Anthony and Joe Russo know a thing or two about working with large ensemble casts made of up talented actors — just look at their work on four of the best Marvel movies and it becomes all the more clear. And now it looks like the filmmaking siblings have pulled off the impossible once again with the 2022 Netflix movie The Gray Man.
With names like Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas front and center of the spy thriller book-to-film adaptation, it’s safe to say The Gray Man cast is one remarkable bunch of actors. But while you are familiar with the the top three billed names, you might be wondering where you’ve seen the rest of the cast before. Well, wonder no more…
Ryan Gosling (Court Gentry)
At the center of The Gray Man is Ryan Gosling’s Count Gentry, aka Sierra Six, a CIA black ops operative who becomes the target of an international manhunt after uncovering information others within his agency would like to keep under wraps.
Whether he’s singing and dancing his way into Academy Awards consideration with La La Land or warming up even the coldest of hearts in The Notebook, Gosling has long been one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood. And with incredible performances in the likes of Drive, Blade Runner 2049, and dozens of others, it’s easy to see that Gosling’s best movies are also some of the crowning achievements of the past two decades.
Chris Evans (Lloyd Hansen)
Hot on the trail of the world’s most wanted spy in The Gray Man is unhinged and dangerous assassin Lloyd Hansen, portrayed by Chris Evans.
Despite being best known for playing the fan-favorite hero Captain America throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Evans has proven on more than one occasion that he is well suited to play the bad guy. In addition to the MCU films, Chris Evans movie credits include Snowpiercer, Gifted, Knives Out and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
Ana de Armas (Dani Miranda)
Although just about everyone within the CIA wants to capture Count Gentry, Ana de Armas’ Dani Miranda is one of the few agents willing to help the former decorated operative.
The Gray Man is marks the second time de Armas has worked with Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans in a movie, as she starred alongside Gosling in Blade Runner 2049 and Evans in Knives Out. The actress, who has a long list of great movies herself, will next appear in Netflix’s NC-17-rated Marilyn Monroe movie Blonde in September.
Jessica Henwick (Suzanne Brewer)
Taking on the role of the ruthless CIA senior official Suzanne Brewer in The Gray Man is Jessica Henwick, whose career has taken her the galaxy far, far away, Westeros, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the Matrix over the years.
In 2015, Henwick played X-Wing pilot Jessika Pava in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the same year she played one of the Sand Snakes on Game of Thrones. Since then, Henwick has landed roles on shows like Iron Fist, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, and Moley, as well as movies like Underwater and The Matrix Resurrections as franchise newcomer Bugs. She’s next set to appear in the upcoming Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Rege-Jean Page (Denny Carmichael)
Orchestrating the plan to capture Count Gentry in The Gray Man is Regé-Jean Page’s CIA Director Lenny Carmichael.
No stranger when it comes to Netflix productions, Page became one of the most talked about actors thanks to his steamy role on Bridgerton Season 1 before departing the historical drama. And while it isn’t known if he’ll ever return to the Netflix series, Page is slated to appear in the upcoming Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie. And then there is also all that buzz around if he will or will not be the next man to call himself “Bond, James Bond.”
Wagner Moura (Lazlo Sosa)
Wagner Moura shows up in The Gray Man as Lazlo Sosa, a counterfeiter who provides some assistance for Ryan Gosling’s character while on the run.
Another actor on The Gray Man cast who has history with Netflix, Moura earned a Golden Globe nomination and other accolades for his portrayal of Pablo Escobar on the first two seasons of popular crime drama series Narcos. Moura has also appeared in movies like Elysium, Elite Squad, and multiple others over the course of the past three decades.
Billy Bob Thornton (Donald Fitzroy)
Billy Bob Thornton plays the role of Donald Fitzroy, the CIA official behind the Sierra program and the man believed to know the location of the wanted Six.
The list of Thornton’s best movies features one extraordinary performance after another in films like Sling Blade, Monster’s Ball, Primary Colors, Tombstone and more. And Thornton also knows a thing or two about working alongside large casts in the likes of Armageddon, Friday Night Lights, and Fargo.
Julia Butters (Claire Fitzroy)
Taking on the role of Claire Fitzroy, the niece of the Billy Bob Thornton’s CIA official is young actress Julia Butters.
Best known for her star-making performance as child actress Trudi Frazer in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Butters has also appeared in movies like A Family Man, and 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi throughout her career. Her TV credits include American Housewife, Transparent, and I Think You Should Leave. Butters is set to appear in Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical drama The Fabelmans later on in 2022.
Dhanush (Avik San)
Tamil superstar Dhanush shows up in The Gray Man as Avik San, one the numerous assassins who attempt to take out Count Gentry.
Dhanush is one of the biggest stars in Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood. The Indian actor has appeared in dozens of movies throughout his 20-year career including titles like Thulluvadho Ilamai, Thiruda Thirudi, and Pudhupettai. And as the Russo brothers told Variety, we could be seeing more of the actor if The Gray Man turns into a franchise.
Alfre Woodard (Margaret Cahill)
And then there is Alfre Woodard who appears on The Gray Man cast as Margaret Cahill, a former CIA chief who helps out the on-the-run fugitive.
Woodard previously worked with the Russos on Captain America: Civil War (she played the grieving mother who approached Tony Stark at MIT), but that was just a small part of her career. Over the years, Woodard has won a Golden Globe for her role in Miss Evers’ Boys, multiple Primetime Emmy Award for L.A. Law and The Practice, and received recognition for movies like Cross Creek, 12 Years a Slave, and Primal Fear.
These are just some of the faces that fill the screen throughout The Gray Man, which is streaming on Netflix as of July 22, 2022.
