WNBA star Angel Reese is set to join the cast of The Hunting Wives for its second season, securing a role months after publicly expressing interest in the Netflix drama. The 23-year-old will appear as Trainer Barbie when the new season premieres later in 2026.
The character’s name draws inspiration from Reese’s longtime nickname, Bayou Barbie, earned during her collegiate basketball career at Louisiana State University. Reese played at LSU from 2022 to 2024 after starting her college career at Maryland.
Her casting originated from a public exchange following the release of The Hunting Wives season 1. In August 2025, Reese posted on X that the show was “a good watch.” Series creator Rebecca Cutter responded, quoting Reese’s post: “I am DEAD on the floor!!! thank you for watching our lil ol show @Reese10Angel !!!”
Reese then offered her availability for the next season, writing, “Just let me know if you need me for season 2 😉.” Five months later, after her role was confirmed, she quoted her original post and added, “I literally manifest my entire life 🥺😭.”
Reese has also shared updates via her Instagram Story, posting photos outside her on-set trailer while sporting green Baylor Bears athletic gear. The choice of Baylor apparel drew attention, given her LSU roots and earlier time at Maryland.
While specific details about how Trainer Barbie fits into the storyline have not been revealed, season 1 featured a plot thread involving Brad Thompson, a character preparing to attend Baylor University on a basketball scholarship, hinting at a possible connection to Reese’s new role.
Currently playing for the Chicago Sky, Reese has spent her first two WNBA seasons establishing herself as one of the league’s most dominant rebounders.
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In May 2025, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 500 points and 500 rebounds, achieving the milestone in just 38 career games. She also holds league single-season records for total rebounds, rebounds per game, and offensive rebounds.
Angel Reese Expands Acting Career Following 2025 Film Debut
Angel Reese is taking another step into acting with her new role in The Hunting Wives, following her 2025 appearance in the political thriller A House of Dynamite. In the film, she appeared as herself in a scene alongside Idris Elba, who played the President of the United States.
The experience inspired Reese to pursue acting more seriously. “I want to get an acting coach,” she told People in September. “I was talking to Common — he’s overseas right now shooting season 2 of Silo — and he was telling me, ‘You got to hire an acting coach.’”
She added, “So I’m going to hire an acting coach. I model already, so it’s like adding to the résumé. I’m young right now, so I’m going to do it while I’m young.”
Reese also credited her castmates on A House of Dynamite for helping ease her nerves on set. “I was really nervous,” she said. “But I had some great people on the cast that made me feel really comfortable. The girls there made me feel comfortable.”
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With the WNBA offseason now underway, Reese has extra time to focus on acting projects. She is sitting out the current season of Unrivaled while recovering from a back injury that kept her sidelined for much of the 2025 WNBA season.
