Gran Turismo cast: All actors & characters
Sony PicturesHere’s your guide to the full cast of Gran Turismo, the new movie based on the “true story of an impossible dream”, including all the actors and characters they play.
TV has become a thriving medium for video game adaptations: The Last of Us is one of the most acclaimed shows of 2023, The Witcher is one of Netflix’s biggest shows, and you also have the likes of Arcane, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and Castlevania.
Movies are… tougher to crack. For every Silent Hill, there’s a Silent Hill: Revelation. For every Detective Pikachu, there’s a Pokémon: The First Movie. There’s Sonic the Hedgehog, The Super Mario Bros Movie, and Mortal Kombat, but there’s also Warcraft, Assassin’s Creed, and Max Payne.
Gran Turismo, a bit like Tetris, is changing the game: instead of a straight adaptation of the game, this movie is based on an incredible true story – so, here’s everyone you should know in the cast.
Contents
- Jann Mardenborough: Archie Madekwe
- Jack Salter: David Harbour
- Danny Moore: Orlando Bloom
- Steve Mardenborough: Djimon Hounsou
- Lesley Mardenborough: Geri Halliwell
- Cai Mardenborough: Daniel Puig
- Matty Davis: Darren Barnet
- Nicholas Capa: Josha Stradowski
- Patrice Capa: Thomas Kretschmann
- Leah Vega: Emelia Hartford
- Audrey: Maeve Courtier-Lilley
Gran Turismo cast & characters
Below, you’ll find a list of all the characters you need to know in the cast of the Gran Turismo movie.
The official synopsis reads: “Gran Turismo is based on the unbelievable true story of a team of unlikely underdogs – a struggling working-class gamer, a failed former racecar driver, and an idealistic motorsport executive. Together, they risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. Gran Turismo is an inspiring, thrilling, and action-packed story that proves that nothing is impossible when you’re fueled from within.”
Jann Mardenborough: Archie Madekwe
Archie Madekwe plays Jann Mardenborough, an aspiring racecar driver who lands the chance to achieve his dream via an unexpected pastime: his extraordinary skills on Gran Turismo. He’s invited to the GT Academy, where he puts his sim-based abilities to the test on a real track.
The star spoke to Digital Spy about playing a real-life figure. “He was so open and honest and lovely about trusting me and telling me everything from the start of his life to where he was now, and having him on set as my stunt driver meant we could continue to talk and continue to share things. Any time I wanted to try and lay something new in, I could pull him as this source immediately,” he said.
Madekwe has also starred in Teen Spirit, Midsommar, Voyagers, See, and he’ll appear in Netflix’s Heart of Stone and Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn.
Jack Salter: David Harbour
David Harbour plays Jack Salter, a gruff, failed racecar driver who ditches a young hotshot to run the GT Academy and train Jann.
The actor recalled feeling a bit baffled at the idea of the movie. “When it was pitched to me that it was about the video game, I was like, ‘What the hell is that going to be?’ But then they told me the director was Neill Blomkamp… which was a big deal as that guy is a real artist,” he told GamesRadar.
“You get big films directed by people who are capable of putting them together, but they aren’t artists and not willing to take risks or fight for what they want. And then I read the script which gave me such a swell of euphoria, by the end there was an unconscious [loudly cheers]. I love movies like that and I hadn’t gotten to make my version of Hoosiers yet, so I thought this could be that.”
Harbour is best known for playing Hopper in Stranger Things, but he’s also starred in Hellboy, Violent Night, We Have a Ghost, and Black Widow in the MCU.
Danny Moore: Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom plays Danny Moore, a Nissan motorsport marketing executive who comes up with the idea for the GT Academy.
Bloom told HeyUGuys: “One of the things that surprised me in the making of the movie is there’s obviously so much glamour in what you see in the racing world, and with Gran Turismo we have this huge title, but actually what goes into it… the dedication, focus, and excellence for all of the team members, that’s something we explore in the movie.”
Bloom is beloved for playing Legolas in the Lord of the Rings franchise, and he’s also starred in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Troy, Kingdom of Heaven, and Carnival Row.
Steve Mardenborough: Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou plays Steve Mardenborough, Jann’s cynical father who doesn’t believe he has a future in racing, and wants him to aim for something “within the realm of reality.”
Hounsou is an Oscar-nominated actor known for performances in Blood Diamond, Amistad, Gladiator, In America, and appearances in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DCEU.
Lesley Mardenborough: Geri Halliwell
Geri Halliwell plays Lesley Mardenborough, Jann’s mother who supports his dream.
Halliwell is best known as Ginger Spice from the Spice Girls, but she’s made sporadic appearances in TV and movies like Sex and the City, Fat Slags: The Film, and Crank: High Voltage. She’s also married to Christian Horner, team principal of the Red Bull Formula One team.
Cai Mardenborough: Daniel Puig
Daniel Puig plays Cai Mardenborough, Jann’s younger brother.
Puig has also appeared in The System, Naomi, and The Bar.
Matty Davis: Darren Barnet
Darren Barnet plays Matty Davis, Jann’s cocky American rival at the GT Academy.
Barnet has also starred in American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules, Love Hard, and Netflix’s Never Have I Ever.
Nicholas Capa: Josha Stradowski
Josha Stradowski plays Nicholas Capa, a rival racecar driver who doesn’t take too kindly to Jann’s gaming experience acting as a gateway to the track.
Stradowski is arguably best known for starring in High Flyers and The Wheel of Time, but he’s also appeared in Instinct, Men from Mars, and Spangas.
Patrice Capa: Thomas Kretschmann
Thomas Kretschmann plays Patrice Capa, Nicholas’ father.
Kretschmann has a long list of credits, including performances in Stalingrad, The Pianist, Downfall, King Kong, Valkyrie, and playing Baron Wolfgang von Strucker in the MCU.
Leah Vega: Emelia Hartford
Emelia Hartford plays Leah Vega, another candidate competing in the GT Academy who befriends Jann.
Hartford is best known for her expertise under the hood, having launched a successful YouTube channel and built one of the fastest Corvette C8s in the world. She has also appeared in a number of films, including Netflix’s A California Christmas: City Lights.
Audrey: Maeve Courtier-Lilley
Maeve Courtier-Lilley plays Audrey, Jann’s hometown crush.
Courtier-Lilley has also appeared in Doctors, The Outpost, and Casualty.
Gran Turismo is in cinemas now. Check out our other coverage below: