The Righteous Gemstones

• Danny McBride as Jesse Gemstone, Eli's oldest son and associate pastor of the Gemstone Salvation Center. Although appearing to be a faithful father and husband, Jesse barely conceals a crude and arrogant personality and a debauched lifestyle, which he often partakes in with his "gang" of friends and subordinates.
• John Goodman as Dr. Eli Gemstone, the patriarch of the Gemstone family and lead pastor of the Gemstone Salvation Center. Eli is a widower, having lost his wife, Aimee-Leigh, one year prior to the start of the series. Although not as greedy or as crude as his children, Eli does occasionally prioritize his own wealth and status over his ministry.
• Adam DeVine as Kelvin Gemstone, Eli's youngest son and youth pastor of the Gemstone Salvation Center. Kelvin seems to be the most humble and genuine of the Gemstone siblings, but suffers from low self-esteem. He shares his mansion with his recent convert and friend, Keefe Chambers.
• Edi Patterson as Judy Gemstone, Eli's daughter. Judy, the middle child, often feels underestimated by her family and is prone to neurotic and psychopathic behavior.
• Tony Cavalero as Keefe Chambers, a dim-witted ex-Satanist and roommate of Kelvin, who works security at the Gemstone's church. Keefe reveres Kelvin as a spiritual leader.
• Cassidy Freeman as Amber Gemstone, Jesse's supportive and loving wife, who seems mostly oblivious to Jesse's negative qualities.
• Skyler Gisondo as Gideon Gemstone, Jesse's estranged oldest son, who moved to California to be a stunt performer, an act that Jesse considers to be a betrayal. Gideon is a skilled martial artist.
• Walton Goggins as "Baby" Billy Freeman, Eli’s brother-in-law and brother of the deceased Aimee-Leigh Gemstone. A faded star and frequent liar, Baby Billy is tapped to fill the pulpit at the Gemstone Prayer Center, a satellite church located in a mall. Baby Billy and Aimee-Leigh were a song-and-dance double-act as children, but Baby Billy's financial dependence and bad influence on Jesse and Judy strained his relationship with her and Eli. Baby Billy resides at his and Aimee-Leigh's childhood home, with his much younger wife, Tiffany.
• Gregory Alan Williams as Martin Imari, Eli's right-hand-man.
• Tim Baltz as Benjamin Jason "BJ" Barnes[3][4] Judy's sensitive and left-leaning fiancee. He is often intimidated by Judy, although it's apparent that he really loves her. BJ works in an optometrist's office in a local grocery store.
• Dermot Mulroney as Rev John Wesley Seasons, a pastor of a much smaller congregation, forced to compete with the Gemstones' new church in Locust Grove.
• Jennifer Nettles as Aimee-Leigh Gemstone, Eli's deceased wife and mother of Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin. Nettles portrays Aimee-Leigh in flashbacks and photographs.

• Scott MacArthur as Scotty / The Devil, a stuntman and associate of Gideon's, who takes charge of Gideon's blackmail scheme.
• Jody Hill as Levi, a member of Jesse's "gang" and guitarist at the Gemstone Salvation Center.
• James DuMont as Chad, a member of Jesse's "gang."
• Troy Anthony Hogan as Matthew, a member of Jesse's "gang."
• J. LaRose as Gregory, a member of Jesse's "gang."
• Valyn Hall as Tiffany Freeman, Baby Billy's much younger and childish wife.
• Kelton DuMont as Pontius Gemstone, Jesse's son.
• Gavin Munn as Abraham Gemstone, Jesse's youngest son.
• Mary Hollis Inboden as Mandy, Chad's wife, who grows increasingly aware of Jesse and his friends' illicit activities.
• Cullen Moss as Brock, a security guard at the Gemstones' compound.
• Virginia Gardner as Lucy, Scotty's girlfriend and a co-conspirator in Gideon's blackmail scheme.
• Toby Huss as Dale Nancy, a loose parody of Dan Cathy, and a congregant and donor to the Gemstones' church.
• Jade Pettyjohn as Dot Nancy, Dale and Gay Nancy's rebellious teenage daughter.
• Marla Maples as Gay Nancy, Dale Nancy's wife.

On June 28, 2018, it was announced that HBO had given the production a pilot order. The episode was written and directed by Danny McBride who is also executive producer alongside Jody Hill and David Gordon Green.[14][15] On October 2, 2018, it was reported that HBO had given the production a series order.[16]

On July 1, 2019, it was announced that the series would premiere on August 18, 2019.[1] On September 9, 2019, the series was renewed for a second season.[2]

McBride has said he intends the series to run "longer than anything we've done before," including the four-season Eastbound & Down and the two-season Vice Principals. "If I had my way, when this is done, it’s like this epic, sprawling tale, like the fucking Thorn Birds or something," he told Polygon. "You’ll know everybody in this family, cousins, great uncles, all these people. In my eyes, this season is chapter one. It’s just setting the table for who all these people are and what’s about to happen."[17]

Alongside the pilot order announcement, it was confirmed that Danny McBride and John Goodman would star in the pilot.[14] In July 2018, it was announced that Edi Patterson, Adam DeVine, Cassidy Freeman, Tony Cavalero, and Tim Baltz had also joined the pilot's main cast.[18][19][20]

Principal photography for the pilot was completed in August 2018 in Charleston, South Carolina at Citadel Mall.[21] The North Charleston Coliseum served as the interior of Gemstone Ministries, while a former Sears store at Citadel Mall was re-purposed into the Locust Grove Worship Center. (The new church being a former Sears was kept and referenced in the series).