Fatal Attraction cast: All actors & characters in the Paramount+ series
Paramount+Here’s your guide to the full cast and characters in Fatal Attraction, the anticipated new thriller series from Paramount+ adapted from the movie of the same name.
Ever since Fatal Attraction dropped in 1987, it’s had a huge influence on pop culture – whether we like it or not. The term “bunny boiler” is still a known phrase to this day, defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “a woman who punishes a man in a dangerous or cruel way because he has stopped being her lover.”
Unsurprisingly, it’s not without its critics, with many believing the Michael Douglas and Glenn Close-starring film to be a metaphorical warning that the lives of women who choose to replace their obligations as a mother and housewife with a career will end in disaster.
But now, in 2023, Paramount+ is set to deliver an eight-part miniseries telling the Fatal Attraction story from an entirely new perspective. Ahead of its anticipated premiere, we’ve broken down all of the major roles in the cast of the show including the actors and the characters they play.
Contents
- Dan Gallagher: Joshua Jackson
- Alex Forrest: Lizzy Caplan
- Beth Gallagher: Amanda Peet
- Mike Gerard: Toby Huss
- Arthur Tomlinson: Brian Goodman
- Ellen Gallagher: Alyssa Jirrels
- Detective Earl Brooker: Reno Wilson
- Sophie: Jessica Harper
- Marcella Levya: Wanda De Jesus
- Maureen Walker: Doreen Calderon
- Warren: John Getz
- Conchita Lewis: Toks Olagundoye
- Frank Gallardo: David Sullivan
- Richard Macksey: David Meunier
- Jorge Perez: Walter Perez
- Emma Rauch: Dee Wallace
- Terry Sands: Alfred Smith III
- Phil Packer: Burt Bulos
- Scanlon: Jesse Mackey
- Stella: Isabella Briggs
- Gabriel Ibarra: Tiago Roberts
- Rolando Cabral: Gary Perez
Fatal Attraction cast and characters
Below you’ll find a breakdown of all the characters in Fatal Attraction and the actors who play them.
The official synopsis reads: “The all-new series is a deep dive reimagining of the 1980s cultural touchstone Fatal Attraction through the lens of privilege, personality disorders, family dynamics, and murder.
“In the present day, after serving 15 years in prison for the murder of Alexandra Forrest, Daniel Gallagher is paroled with the goals of reconnecting with his family and proving his innocence. In 2008, Dan first meets Alex and his world begins to unravel after their brief affair threatens to destroy the life he’s built with his wife, Beth.”
Dan Gallagher: Joshua Jackson
Paramount+Joshua Jackson plays Dan Gallagher, previously portrayed by Michael Douglas. The character’s “world begins to unravel” after a brief affair threatens to destroy the life he’s built with his wife. In the present day, he “is paroled with the goals of reconnecting with his family and proving his innocence.”
Speaking to ScreenRant about the role, and how the character is adapted from the movie, Jackson said: “There is an obvious opening, when you watch the movie again, to delve into the Alex character but also to have some repercussions or accountability for the Dan character. There’s a lot of space that is opened up that the movie implies for the modern audience. And when you watch it, it’s wonderful that he is able to skate on everything and the world just falls at his feet, but hard to get away with that these days.”
The actor is known for playing Pacey Witter in the teen drama series Dawson’s Creek. More recently, he appeared as the main antagonist in the dramatization of Dr. Death.
Alex Forrest: Lizzy Caplan
Paramount+Lizzy Caplan plays Alex Forrest, the woman Dan has an affair with who was previously portrayed by Glenn Close.
In the same interview with ScreenRant, Caplan said that while it was “intimidating” to fill such big shoes, the new story “feels so different”. She added: “The cat we’re trying to skin is so different than the one that the film did that hopefully people will get the fun nods and the clear inspiration but see it as its own.”
You may recognize the actress as none other than Janis Ian from Mean Girls. Since then, she’s gone on to star in Cloverfield, Masters of Sex, and Castle Rock.
Beth Gallagher: Amanda Peet
Paramount+Amanda Peet plays Beth Gallagher in the Fatal Attraction cast, Dan’s loving wife who is in for a shock when the horrifying mess of her husband’s betrayal comes to light. The character was originally played by Anne Archer.
Peet appeared in a string of ’00s movies, including Identity, Something’s Gotta Give, The Whole Nine Yards, and 2012. More recently, she took on the lead role of Betty Broderick in the second season of Netflix’s Dirty John.
Mike Gerard: Toby Huss
Paramount+Toby Huss plays Mike Gerard, a new character to Fatal Attraction, one who is the DA’s chief of investigations and a friend of Dan’s.
Huss is a famous voice actor, with credits including King of the Hill, DC Batman: The Audio Adventures, and Beavis and Butt-Head, to name a few.
Arthur Tomlinson: Brian Goodman
Paramount+Brian Goodman plays Arthur Tomlinson in the Fatal Attraction cast, another new character and one who is Beth’s kind friend and business partner.
As well as being a seasoned actor, Goodman has directed a number of films including Last Seen Alive, Black Butterfly, and What Doesn’t Kill You.
Ellen Gallagher: Alyssa Jirrels
Paramount+Alyssa Jirrels plays Ellen Gallagher, Beth and Dan’s daughter who was previously played by Ellen Latzen. Thanks to the longer runtime and time-jumping narrative of the series, we will get to see how the affair and the aftermath impacts her life as she enters adulthood.
Jirrels has a number of TV accolades, including As We See It, the Saved by the Bell reboot, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Detective Earl Brooker: Reno Wilson
Paramount+Reno Wilson plays Detective Earl Brooker, a new character who is described by Deadline as “a long-standing member of the Los Angeles Police Department with a large personality and an inability to self-edit.”
Wilson has starred in a whole host of TV shows over the years, including Mike & Molly, Good Girls, and Bel-Air.
Sophie: Jessica Harper
Amazon StudiosJessica Harper plays Sophie, Beth’s mom who loves her daughter and granddaughter – and a cocktail or two.
Harper’s decades-spanning acting career saw her appear in the 1977 original and the 2018 remake of Suspiria. More recently, she starred in The Old Man, See, and Proof.
Marcella Levya: Wanda De Jesus
Universal PicturesWanda De Jesus plays Marcella Levya in the Fatal Attraction cast, a respected attorney and the boss of Dan.
De Jesus played Carla in Sons Of Anarchy. And her role as Marcella isn’t the first time she’s portrayed a person of the law, having previously appeared in NYPD Blue, The Insider, CSI: Miami, and Law & Order: Los Angeles.
Maureen Walker: Doreen Calderon
Apple TV+Doreen Calderon plays Maureen Walker who, as per Deadline, is “Dan’s longtime assistant who worked for his father before him. She knows how he thinks and keeps in perfect stride, but also has enough cred to tease her boss once in a while.”
Calderon has enjoyed a number of TV roles including Loot, Riverdale, This Is Us, and The Big Bang Theory.
Warren: John Getz
NBCJohn Getz plays Warren, Beth’s dad who is retired from working in finance and isn’t all too impressed with Dan’s career – so you can only imagine how he’s going to react when he finds out about the affair.
After starting his acting career on stage, he has since appeared in numerous series and films such as The Fly, Blood Simple, Zodiac, The Social Network, Grey’s Anatomy, Homeland, and Better Call Saul.
Conchita Lewis: Toks Olagundoye
ABCToks Olagundoye plays Conchita Lewis in the Fatal Attraction cast, the leader of the Victims Services Bureau, Alex’s boss, and a colleague and friend of Dan’s.
Olagundoye is known for her role as Hayley Shipton in Castle and Jackie Joyner-Kersee in The Neighbors. She’s also lent her voice to Arcane and DuckTales.
Frank Gallardo: David Sullivan
NetflixDavid Sullivan plays Frank Gallardo, described by Deadline as “Dan’s #2 in the Major Crimes Bureau.”
He is said to be a “fast-talking prosecutor who habitually juggles a mistress and enjoys making things awkward for other people. Dan didn’t hire him and doesn’t like him but can’t fire him so has learned to live with him.”
Sullivan’s acting roles include Argo, Primer, Flaked, and Sharp Objects.
Richard Macksey: David Meunier
FXDavid Meunier plays Richard Macksey, a psychology professor at the university Ellen attends.
Meunier has appeared in a variety of TV series such as Justified, Big Sky, Helstrom, and Arrow.
Jorge Perez: Walter Perez
NBCWalter Perez plays Jorge Perez in the Fatal Attraction cast, described as an “easygoing DDA” who is “sweet and genuine.”
Perez has starred in TV shows such as Quantum Leap and Queen Sugar, as well as movies like The Avengers and the Fame remake.
Emma Rauch: Dee Wallace
Amazon StudiosDee Wallace plays Emma Rauch, who Deadline says to be “open, friendly, chic, and interested but also sensitive to boundaries.” She is retired and a mother, someone who is a standup member of her community, although she might prove to be a bit of a nosy neighbor for Alex.
Wallace has appeared in various classic movies over the years, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Cujo, and Critters.
Terry Sands: Alfred Smith III
FreeformAlfred Smith III plays Terry Sands in the Fatal Attraction cast.
The actor has played minor roles in Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, Filthy Rich, and Cloak & Dagger.
Phil Packer: Burt Bulos
CineTel FilmsBurt Bulos plays Phil Packer in the Fatal Attraction cast.
Bulos’ roles include Days of Our Lives, Bosch, and The Game.
Scanlon: Jesse Mackey
ABCJesse Mackey plays a new character in the thriller named Scanlon.
Mackey has appeared in Sons of Anarchy, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Grey’s Anatomy.
Stella: Isabella Briggs
Yeniffer BehrensIsabella Briggs plays Stella, a character who is described as kind and warm-hearted.
Briggs is a rising star. Alongside her turn in Fatal Attraction, she’s also in an upcoming series named Sugar.
Gabriel Ibarra: Tiago Roberts
FreeformTiago Roberts plays Gabriel Ibarra in the Fatal Attraction cast.
Roberts has enjoyed minor roles in a number of TV shows including S.W.A.T., Blindspotting, and The Rookie.
Rolando Cabral: Gary Perez
CBSGary Perez plays Rolando Cabral in the Fatal Attraction cast.
You may recognize Perez for his roles in 13 Reasons Why, Homeland, and Law & Order.
That’s everything we know about the cast of Fatal Attraction. You can read more about the show here, and if it’s based on a true story here.