The actress, 39, joins season 2 of the period drama as Nell, who is quickly revealed to be Nan St. George's (Kristine Frøseth) real mother in the premiere, which is now streaming on Apple TV+. For Meester,

During the off-season, Leighton Meester joined the cast, and fans immediately suspected that she would be playing Nan's mother. They were spot on, but there's an extra layer to this secret. Nell (Meester) is not merely Nan's biological mother and the former lover of Nan's father,

Cora is another new character in season 2 and the wealthy American heir to the Merrigan’s department store who comes to England in search of a husband. Obsessed with Conchita and Richard’s fairytale love story, she and her mother agree to Conchita’s tutelage to help her land a noble English husband of her own.