Shailene Woodley Has Just 4 Words To Say About Her 'Paradise' Season 2 Role (And Now I Need to Know More)

As someone who covers entertainment for a living, keeping up with buzzy shows is basically in my job description. And one that’s been on everyone’s radar lately? Paradise on Hulu.

If you’re not familiar, the series stars Sterling K. Brown and takes place in a massive underground bunker in Colorado, three years after a doomsday-level event. He plays Secret Service agent Xavier Collins, who’s trying to figure out who really killed the President and whether he’s being set up. Season 1 dropped back in January 2025 and thanks to all the hype, it was renewed in February. Then in March, Paradise made headlines again with the announcement that Shailene Woodley would be joining the cast.

So when I recently had the chance to chat with her, while she was promoting her partnership with Mars and Calm to raise awareness of Global Adoption Weekend, you know I had to ask what she could reveal about her mysterious new role. (Spoiler: not much but her reaction made me even more curious.)

“I can't tell you anything about it. I definitely can't,” she said with a grin. “But I’m just so excited.”

Coming from Woodley whose resume includes Big Little Lies, Divergent, The Fault in Our Stars, Ferrari and more–if she's excited, I'm excited.

While details about the show are under wraps, she had no hesitation in gushing over her experience working with Brown, calling him a rare presence in the industry.

“Sterling is such a class act, man. He's such a dope human being,” she said. “He's so kind and so generous and so funny. And talk about being present. I find him to be somebody who's incredibly present.”

That quiet praise—less about performance, more about character—speaks volumes. “Every single person is treated the same and greeted the same,” she added. “That’s something a lot of people in his position don’t make a priority. Sterling absolutely does. It’s just such a refreshing thing to be around.”

Outside of acting, Woodley’s also lending her voice to something close to her heart: pet adoption. The actress, who adopted two cats herself, has partnered with Mars and Calm to raise awareness of Global Adoption Weekend, happening October 3–5, and she’s encouraging everyone to visit their local shelters and consider giving a furry friend a forever home.