Kate Walsh Cast In Netflix's Umbrella Academy
Kate Walsh is the newest addition to Netflix's upcoming original series The Umbrella Academy.
Per Variety, Walsh, who does double Netflix duty starring as Olivia Baker on 13 Reasons Why, will take on the role of The Handler. Her character is a recurring one, described as "a composed and confident leader of a mysterious bureaucratic company."
Adapted from the Gerard Way comic series of the same name, The Umbrella Academy centers on the estranged members of the dysfunctional Hargreeves family otherwise known as (no surprise here) the Umbrella Academy. Tom Hopper (Game of Thrones) stars as Luther, the leader of the Umbrella Academy; Emmy Raver-Lampman (Hamilton) portrays Allison, who can make anything happen simply by saying the action aloud; David Castañeda (El Chicano) as Diego, the vigilante who thinks it's bogus that Luther is the head of the house and not him; Robert Sheehan (Misfits) as Klaus, a friendly but untrustworthy drug addict; Aidan Gallagher (Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn) as Number Five, the 58-year-old man who's trapped inside the body of a 13-year-old boy; and Ellen Page (Juno) as Vanya, the powerless black sheep of the Umbrella Academy. Together, they must work to unravel the truth behind their father's mysterious death without letting their divergent abilities and personalities get in the way.
Most of the Umbrella Academy carry different names, with Luther going by Spaceboy, Allison otherwise known as the Rumor, Diego usually being called the Kraken, Klaus also going by the Séance, and Vanya otherwise known as the White Violin. Sir Reginald Hargreeves (played by House of Cards actor Colm Feore) is better known as the Monocle, and Ben Hargreeves rocks the alternate name the Horror. It's currently unknown who portrays Ben, though 2nd Generation star Ethan Hwang plays a young version of the character.
In addition to joining the central cast, Walsh will act alongside Oscar-nominated songstress Mary J. Blige as Cha-Cha, "sadistic and sociopathic ... ruthless and unorthodox hit-woman who travels through time to kill assigned targets," who thinks of herself as a "pain artist" and doesn't care for people except her partner Hazel. Mindhunter breakout Cameron Britton is the actor behind Hazel, "an infamously ruthless and efficient hit-man, currently under contract ... to time travel and assassinate targets in different decades." Adam Godley, John Magaro, and Ashley Madekwe round out the cast.
Jeremy Slater (The Exorcist) adapted the pilot episode of The Umbrella Academy for the small screen. Steve Blackman (Fargo, Altered Carbon) is attached as showrunner and executive producer of the series, which consists of 10 episodes and is set to arrive on Netflix sometime this year.