Exclusive Interview: Josh McKenzie on ‘The Hunting Party’ Season 2, Shane’s Journey, and What’s Next

There’s a grounded, intentional quality to the way Josh McKenzie approaches Shane in The Hunting Party, bringing a character to life who is constantly navigating the tension between control and vulnerability. As the series returns for its second season, Josh continues to expand Shane’s world, leaning into a journey shaped by identity, purpose, and the relationships that begin to challenge the walls he’s built around himself.

That journey unfolds within a world defined by chaos. When a secret prison suffers a mysterious explosion, unleashing some of the nation’s most violent serial killers, a former profiler is pulled back into a relentless game of cat and mouse. Alongside a team of soldiers, spies, and special agents, the mission is clear—track them down before they kill again—but the emotional stakes run just as high as the danger they face.

At the heart of Season 2 is that push and pull between duty and connection, as Shane begins to open up in ways we haven’t seen before. We spoke with Josh about navigating that shift, the weight of trust within the team, and how Shane’s search for identity continues to shape the choices he makes.

PC: Trust is such a central theme throughout Season 2, especially in how this team operates and relies on one another. Shane is someone who places a lot of value on that. Right now, the team holds information he doesn’t when it comes to the identity of his biological mother. When that truth eventually comes out, how do you think it will affect him—both personally and within the team dynamic, particularly with Dax?
Josh: The show really ebbs and flows with information. Shane isn’t innocent when it comes to withholding things from the team, and I know that weighed heavily on him because he takes trust very seriously. So if that same situation is turned back on him, I imagine there would be fallout—some hurt feelings, for sure. The team was upset when he kept his search for his mother to himself. Even though he eventually came clean, and even though it’s a deeply personal matter that he has every right to keep private, it inevitably bleeds into the work and their caseload. So it could get very messy.

I think it would be a real low point for Shane. At the same time, this group is incredibly close—they love each other—and that means everything to him. Shane is a pretty lonely guy. He spends a lot of time on his own. He’s never really dated, and these kinds of friendships are new for him. He had that sense of camaraderie in the army, but it’s been a while. So this team, and the trust within it, matters more to him than anything.

PC: Speaking of that trust, one of the benefits of television as a medium is the opportunity to grow with a character over an extended period of time. While Shane kept much of his personal life close to the vest in Season 1, this season we’re seeing him open up more to the team about his past. As you explored that shift, what were those conversations like with the showrunners and writers about where Shane’s journey might head, and how did that shape your performance?
Josh: I spent a lot of time talking with the showrunners about Shane’s journey and his past so I could really understand his motivations and that sense of growth. There’s a big moment later in the season where he says he’s done looking for his mom—that he’s spent his whole life searching and is finally ready to close that chapter. I know people who’ve had the rug pulled out from under them when it comes to their family history—people who were adopted and went searching for their birth parents. It’s such a complicated, emotional experience, and I wanted to make sure we honored that.

For Shane, there’s always been this void—not knowing who his mother is, not fully understanding where he comes from. But through this newfound family and this job, he begins to take those blinders off and recognize that this is what’s been filling that space. This is what’s giving him purpose and helping him understand who he is.

At the same time, his search for his mother starts to create tension with that chosen family and with the work. One of his biggest moments of growth is realizing that keeping secrets and going off on his own is actually putting that at risk. He comes to understand that he doesn’t want to jeopardize what he has—that he can pause, take it all in, and recognize that the family he’s found is helping him discover who he is.

PC: One of the most interesting aspects of playing a character over multiple seasons is finding that intersection between what’s written on the page and where you are personally and creatively in that moment. You’ve spoken about developing an internal North Star for the characters you’ve played throughout your career—how does that compass evolve as you continue to grow with Shane?
Josh: That’s a great question. For me, it always starts with understanding a character’s core motivation. You have a beginning and an end, so it becomes about figuring out how you get there—what drives them forward. There has to be intention, wants, and needs guiding that journey.

With Shane, it’s really about separating those two things—what he wants versus what he needs. He wants to know who his mother is, but what he actually needs is connection, purpose, and people he can rely on. That purpose can come from this job. He doesn’t necessarily need to know where he comes from to understand who he is.

And what’s been really meaningful is seeing how this team brings out the best in him. They’ve become that grounding force, helping shape his sense of self in a way he’s been searching for all along.

To keep up with Josh, follow him on Instagram. Watch The Hunting Party every Thursday at 10/9c on NBC.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Coghlan