Where You've Seen The Cast Of The Son Before

Following the critical success of the Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman-led drama "The Father," acclaimed French playwright and director Florian Zeller returns to deliver another heartbreaking family drama with "The Son." The film is based on Zeller's award-winning 2018 stage play of the same name, which featured French stars Yvan Attal and Anne Consigny. Development on the project had already started even before Zeller received his Oscar award for best adapted screenplay for his work on "The Father" (via Deadline).

"The Son” begins with hotshot New York lawyer Peter Miller, as he is taken aback by the sudden appearance of his ex-wife Kate, who informs him about their teenaged son Nicholas' troubling behavior and his three-month absence from school. She desperately asks him to help her find out what's happening with Nicholas, who refuses to open up to her. Because of this, Peter's life with new partner Beth and newborn baby gets upended, especially when Nicholas requests to move in with him. In his journey to become a better father, Nicholas' deteriorating mental health will force him to confront his mistakes and own trauma.

Helping Zeller bring this intense and emotional piece to life are leading stars Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, and Vanessa Kirby. They're joined by an incredible ensemble cast consisting of a veteran actor, British TV stars, an "Aliens" alum, and a rising young Australian thespian. Get to know more about the cast of "The Son" and find out where you've seen them before.

Portraying the titular role of "The Son" is up-and-coming Australian actor Zen McGrath. His character Nicholas is a 17-year-old kid who's struggling with his mental health following his parents' divorce as he comes to term with the reality that his father has already moved on to start a new family with another woman. Ahead of his first major leading project, McGrath was chosen by Variety as one of its ten breakthrough actors of 2022. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed that director Florian Zeller officially cast him for the daunting lead role through a Zoom call. Because of this, he admitted that his casting felt surreal and strange to him at the time, especially considering he got the role without officially meeting anyone in person.

Before "The Son," McGrath made his feature acting debut at the age of 12, after he got cast alongside his younger brother Winta McGrath in the 2014 drama "Aloft," which was led by Jennifer Connelly and Cillian Murphy. In the film, the role of young Ivan was initially set to be played by his older brother Gully McGrath of "Dark Shadows" fame. However, due to a production delay, Gully had already aged out of the character, leading Zen to replace his brother in the film. The following year, he successfully secured his first TV project in the form of the mystery thriller series "Dig," in which he played a central part as Josh. Afterward, he nabbed a supporting role opposite Levi Miller in "Red Dog: True Blue" film. In 2019, he was cast for one episode appearance on the Australian comedy "Utopia."

Leading the acclaimed cast of "The Son" is Hugh Jackman as Peter Miller, a man who's about to get everything he wants in life — a great job opportunity and a second chance at building a family with his new partner and their baby. However, when his ex-wife and eldest son reappear, he's forced to face the mistakes he made in the past in order to reconnect with his very troubled son.

Jackman received global recognition thanks to his breakout performance as Logan, aka Wolverine, in Fox's "X-Men" franchise. Because of his lack of experience in films at the time, he wasn't actually one of the frontrunners for the role. But fate intervened, as Jackman successfully nabbed the career-changing role after Dougray Scott's last-minute exit from 2000's "X-Men" movie (via Variety). He played the fan-favorite Marvel hero in eight more Fox-produced sequels, including James Mangold's critically-acclaimed "Logan," which featured the mighty hero at his most tired and world-weary. The 2017 film was actually meant to serve as Jackman's final act as Wolverine, until he surprised fans with the announcement of his return in "Deadpool 3."

Before landing "X-Men," Jackman first debuted as a professional stage actor, with early roles in theater productions of "Beauty and the Beast," "Sunset Boulevard," and "Oklahoma!" After finding success with Wolverine, he began landing lead roles in high-profile films such as the romantic comedy "Kate & Leopold," the action horror "Van Helsing," the epic drama "The Fountain," and the film adaptation of "Les Misérables." For his moving performance as Jean Valjean in the latter, he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

In "The Son," Laura Dern portrays Kate Miller, the mother of 17-year-old Nicholas and the ex-wife of Hugh Jackman's Peter. Dern is a formidable actress known for her award-winning performances in both film and television. Although she may have to credit her famous parents Bruce Dern and Diana Ladd for her innate acting abilities, her successful four-decade-plus in the industry is all thanks to her willingness to take on challenging and unique roles. This has allowed audiences to see a new side of Laura Dern in each project she signs on to.

Dern landed her first leading role in 1985 with the drama "Smooth Talk." She followed this up with a key role in the mystery thriller "Blue Velvet" from David Lynch, beginning a decades-long creative partnership that would continue in the romantic black comedy "Wild at Heart," the experimental nightmare "Inland Empire," and the expectation-defying third season of "Twin Peaks." For her performances in "Rambling Rose" and "Wild," Dern received Oscar nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. In 2019, she delivered an electric performance as divorce lawyer Nora Fanshaw in Noah Baumbach's drama "Marriage Story." That role won her multiple awards, including a Golden Globe and an Oscar.

In addition, Dern also received international fame as Dr. Ellie Sattler in Steven Spielberg's game-changing "Jurassic Park." She recently returned to the blockbuster dinosaur franchise in "Jurassic World: Dominion" alongside fellow legacy actors Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum. Apart from making a name for herself in movies, Dern has also found success in television with critically-acclaimed performances in shows like "Afterburn," "Enlightened," and "Big Little Lies," which all earned her Golden Globe Awards.

In "The Son," Vanessa Kirby takes on the role of Beth, the new life partner of Hugh Jackman's Peter who's just given birth to their first child. Kirby's most prominent performance to date is her memorable portrayal of Princess Margaret during the first two seasons of Netflix's acclaimed drama "The Crown." Her breakthrough performance earned her an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Speaking with BAFTA Guru, Kirby revealed that she refrained from becoming an exact replica of the late royal by not mimicking her mannerisms, and has instead portrayed her "vivid and vibrant spirit."

Before venturing into onscreen acting, Kirby first started to make a name for herself in theater. In her debut year as a professional stage actress, she played the leading roles in the productions of "All My Sons," "Ghosts," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Octagon Theatre Bolton. In 2011, she made her television debut on two BBC shows, "The Hour" and "Great Expectations." Before landing "The Crown," she was a main cast member on the British period drama "The Frankenstein Chronicles," playing Lady Jemina Harvey.

After her time on "The Crown" ended, Kirby began building her film career by scoring key roles in high-profile action films including "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" as White Widow and "Hobbs & Shaw" as Hattie Shaw. For her heart-wrenching portrayal of a woman facing the loss of her newborn child in "Pieces of a Woman," she received her first Academy Award nomination for best actress. After "The Son," Kirby can be seen reprising her role in the two-part "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning" and as Empress Josephine in Ridley Scott's "Napoleon" biopic.

Anthony Hopkins plays Anthony Miller, the strict estranged father of Hugh Jackman's Peter. "The Son" serves as Hopkins' reunion with director Florian Zeller, who directed the acting legend in the 2020 drama "The Father," about an old man dealing with the consequences of his dementia. That film led Hopkins to his second Oscar win for Best Actor.

In Hopkins' six-decade career, he has amassed more than 140 acting credits, portraying many iconic characters throughout the years. His most noteworthy roles include playing Corky in "Magic," Frederick Treves in "The Elephant Man," Abraham Van Helsing in "Bram Stoker's Dracula," James Stevens in "The Remains of the Day," and John Quincy Adams in "Amistad." But it was his iconic performance as Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs" that earned him his first Oscar for Best Actor. Hopkins has also appeared in several action films such as "The Mask of Zorro," "Transformers: The Last Knight," and the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first three "Thor" movies as Odin, the King of Asgard and father to Thor and Loki.

Apart from being an established movie star, Hopkins has also been recognized for his acclaimed performances in a few limited TV series, including "The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case," "The Bunker," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and "Great Expectations," with the first two winning him Emmy awards for Outstanding Lead Actor. In 2016, Hopkins portrayed the enigmatic character of Robert Ford on HBO's sci-fi drama "Westworld."

British actor Hugh Quarshie will be appearing as a doctor in "The Son." It's a fitting role for someone who has been familiar with the medical drama genre for a long time now. For nearly two decades, Quarshie played the series regular role of general surgical consultant Ric Griffin on the BBC One series "Holby City." Before departing the series in 2020, he was the soap opera's longest serving cast member (via Digital Spy). He also reprised his role for the "Holby City" spin-off "Casualty" in a recurring capacity.

Quarshie's early television roles include brief appearances on "Angels," "Screenplay," "Behaving Badly," and "Press Gang." Before joining "Holby City," he was part of another medical drama, the ITV series "Medics," as Dr. Tom Carey for 19 episodes. In 2007, he also took on a recurring role in two episodes of the David Tennant-led "Doctor Who." Recent TV performances have found him playing Neville Lawrence on the limited crime drama "Stephen" and Alex in the last two seasons of the Martin Freeman-led dark comedy "Breeders."

Quarshie also has a few notable film credits to his name, including supporting roles in the action adventure "Highlander," the supernatural horror "The Church," and the dark fantasy "Nightbreed." "Star Wars" fans may recognize him for his supporting role as Captain Quarsh Panaka in 1999's "Episode I – The Phantom Menace." In 2018, he joined another high-profile franchise with "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald," in which he portrayed Mustafa Kama.

In "The Son," William Hope plays the role of Andrew, one of Peter's co-workers. After graduating from the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Hope dedicated himself to theater and appeared in many West End stage productions before making a leap to onscreen acting. Hope made his television debut in the early 1980s after he scored small appearances on the ITV series "Flickers," the BBC Two drama "Nancy Astor," and the miniseries "Lace." 

His big break came in 1986, when visionary filmmaker James Cameron enlisted him for a central role in the iconic sci-fi action film "Aliens," starring opposite Sigourney Weaver as an inexperienced commanding officer, Lieutenant Scott Gorman. After that, Hope scored the supporting role of Kyle MacRae in the horror sequel "Hellbound: Hellraiser II," which centered around interdimensional sadomasochistic entities known as Cenobites. Since then, he continued landing supporting parts in films like "Sherlock Holmes," "The Whistleblower," "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Dark Shadows," "The Catcher Was a Spy," and 2022's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

In addition, Hope has also done voice work for the British children's series "Thomas & Friends," in which he was able to lend his voice to multiple characters from 2010-2021. Besides the series, he could also be heard in many of the show's film spin-offs, including "Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails" and "Thomas & Friends: Journey Beyond Sodor."

In "The Son," Akie Kotabe plays a supporting role as Mr. Yama. Kotabe is a Japanese American actor who currently has more than a hundred acting credits, consisting of a few leading roles in films and guest appearances on TV shows. He made his acting debut in 2005 with minor roles on the sitcom "Stacked" and the medical drama "ER." He followed that up with one-episode appearances on "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" as Kendo, "CSI: Miami" as Johnny Young, "Without a Trace" as Todd, and "Mad Men" as Akira Takahashi. In 2018, he nabbed a recurring role in the third season of "The Man in the High Castle," portraying Nakamura for six episodes. His recent TV roles include RJ on "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and Satoshi on "Invasion."

So far, Kotabe has only appeared in a few notable films, with the first one being the Chris Pine-led action thriller "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit." He also had a supporting appearance in the Pierce Brosnan spy vehicle "The November Man." The following year, he landed a leading role opposite Salma Hayek in "Everly" from director Joe Lynch. Afterward, he continued playing minor characters in action films like "Jason Bourne," "Hobbs & Shaw," "Wonder Woman 1984," "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," and "The Batman." In 2020, he was cast in the independent fantasy thriller "Clay's Redemption," which marked the first time that he took on a lead role and earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Madrid International Film Festival.

Isaura Barbé-Brown plays the supporting character of Sophia in "The Son." In 2010, Barbé-Brown was cast for the lead role in the short drama film "Mosa." She followed that up with the dual roles of Carla Mensah and Roxanne in the independent drama feature "David Is Dying." Afterward, she continued landing supporting roles in independent films like "Candle Water," "The Forgotten," "Always in the Present," and "The Carrier." In 2018, Barbé-Brown finally landed a minor role in her first high-profile feature, "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald," in which she briefly appeared as Laurena Kama.

As for her television career, she's nabbed one-episode appearances on shows like the dramedy "Almost Never" as a guitar engineer, the Paramount+ live-action series adaptation of "Halo" as Katie Rios, the thriller "The Undeclared War" as Annie, and the limited music drama series "The Playlist." Barbé-Brown also landed recurring roles on the comedy "Toast of Tinseltown" as Snorky and on the long-running medical drama "Doctors” as Caroline Morgan.

George Potts will be playing Nicholas Miller's therapist, a brief but important role in "The Son." Potts began his acting career in 2000 when he landed three TV projects, including one-episode spots on the medical drama "Doctors" as Rev. Martin Wade and the sports drama "Playing the Field" as Dr. Brenton, as well as the TV movie "Dirty Tricks" as Root.

Afterward, Potts also made brief appearances on British shows like the period miniseries "North & South" with Richard Armitage, the romantic dramedy "ShakespeaRe-Told" with James McAvoy, the mystery thriller "Secret Smile" with David Tennant, the comedy drama "Hotel Babylon" with Dexter Fletcher, and the mystery crime comedy "Year of the Rabbit" with Matt Berry. In 2019, Potts finally scored his first major TV role as Ken Weaver on "Ackley Bridge" on Channel 4. The following year, he got the chance to star opposite Jude Law as Alan in three episodes of the HBO drama "The Third Day."

Compared to his television career, Potts has only starred in a few notable films. In 2006, he made his feature debut in the thriller drama "Land of the Blind," which featured acting powerhouses Donald Sutherland and Ralph Fiennes. He has also ventured into the fantasy genre with small appearances in the Ben Barnes-led "Dorian Gray" and in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1." He followed that up with supporting roles in the independent films "Papadopoulous & Sons," "The Death of Stalin," and "Say Your Prayers," along with short film appearances in "The Last Temptation of Chris" and "Meat Is Murder."