The FX on Hulu brand has given audiences some incredible shows since FX+ was given a fresh coat of paint and new name in early 2020, with shows like Reservation Dogs, Under the Banner of Heaven, and The Bear being considered some of the best offerings on TV right now. The latest addition to the library, Fleishman Is in Trouble, has all the trappings of the brand’s next big hit, thanks to its story (based on Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s 2019 novel of the same name), style, and a tremendous collection of actors with all kinds of accolades.
If you have watched the first two episodes of the 2022 TV show, which premiered on November 17, 2022, or you are planning on catching up later on, there’s a good chance you are wondering where you’ve seen the members of the Fleishman Is in Trouble cast before. Well, you’ve come to the right place because we’re about to break it all down now…
Jesse Eisenberg (Toby Fleishman)
Jesse Eisenberg leads the Fleishman Is in Trouble cast as Toby Fleishman, a recently-divorced 40-year-old doctor in Manhattan who is getting used to the app-based dating world and a single parent after his wife ups and leaves without notice.
Throughout his career, Eisenberg has played an intelligent and overly-ambitious billionaire in The Social Network and an over-the-top version of Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, respectively, while also playing more sincere characters in titles like The Squid and the Whale, Adventureland, and the Zombieland franchise. The new FX on Hulu miniseries is Eisenberg’s first major TV role since his days on Get Real more than 20 years ago.
Claire Danes (Rachel Fleishman)
Multi-time Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy winner Claire Danes appears in the Fleishman Is in Trouble cast as Toby’s ex-wife Rachel, who, after years of marriage, decides she needs something new and different from life.
Danes is no stranger to the medium of TV, as she first rose to prominence on the quintessential ‘90s series My So-Called Life, and then later on with the decorated Showtime original series, Homeland. She has also appeared on Temple Grandin, Master of None, and The Essex Serpent over the years. Danes’ film credits include Baz Luhrman’s reimagining of Romeo + Juliet, The Hours, Shopgirl, and The Family Stone, to name only a few.
Lizzy Caplan (Libby Epstein)
Taking on the role of Toby’s best friend Libby Epstein (who also provides the show’s narration) is Lizzy Caplan, who brings years of experience to the Fleishman Is in Trouble cast.
Just like the co-stars listed above, Caplan got her start in show business on TV, with a four-episode run on Freaks and Geeks, the short-lived dramedy series that helped launch the careers of some of today’s biggest stars. Over the years, Caplan has landed leading roles on Party Down, Masters of Sex, and Castle Rock, to name just a few. She’s next set to take on the role of Alex Forrest in the upcoming TV-adaptation of Fatal Attraction.
Adam Brody (Seth Morris)
Adam Brody appears in the Fleishman Is in Trouble cast as Seth Morris, one of Toby’s best friends who helps guide him through the post-divorce life.
Brody, who came into prominence with his portrayal of Seth Cohen on the Fox teen drama series The O.C., following appearances on shows like Grounded for Life and The Sausage Factory, has continued to be a go-to name over the years. Movies like Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Sleeping with Other People, Promising Young Woman, and Ready or Not have all featured the actor in some capacity. He is next set to reprise his role of the superhero version of Freddy Freeman in the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Christian Slater (Archer Sylvan)
Christian Slater appears on Fleishman Is in Trouble as Archer Sylvan, a character Deadline described as being a “Tom Wolfe-esque” figure who writes an article about the dissolution of marriage, reflecting the show’s central conflict.
Slater is mostly known for appearing in movies like Heathers, True Romance, Interview with the Vampire, and Stephen King’s Dolan’s Cadillac, but he has more than a few TV credits to his name that are worth mentioning. First, there’s his decorated performance on Mr. Robot that earned him a Golden Globe and multiple nominations, but he has also appeared on Dr. Death, The West Wing, Alias, and a few dozen other programs going back to the early 1980s.
Josh Radnor (Adam Epstein)
Josh Radnor also joins the Fleishman is in Trouble cast as Libbey Epstein’s husband, Adam.
Whenever Radnor’s name (or face) comes up, it’s hard not to instantly think of Ted Mosby, the character he played for nine seasons on the CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother. After that, he landed a major role on Grey's Anatomy. Randor’s other TV credits include Rise, Hunters, Mercy Street, and Six Feet Under, to name a few. He has also popped up in movies like Liberal Arts, Social Animals, and Not Another Teen Movie.
Michael Gaston (Dr. Bartuck)
Taking on the role Dr. Bartuck, Toby’s overbearing boss, is Michael Gaston.
Throughout his career, Gaston has appeared on shows like Five Days at Memorial, Jack Ryan, For Life, The Leftovers, Mad Men, Jericho, The West Wing, and a few dozen others, including brief, one-off roles on shows like Law & Order and The Sopranos. His film work includes W., Inception, First Reformed, and Cop Land, to name just a few.
Meara Mahoney-Gross (Hannah Fleishman)
Meara Mahoney-Gross appears on Fleishman Is in Trouble as Hannah, the daughter of Toby and Rachel who finds herself caught in the middle of her parents’ divorce and new lives.
Mahoney-Gross has only been acting for a few years, but she has already appeared in movies like The Tender Bar and Don’t Look Up.
Maxim Swinton (Solly Fleishman)
Maxim Swinton shows up on Fleishman Is in Trouble as Solly, the young son of Toby and Rachel.
Over the course of the past few years, Swinton has made appearances on shows like Halston, NOS4A2, Blindspot, Bull, and The Blacklist: Redemption, to name a few.
The first two episodes of Fleishman Is in Trouble are currently available to stream if you have a Hulu subscription, and new episodes are set to premiere every Thursday through the end of the year.
