Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Sarah Shahi promised that Heaven fans can expect more on-screen twists and turns when the hit Hulu series returns for season 2.
“It’s a roller coaster ride. [Creator Dan Fogelman] is so good at taking the audience and pulling the rug out from under them,” Shahi, 45, teased into her Us every week digital cover about his next book, Life is Alive: From the A to Z of Navigating the Messy Middle of Life. “Just when you think you know what’s going on, [something surprising happens]and then you’re like, “Oh, my God. I didn’t even see that coming.’”
Shahi is “excited” that the new episodes will start airing on February 23 after having to remain so tight-lipped about the show’s return.
“It’s awesome. I love all the jobs I’ve had for various reasons, but it feels good to work on something that people love. When the love is that high, it really gives you that extra pep in your step,” she noted. “Driving to work in the morning feels really good. »
Hulu’s hit series Paradise returns after shocking cliffhangers and on-screen deaths — but which stars are or are not reprising their roles? The political thriller from This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman originally premiered in January 2025 under a veil of mystery. Paradise was billed as a show “set in a serene, wealthy community, inhabited by some.” […]
The actress, who plays psychotherapist and grief specialist Gabriela, praised Fogelman’s vision, adding, “Dan is such an incredible writer, and what I love about him is he’s an even better human. I’m like, ‘How is that possible?’ Writing is his superpower between working on his new NFL show, Paradise and Only Murders in the Building. He’s just an incredible human.”
Shahi continued, “What I’ve realized in working with very talented people is that there’s a level of trust in their work. If one of us as actors feels like that line needs to change or if we have a question about something, he takes the time to listen. He’s not precious about things. It’s really nice to feel that creative freedom and feel like you have a real seat at the table.”
After his return to the cinema season 2, Shahi appreciated the opportunity to further develop his character, adding: “It just helps fill in the lines. A lot of times when I’m breaking down a character or looking at something, I like to play what I don’t know. Perfect people are boring. I’m looking for the crack in the veneer, and it just requires a lot of conversations also with the director and with the writer to make sure the things I’m putting together go with the overall story. It requires a lot of conversations and building something together – and that’s what Dan enabled.
Hulu’s political thriller Heavenwhich premiered in January 2025, took the internet by storm as viewers theorized about the various plot twists. Fogelman’s hit series initially appeared to be set in a serene, wealthy community forced to confront the realities of a shocking murder. However, in typical Fogelman fashion, there was a twist at the end of the premiere, when Paradise was revealed to be an underground bunker housing the world’s most prominent people after an apocalyptic event destroyed the rest of humanity.
Heaven is a project Shahi is most proud of according to having revealed in Life is alivewhich will be released on January 27, that she had previously refused to work on network television for a year.
“I was unhappy on network TV shows. I would go to work and feel like a piece of my soul was missing,” she told Us about the hiatus before booking her dream role as Billie Connelly on the 2021 series. Sex/Life. “I had to really pick myself up, trust my instincts and know that I was capable of so much more if I just gave myself the opportunity.”
2026 is a big year for television, but which shows do we really know will return for more seasons? Paramount+ surprised viewers by renewing Landman for a third season before Season 2 ended. Inspired by the podcast series “Boomtown,” Landman focuses on the West Texas oil industry with a […]
Shahi acknowledged the challenges that came with this choice.
“My reps weren’t happy with the decision. I was making a lot of money as a network actress, and I really took a risk and I was like, ‘You know what? It’s okay to stay away for a while, not to make money, because I have faith that it will come back,” she recalls. “And it did, but yes, it was difficult. I had a lot of people in my ear telling me I was making a mistake.”
Life is alive not only touches about the ups and downs of Shahi’s career, but also about the changes in his personal life. Shahi intentionally chose to use the lessons she learned to help others facing similar issues.
“I really hope that people have the courage to live their lives as honestly as possible. That’s literally what I want. I really want people to have the courage to live authentically and not care what people think,” she shared. “I wrote this book to heal myself. I didn’t expect it to make so much noise. But what I mean by writing it is that there was so much lightness that came from me finally making myself that I wish other people would experience that same kind of feeling.”
Heaven premieres February 23 on Hulu with new episodes every Monday. Life is Alive: From the A to Z of Navigating the Messy Middle of Life arrives in libraries on January 27.
