Season 1 of the Dexter sequel left the door open for Thurman’s return, but will she come back?
It has now been over a year since the news broke that Uma Thurman would be joining the cast of Dexter: Resurrection, an announcement that followed weeks of heavy rumors about her involvement with the series. The acclaimed actress ultimately appeared in all ten episodes of Season 1 as series regular, and as the season unfolded, her role expanded.
Thurman’s casting is widely regarded as one of the strongest additions in the history of the Dexter franchise, which is actually no small feat for a show that has featured a lineup of high-profile actors over the years. Best known for her iconic leading roles in major films, Thurman actually brought a level of prestige that elevated Dexter: Resurrection even more.
In the show, Uma Thurman portrayed Charley, also known as Charlotte Brown, a former Special Ops operator that has a strong background in private security. Her career led her to billionaire Leon Prater, played by Peter Dinklage, where she served as his Head of Security. Charley functioned as Prater’s right-hand woman, handling bizarre and sensitive matters and acting as his fixer whenever problems needed to...disappear.
While Leon Prater became the primary antagonist of Dexter: Resurrection Season 1 and was eliminated in the finale, Charley is generally viewed as a secondary antagonist with a significant distinction. Both characters were fully aware of Dexter’s true identity, but only one of them is dead. Charley survived the season, leaving behind unresolved threads that could definitely carry over into future episodes.
This of course raises the question of whether Uma Thurman will return for Dexter: Resurrection Season 2. To understand where things stand, it helps to revisit a Summer 2025 interview with showrunner Clyde Phillips, who revealed that Thurman was actually eager to continue with the series almost immediately after reading the Season 1 scripts. According to Phillips, her enthusiasm directly influenced creative decisions, including changes that ensured her character would remain alive.
Phillips explained that Charley was initially written as a fairly straightforward role, but once Thurman officially joined the project, the writing team reworked the character in a significant way.
They added several substantial scenes that actually deepened Charley beyond being “just a bodyguard,” focusing on her humanity and emotional layers. Phillips noted that Thurman was deeply appreciative of this approach, loved the direction of the character, and personally expressed her desire to return for another season, something that made the writers figure out ways about how that could realistically happen within the story.
By the time all ten episodes aired, we saw exactly how the writers managed to keep Charley in play. In the Season 1 finale, she resigned from her role as Prater’s fixer and enforcer, stepping away just in time.
Unlike others who knew too much, she was actually spared, largely because Dexter eliminated Prater before he could silence her. In the closing moments of Episode 10, titled “…And Justice for All,” Charley was shown leaving New York with her ill mother, Mildred, returning to their old family home in Amherst, Pennsylvania.
Considering that Amherst is less than two hours from New York City, Charley’s exit does not really feel...permanent. With the truth about Leon Prater now exposed to the world, the circumstances surrounding her character have definitely changed, creating a way for her return in Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 under entirely new conditions.
Taking everything into account, Uma Thurman’s return remains very much on the table. She was interested in continuing with the series from the moment she read the scripts and has since stated multiple times in interviews that she had been a fan of Dexter for years before joining the cast.
While the exact nature of her potential return is still unknown, one big factor to keep in mind will be contract negotiations, as Thurman’s per-episode salary could become a key discussion point, especially with the new leadership now in place at Paramount.