns.