For better or worse, Sex Pistols have long been considered one of the most consequential bands of all time and helped usher in one of the first waves of punk rock and took the genre and lifestyle to new heights. And while there have been several books, documentaries, and even a 1986 drama starring the incomparable Gary Oldman as the outfit’s one-time bassist Sid Vicious, the story of how the band formed and changed the world has largely gone untold in terms of mainstream exposure. Well, that will certainly change with Danny Boyle’s six-part FX series Pistol which is currently streaming on Hulu.
If you’ve watched the show already or at least saw a trailer or two in the lead-up to its release, you may be wondering where you’ve seen the actors before, including two familiar faces from the Game of Thrones cast. Well, never mind the bollocks, here’s the Pistol cast…
Toby Wallace (Steve Jones)
Let’s start off the raucous bunch with Toby Wallace, who portrays Sex Pistols guitarist and founding member Steven Jones whose memoir Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol serve as the basis of the biographical drama series.
Before landing the role of the most influential figures of the punk rock movement, Wallace cut his teeth in movies like The Turning, Boys in the Trees, and Babyteeth, as well as shows like Romper Stomper and The Society. He’s next set to share the screen with Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Foster, and Jenna Ortega in the Paramount+ crime thriller Finestkind, per Deadline.
Jacob Slater (Paul Cook)
Next up is Jacob Slater who sits behind the kit as Sex Pistols drummer Paul “Cookie” Cook, who is also Steven Jones’ longtime friend and partner-in-crime on Pistol. Slater’s portrayal of the punk pioneer on Danny Boyle’s new six-part limited series is the young actor’s first acting gig though he has long been a prominent figure in the South London music scene with bands like Dead Pretties and Wunderhorse.
Anson Boon (John Lydon)
Stepping in as the former Sex Pistols eccentric and controversial frontman John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, is Anson Boon, who has started to build up quite a resumé for himself in recent years.
Throughout his short career, which goes back to an appearance on All at Sea in 2014, Boon has popped up on shows like The Alienist, Living the Dream, and The Defeated, as well as movies like The Winter Lake and Crawl. Boon also had a brief appearance on the 1917 cast.
Christian Lees (Glen Matlock)
Taking on the role of the Sex Pistols’ original bassist and songwriter Glen Matlock on Pistol is Christian Lees.
Throughout his career, Lees has appeared on shows like Parents, The Bill, Little Crackers, and probably most notably Sun Records, on which he portrayed another musician, a little rock and roller named Jerry Lee Lewis. Lees also had a role in the 2021 British biographical sports drama The Phantom of the Open, which is opening stateside in June 2022.
Louis Partridge (Sid Vicious)
One of the most iconic figures in the history of punk music, Sid Vicious, the young and charismatic bassist who joined up with the Sex Pistols at the height of their fame, is portrayed by Louis Partridge on Pistol.
Throughout his career, Partridge has appeared in movies like Paddington 2, Pan, and Enola Holmes, and will soon appear in the eagerly awaited sequel to the Netflix mystery drama starring Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill.
Sydney Chandler (Chrissie Hynde)
Sydney Chandler shows up on Pistol as Chrissie Hynde, founding member, guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter of American rock outfit The Pretenders, as well as someone who had a personal connection with the Sex Pistols before making a name for herself.
Since making her debut in 2016, Chandler has appeared in a a variety of short films like Jellyfish and Chemistry. She is next set to appear in Olivia Wilde’s upcoming psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling alongside Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Chris Pine.
Talulah Riley (Vivienne Westwood)
Talulah Riley appears in Pistol as Vivienne Westwood, one of the founders of the legendary boutique SEX that became ground zero from London’s punk and fashion culture in the 1970s.
Over the years, Riley has landed prominent roles on shows like Nearly Famous and Westworld as well as smaller parts on everything from Poirot to Doctor Who. Her film work includes Inception (she was Eames’ disguise), The Dilemma, Bloodshot, and Pride & Prejudice.
Maisie Williams (Jordan)
Taking on the role of the late London fashion icon known as Jordan (real name Pamela Rooke) on Pistol is former Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams.
Obviously best known for her portrayal of Arya Stark on the long-running HBO fantasy drama series, Williams has been quite busy on the small screen since her days in Westeros came to an end. In the past couple of years, Williams has appeared on Two Weeks to Live and Gen:Lock. She has also popped up in movies like The Book of Love, Mary Shelley, The New Mutants, and The Owners.
Emma Appleton (Nancy Spungen)
Nancy Spungen, the second half of the infamously ill-fated couple Sid and Nancy, is portrayed by Emma Appleton on Pistol.
Appleton is no stranger when it comes to TV shows as she previously appeared on The End of the F***ing World, Genius, Traitors, and The Witcher. Outside of a few short films, Appleton’s other film credits include L.O.L.A. and The Last Letter from Your Lover.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Malcolm McLaren)
And rounding out the main portion of the Pistol cast is Thomas Brodie-Sangster who portrays Malcolm McLaren, who managed bands like Sex Pistols and New York Dolls throughout his life.
One of the most recognizable faces on the Pistol cast, Brodie-Sangster has appeared in movies like Love Actually, The Maze Runner franchise, Nowhere Boy, and was one of the many notable cameos in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. His TV work, which is just as impressive, includes Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Godless, and The Queen’s Gambit.
This is just a portion of the Pistol cast and doesn’t include all of the other prominent figures of the punk rock movement who appear on the six-episode streaming series available to anyone with a Hulu subscription.
