Paradise’s Shailene Woodley teases “tender” new character dynamic for season 2

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After the first season of Paradise concluded, viewers were eager to find out where the show would go next. The second season begins with a move to Graceland, a surprising location where Annie seeks refuge after a devastating natural disaster throws the world into chaos.

The first season focused on the secrets within the Paradise bunker and the President’s death. Now, the show is finally revealing what life has been like for those living on the surface, enjoying a privileged existence while others were hidden away.

After the disaster, an unexpected connection forms between Annie (Shailene Woodley) and Link (Thomas Doherty), who initially didn’t get along. What began as Link and his friends disrupting Annie’s quiet life at Graceland evolves into a deeper relationship for these two new characters.

In a recent interview with TopMob, Shailene Woodley discussed the connection between her character, Annie, and Link. She explained that at the heart of their relationship is a genuine and unpretentious tenderness. She believes it’s unusual for characters – or people, in general – to approach intimacy without hidden motives.

Woodley was struck by how self-sufficient both people were, yet they actively chose to connect and build a relationship. She felt their independence allowed them to be open, honest, and truly vulnerable with each other, which led to them falling in love quickly.

“It felt like a very pure sense of what love looks like, instead of an idea of love.”

Honestly, watching them was incredible. It felt like they were really working hard to keep their guard up, to avoid letting anyone in, but their genuine goodness just shone through anyway. It was so pure and beautiful, it almost broke down all those walls they’d built. It reminded me of when you try to be strong, but your true feelings just slip out – it was truly captivating.

Like all stories in Paradise, we learn about these new characters through their personal, emotional journeys. It’s clear Annie has faced hardship, and this has resulted in her finding strength and contentment in being alone.

Shailene Woodley described her character, Annie, as someone unprepared for the disaster that struck. She believes Annie’s survival wasn’t just due to inner strength, but also her natural comfort being alone.

It seems she lacked control over difficult situations in her life, especially regarding losses she experienced before the natural disaster happened.

Being in Graceland, her own safe space, gave her a feeling of control, even though she was trapped there. This sense of security, whether real or not, helped her hold onto hope and believe in the possibility of surviving to see another day.

The new season picks up with Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) frantically searching for his wife, Teri (Enuka Okuma), after discovering she’s still alive – despite believing she died in the initial disaster. As he searches, he begins to understand how others managed to survive the three years since the catastrophic event. Meanwhile, back in Paradise, tensions rise within the bunker as they grapple with the fallout from the previous season, and the truth about the city’s beginnings starts to come to light.

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The first three episodes of the new season of Paradise are now available to stream on Disney+, and each week, a new episode will be released.

Authors

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack writes about TV and streaming drama for TopMob. Before that, she was an Entertainment Writer at Stylist. She also has experience in content marketing and freelancing, and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-02-24 18:06