‘The Diplomat’ Casting Director Officially Reveals the Truth Behind That ‘West Wing’ Reunion [Exclusive]

Casting director Julie Schubert says Bradley Whitford was on her wishlist for The Diplomat from its first season, before he joined as Todd, the husband of Allison Janney’s Grace Penn. Their reunion delighted The West Wing fans, but Schubert says the casting was not about repeating that show: the actors bring different characters and a new relationship to the series.

Schubert also says Jodie Whittaker was her first choice to play Prime Minister Bethan Vaughn in Season 4. She was drawn to Whittaker’s grounded, varied performances and saw the role as a chance for her to take on a different kind of part. The article describes Season 4 as an eight-episode instalment and says all episodes are available on Netflix.