Black Mirror S6: Beyond the Sea cast & characters

Here’s your guide to the full cast and characters in Season 6 Episode 3 of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror, titled ‘Beyond the Sea’.

Brooker’s back, baby, with another chapter in his twisted sci-fi saga. It’s been four long years since Miley Cyrus’ robotic AI doll and Anthony Mackie’s VR gamer graced our screens, but it was well worth the wait.

As we said in our review: “Black Mirror is back for Season 6, with five twisty short stories that go beyond the ‘what if phones, but too much’ critique and prove once again that Brooker is one of the most exciting writers in the TV landscape.”

Episode 3 of the Netflix show, titled ‘Beyond the Sea’, is nothing short of a masterpiece, blending a futuristic space story with a period romance piece – so, we’ve broken down all of the major roles in the cast of the episode including the actors and the characters they play. Don’t worry, this is spoiler-free. 

Contents

• Cliff Stanfield: Aaron Paul
• David Ross: Josh Hartnett
• Lana Stanfield: Kate Mara
• Jessica Ross: Auden Thornton
• Kappa: Rory Culkin

Black Mirror: Beyond the Sea cast and characters

Before we get into the cast and characters of ‘Beyond the Sea’, here’s the spoiler-free synopsis: “In an alternative 1969, two men on a perilous high-tech mission wrestle with the consequences of an unimaginable tragedy.”

Charlie Brooker said in a press release: “‘Beyond The Sea’ is set in a fictionalized 1969. We encounter two astronauts… They are on board a spaceship that’s undergoing a lengthy mission. And there’s a very ‘Black Mirror’ bit of tech at work that’s central to their mission – and that’s all I’m going to say about that for now! 

“When I’d first envisaged this, it was set in the near future – but in keeping with shaking things up this season I thought ‘f*ck it, what if it’s set in the 60s instead’. And then doing that

immediately gave it a slightly different tone, and also informed the characters – because they have the mindset and attitudes of people from that era. Alongside that, this episode has a classic sci-fi feel with a dreamlike quality.”

Cliff Stanfield: Aaron Paul

Netflix

Aaron Paul plays Cliff Stanfield, an astronaut on a lengthy mission with his peer David. Cliff is also a traditional family man, but one who is emotionally closed off from his wife and their son. 

Speaking about his performance in the same press release, Jessica Rhoades, Black Mirror’s executive producer, said: “Aaron Paul really is astounding in his role. We wanted him back after his small cameo in ‘USS Callister’.

“At the time of casting, he had just had his second child, so we were concerned it wasn’t going to work out. We sent him the script, and he fell in love with it. The thing about Aaron is, aside from being an incredible actor, his ability in finding the most amazing ways to connect the character and then the scene.”

Does he even need an introduction? Paul is, of course, one half of the leading duo in Breaking Bad, portraying Jesse Pinkman alongside Bryan Cranston’s Walter White. Alongside his history-making performance in the AMC show, Paul’s appeared in Westworld, Truth Be Told, and The Last House on the Left. 

David Ross: Josh Hartnett

Netflix

Josh Hartnett stars as David Ross in the ‘Beyond the Sea’ cast, Cliff’s charismatic astronaut colleague who joins him on their cosmic mission. David is also a family man, one who is passionately in love with his wife, and who he shares two kids with. When he’s not taking part in the day-to-day running of the spaceship, he’s an avid artist with a passion for reading and music. 

Paul opened up about working with Hartnett, saying: “I’ve known Josh for a long time, and I have been a fan of his work for as long as I’ve known him. ‘Beyond the Sea’ is the first time we’ve got to go toe-to-toe with each other. Josh plays David, who is charismatic and charming. He’s a man with the world at his fingertips. My character, Cliff, is the opposite. He’s stiff, not a talker, and just goes by the book. It’s been a dream to explore the two characters and how they interact.”

Meanwhile, Hartnett said of his co-star: “Aaron has a gift where he can flick the switch, and he’s in character and hits the performance every time. That could sound intense, but he is a very easy-going guy, which you need on a story like this.”

It’s safe to say Hartnett matches Paul’s star power, having appeared in a wide range of shows and movies dating back to the ‘90s. An honorable mention to his role in Halloween H20, and his other work includes The Faculty, The Virgin Suicides, Black Hawk Down, Sin City, Penny Dreadful, and Paradise Lost. 

Lana Stanfield: Kate Mara

Netflix

Kate Mara stars as Lana Stanfield, Cliff’s wife who has lost her spark in life as a result of her emotionally distant husband. Without giving too much away, she plays a major role in the events of ‘Beyond the Sea’.

Brooker described Mara’s performance as “amazing” and “heartbreaking,” adding: “Honestly, I am in awe of all their performances.”

This isn’t the first time Mara’s appeared in a space setting, having starred in Ridley Scott’s 2015 epic The Martian. A number of her other acting accolades include Fantastic Four, A Teacher, Pose, House of Cards, and American Horror Story. 

Jessica Ross: Auden Thornton

Netflix

Auden Thornton plays Jessica Ross, David’s wife and mother to their two children. Their family has the picture perfect life, living in a stylish home in California – but how long before the picture breaks?

Thornton has appeared in a number of TV shows and movies over the years, from This Is Us and The Good Wife to Beauty Mark and True Story. 

Kappa: Rory Culkin

Netflix

Rory Culkin stars as Kappa in Black Mirror’s ‘Beyond the Sea’ cast, a shadowy figure whose actions have indelible consequences for Cliff, David, and their families. 

As the youngest brother of Macaulay and Kieran Culkin, Rory has carved a career for himself on the big screen, rising to fame in M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs. Since then, he’s starred in Scream 4, Lords of Chaos, You Can Count on Me, and Sneaky Pete, to name a few. 

That’s everything we know about the main cast and characters in ‘Beyond the Sea’. Black Mirror Seasons 1-6 are available to stream on Netflix now. You can check out our other coverage below: 

• Black Mirror S6 review 
• ‘Joan is Awful’ explained | Episode 1 cast
• ‘Loch Henry’ explained | Episode 2 cast
• ‘Beyond the Sea’ explained
• ‘Mazey Day’ explained | Episode 4 cast
• ‘Demon 79’ explained | Episode 5 cast
• Black Mirror S6 soundtrack
• Black Mirror Season 7
• Black Mirror S6 Easter eggs
• What is Red Mirror?
• What is the Waltonville Claw?