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KAOS, the new fantasy series from The End of the F***ing World and Truelove creator Charlie Covell, is a riot. It’s a colourful, bold modern retelling of Greek myths for adults, with an excellent cast including Jeff Goldblum and Janet McTeer as the king and queen of the gods Zeus and Hera.
Those two are joined by a raft of talent playing gods, humans, the Fates and the Furies in a story that cleverly weaves together multiple stories from Greek myth into one accelerating plot. Will Olympus survive, or will an ancient prophecy topple the gods? Here’s who’s playing who, and where you may have seen them before.
Zeus – Jeff Goldblum
Actor Jeff Goldblum needs an introduction about as much as Zeus does – we all recognise the star of The Fly, Jurassic Park, Independence Day, The Tall Guy, that episode of Friends where Joey drinks too much juice before an acting audition, and much, much more. In KAOS, Goldblum replaced Hugh Grant to play the king of the gods, husband to his sister and queen Hera, and the father of a whole raft of deities and demi-deities. Zeus is basically the head of a mob family – an all powerful, cruel and conscienceless egotist whose caprices and paranoia make him very dangerous indeed. He runs on flattery and demands subservience from humans and family members alike.
Hera – Janet McTeer
The superpowered Carmela to Zeus’ Tony Soprano, the queen of Olympus is played by Janet McTeer. An acclaimed stage and screen actor with the Olivier, Emmy, Tony Awards and Oscar nominations to prove it, McTeer played Clemmie Churchill in Into the Storm, starred opposite Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs, and was feted for her performance in TV drama The Honorable Woman as well as her stage roles in A Doll’s House and Mary Stuart. Readers of this site will recognise McTeer as having played Ailsa Jones, mother of Jessica in the Netflix-Marvel TV series Jessica Jones, as well as cartel lawyer Helen in Ozark, and you’ll have heard her remarkable voice narrating various productions, from Maleficent to Velvet Goldmine.
Poseidon – Cliff Curtis
New Zealand star Cliff Curtis plays Poseidon, god of the sea, and under the thumb to his egomaniacal brother Zeus. Don’t expect seaweed and barnacles though, this Poseidon is more a superyacht crime boss kind of guy. Curtis is a movie star with a long career starting as far back as 1993’s The Piano, and taking in New Zealand and Maori classics Once Were Warriors and Whale Rider, alongside Hollywood movies Three Kings, Blow, Training Day and more recently, The Meg, Doctor Sleep and the Avatar franchise.
Dionysus – Nabhaan Rizwan
KAOS‘ god of wine and wild frenzy Dionysus is a playboy who’s starting to tire of his hedonistic lifestyle and seeking a more significant role on Mount Olympus. He’s played by British actor Nabhaan Rizwan, who arrived on screen in BBC crime drama Informer and is best known in the US for playing Frank in post-apocalypse drama Station Eleven and for his film role in World War I drama 1917. He was recently seen playing the brother of his actual brother in Mawaan Rizwan’s BBC sitcom Juice, and will soon appear in BBC crime drama Dope Girls.
Riddy – Aurora Perrineau
Actor and model Aurora Perrineau plays Riddy, KAOS‘ updated version of Eurydice from Greek myth. Riddy is a human who’s married to, and the muse of, famous rock star Orpheus. Perrineau played Dani in Fox crime drama Prodigal Son and “C” in the final season of HBO’s Westworld, and before that played Tanya in Ava DuVernay’s acclaimed drama When They See Us and appeared in Hulu anthology horror series Into the Dark, among several other screen roles. Fittingly for a show visually influenced by the glitz and Americana of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet, she’s the daughter of that film’s Mercutio, Lost actor Harold Perrineau.
Orpheus – Killian Scott
Irish actor Killian Scott (he changed the ‘C’ to a ‘K’ to avoid confusion with his countryman and fellow actor Cillian Murphy, and presumably to avoid mispronunciation too) plays Orpheus, a famous musician who belts out Coldplay-style arena hits about how much he loves his wife (see above) to his adoring public. Scott came to recognition on stage and in Dublin-set drama Love/Hate, before appearing in BBC detective dramas Ripper Street and Strike, and film ’71, before taking a lead role in BBC One’s adaptation of Tana French’s celebrated Dublin Murders book series. MCU fans might also recognise him as Pagon from Secret Invasion.
Ari – Leila Farzad
Ari (full name: Ariadne) is the daughter of President Minos of Krete and in line to inherit the role. She lives a lonely life at the palace, beset by guilt and grief over a childhood accident which left her family riven. She’s played by I Hate Suzie, Avenue 5, Better and The Marvels‘ Leila Farzad, who can also be seen in Netflix’s ambitious new adaptation The Decameron.
Caeneus – Misia Butler
Misia Butler plays Caeneus, an unresolved soul trapped in KAOS‘ underworld who becomes a significant player in the fate of Olympus. A trans-male actor playing a trans-male character with their own mythic pedigree, Butler’s role puts him right at the centre of the show’s action. He’s previously appeared in Netflix fantasy movie The School for Good and Evil, and the much-missed book adaptation The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself.
Hades & Persephone – David Thewlis and Rakie Ayola
KAOS inverts the usual myth of Hades and Persephone as kidnapper and victim and makes them something approaching #couplegoals. David Thewlis is recognisable to a generation as Professor Lupin in the Harry Potter movies, and to a slightly older generation as the unforgettable Johnny in Mike Leigh’s 1993 film Naked, Knox in The Big Lebowski, and the star of many, many films from War Horse to The Theory of Everything to Wonder Woman, and many, many TV series from The Sandman to Fargo. He’s joined by Welsh actor Rakie Ayola as Persephone, a familiar face on screen with major roles in Holby City, Noughts + Crosses, The Pact, Alex Rider and Grace among others.
Charon – Ramon Tikaram
Charon is the ferryman who transports the dead across the River Acheron in the underworld, and he’s played here by Ramon Tikaram (yes, brother to singer Tanita). Tikaram will forever be etched in the hearts of many as Ferdy from 1990s drama This Life, but has a huge number of acting roles under his belt. Those include parts in football drama Dream Team, BBC soaps EastEnders and Casualty, HBO’s Game of Thrones, BBC One’s Happy Valley, Sky’s Fortitude, The Great, Pennyworth, Brassic and recently Disney+ fantasy Renegade Nell.
Prometheus – Stephen Dillane
Game of Thrones fans will recognise Prometheus – caught above at a moment of eagle-eating-liver pain – as actor Stephen Dillane, aka Stannis Baratheon. Prometheus is the Titan-descendant cursed to this punishment for, in the myths at least, stealing fire and giving it to humanity. He’s also KAOS‘ narrator, a wry voice overseeing the action and introducing the key players. Dillane is well-known for his lead role in The Tunnel, Vigil, Red Election and a great many films including The Hours, Zero Dark Thirty and Darkest Hour.
ALSO STARRING
President Minos & Pas – Stanley Townsend & Shila Omni
Irish actor Stanley Townsend (pictured above) plays KAOS‘ answer to King Minos of Krete alongside Iranian-American actor Shila Omni as his wife Pas (short for Pasiphae). Townsend is a familiar and welcome face from a host of film, television and stage roles including The Shadow Line, 24: Live Another Day, Galavant, The Tunnel, Dangerous Liaisons and The Regime. Omni recently voiced Cinder in Pixar film Elemental, played Nahid in Tehran, and appeared in The Bold Type and Little America.
The Fates: Atropos, Lachy and Clotho – Sam Buttery, Suzy Eddie Izzard and Ché
KAOS‘ three Fates, also known in Greek myth as the Moirai, are a mystical trio responsible for ensuring that destinies are fulfilled. In KAOS, they write each human’s prophecy, are instrumental in the plan to topple the world order and are played by three trans actors. Atropos is played by Sam Buttery, a stage and screen performer (with a hell of a voice it’s a pity we don’t hear her use in this role) seen recently in Wreck, and who also appeared on singing talent show The Voice back in 2012. Lachey (Lachesis in Greek myth) is played by Suzy Eddie Izzard, an actor, stand-up, extreme marathon runner and political activist known for Hannibal, Stay Close and recent horror film Doctor Jekyll. Clotho is played by Ché, a stage performer who recently appeared in the TV adaptation of Never Let Me Go and ITV’s Riches, alongside several theatre roles.
The Furies: Tisi, Alecto & Meg – Donna Banya, Cathy Tyson, Natalie Klamar
The punishment-doling-out Furies Tisiphone, Alecto and Megaera are played by Breathtaking and War of the Worlds‘ Donna Banya (Tisi), Band of Gold, Boiling Point and Criminal Record‘s Cathy Tyson (Alecto), and The Curse, Grantchester and Vera‘s Natalie Klamar (Meg).
Medusa – Debi Mazar
Middle management in the City of the Dead in this version of the myths, snake-headed Gorgon Medusa is played by actor, TV personality (and close personal friend of Madonna), Debi Mazar, who went from make-up artistry to acting in Goodfellas, Empire Records, Entourage and countless more, as well as a recent swerve into cookery TV and the restaurant industry.
Cassandra – Billie Piper
The Trojan prophet blessed with the power of foresight but cursed never to be believed, Cass is played by Billie Piper, a former teen popstar, now actor, writer and director who followed up her time as a fan-favourite companion in Doctor Who with excellent performances in Diary of a Call Girl, Penny Dreadful, I Hate Suzie and her own directorial debut Rare Beasts.
Theseus – Daniel Lawrence Taylor
Timewasters and Boarders creator and comedy actor Daniel Lawrence Taylor plays Theseus, who in this version of the myths, is Ari’s security guard at the palace.
The Tacita – Michelle Greenidge
Doctor Who fans will recognise Michelle Greenidge, who plays one of Hera’s tongueless priestesses the Tacita, from her role as Ruby Sunday’s mother Carla in the current Ncuti Gatwa era. She’s also been in Queenie, Mandy, Code 404, After Life, It’s a Sin and much, much more.
Anatole – Robert Emms
A human who attempts to retrieve his dead son from the underworld, Anatole is played by Robert Emms, who coincidentally also appeared in BBC teatime Greek myth show Atlantis many years ago. You’ll know him from Happy Valley series two, War of the Worlds, Chernobyl and His Dark Materials.
Prue – Rosie Cavaliero
Actor Rosie Cavaliero plays Prue, an enthusiastic new recruit to Hades’ diving team. You’ll know her from, well, loads of stuff. As well as roles in Gentleman Jack, Code 404, Unforgotten, Hunderby and the Nativity films, she’s been in pretty much every comedy of recent years, from Inside No. 9 to Alan Partridge and many many more.
KAOS is out now on Netflix.
The post KAOS Cast: Meet the Actors and Their Greek Myth Characters appeared first on Den of Geek.
