Will Yun Lee Moves Up to Series Regular on HBO Max's How to Survive Without Me
Will Yun Lee has been promoted from guest star to series regular on HBO Max's family drama How to Survive Without Me. A series regular is an actor in the main cast for the whole season, not a one-episode or pilot-only role. Deadline reported the change on 27 October 2026.
Lee first joined the show as a guest star in the pilot, the first episode a studio makes to show a streamer before any more are ordered. He played Dr. Marcus Chen, the oncologist who treated Beverly after her diagnosis. Beverly is the family matriarch, played by Rita Wilson, and the show begins after her death.
The series follows the De Angelis family as they adjust to life without her. Ray Romano, Joshua Jackson and Kaley Cuoco head the cast, and the list also includes Julia Schlaepfer, Tommy Dewey, Colette Porch and Ella Rubin. Joe Romano was cast in May 2026 to play a younger version of Ray.
Greg Berlanti, who is both an executive producer and a writer, created the show through Berlanti Productions. Berlanti wrote the pilot with Bash Doran, and Robbie Rogers worked on the story. Warner Bros. Television is the studio. It is also the first show Berlanti and Rogers, who are married, have created together.
The show's path to a full season took some time. HBO Max gave it a pilot order in November 2025, meaning it paid for a first episode before committing to more. Deadline reported that its chances of a full series improved in March 2026, after the production was awarded tax credits, which are government rebates that help cover production costs.
HBO Max then ordered the series in September 2026. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter both reported the 15-episode order on 16 September 2026.
Lee's recent work includes playing Dr. Alex Park on ABC's The Good Doctor and the original Takeshi Kovacs in Netflix's Altered Carbon. He also appears opposite Matt Damon in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. His next project is Apple TV's The Off Weeks, where he stars opposite Ben Stiller.
For the people who make the show, a promotion like this means a bigger role in the story and a longer commitment. For viewers, it means one more actor is expected to appear across the season. Any further casting or release date details will come from HBO Max and the production companies.
