Girl Taken: Who stars in the Paramount Plus thriller?
A living nightmare takes hold in a small English town – where it seems you can trust no one. Meet the cast and characters of Paramount+’s latest twisted tale.
In Paramount Plus's brutal new drama Girl Taken, a family is changed forever by a twisted psychopath’s pattern of abuse and manipulation.
Based on the novel Baby Doll by Hollie Overton, Girl Taken follows the lives of those in a small town when popular 17-year-old Lily Riser goes missing on the eve of leaving school.
Stolen from her twin sister Abby and mother Eve, Lily endures a seven-year ordeal at the hands of teacher Rick Hansen while her family are torn apart by guilt and rage, unaware she is still within touching distance as a captive.
But when Lily finally manages to escape, a new nightmare begins as secrets come out, words get twisted and Mr Hansen – seen until that point as a beloved member of the community – does whatever it takes to stay out of prison.
Meet the cast of Girl Taken and find out more about the characters they play in this twisted drama…
Girl Taken cast
The main cast list for Girl Taken is:
- Alfie Allen is Rick Hansen
- Jill Halfpenny is Eve Riser
- Tallulah Evans is Lily Riser
- Delphi Evans is Abby Riser
- Vikash Bhai is DS Tommy Shah
- Niamh Walsh is Zoe Hansen
- Levi Brown is Wes Bartlett
- Victoria Ekanoye is DS Rachel Brenton
Here’s what you need to know about each character and who plays them.
Alfie Allen plays Rick Hansen
Who is Rick Hansen? Rick is the cool teacher at Lily and Abby’s school – and beloved by students and parents alike. Making himself an essential part of the local community, his perfectly curated mask slips when he’s revealed as Lily’s kidnapper. But Rick is a master manipulator who isn’t willing to go down quietly, so will stop at nothing to maintain his freedom.
Who is Alfie Allen? Alfie Allen is a British actor who is best known for playing Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones. The role earned him an Emmy nomination in 2019. Since then, he has appeared in Jojo Rabbit, BBC’s Harlots, ITV’s White House Farm, BBC’S SAS: Rogue Heroes and, most recently, Sky’s Atomic. In 2022, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his role in Martin McDonagh’s Broadway play, Hangmen.
Jill Halfpenny plays Eve Riser
Who is Eve Riser? As Lily and Abby’s mother, Eve dealt with every parent’s worst nightmare when Lily disappeared, and has been holding out hope for years that her daughter will be found. But it turns out Lily’s return is only the start of her problems, and she has her parenting put to the test when she reunites with a daughter five years older, having suffered unimaginable trauma.
Who is Jill Halfpenny? Jill Halfpenny is a Newcastle-born actress of stage and screen who became a household name as Kate Mitchell in EastEnders from 2002 to 2005. Her first major break into acting came as a lead character in teen soap Byker Grove from 1989 to 1992. Since EastEnders, Jill has appeared on Waterloo Road, Humans, Everything I Know About Love and The Cuckoo. In 2004, she won Strictly Come Dancing alongside pro partner Darren Bennett, and in 2011 she took home an Olivier Award for her performance as Paulette in Legally Blonde: The Musical.
Tallulah Evans plays Lily Riser
Who is Lily Riser? Before disappearing, Lily had an almost-idyllic sounding life – at 17 she was popular had a loving boyfriend in Wes, and was looking forward to what the future held. But then she was kidnapped, and her entire world was snatched from her. Five years later, Lily was finally able to escape, but now has to relive the traumatic years she suffered at the hands of Rick in order to make sure he gets the justice he deserves.
Who is Tallulah Evans? Tallulah Evans has been acting since the age of seven, making her debut in family fantasy film Penelope in 2006. Since then, she has appeared in Son of Rambow, White Lines and Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey. Most recently, she played Olivia Carteret in The Forsyte Saga.
Delphi Evans plays Abby Riser
Who is Abby Riser? Abby is Lily’s identical twin sister, whose dreams of heading off to university were shattered when Lily went missing. The once bright and intelligent teen quickly found herself rebelling in the wake of her sister’s disappearance, feeling a sense of guilt over the day she went missing.
Who is Delphi Evans? Delphi Evans is the real-life twin sister of Tallulah, and is making her acting debut in Girl Taken.
Vikash Bhai plays DS Tommy Shah
Who is Tommy Shah? As the detective in charge of the case, Tommy Shah has found himself intertwined with the Riser family over the seven years – maybe too much so. Despite his best efforts, he makes some wrong turns in his investigation that has led him to a dead end in finding Lily. So when she returns, he becomes more determined than ever to make sure she gets the justice Lily and her family deserve.
Who is Vikash Bhai? Vikash Bhai is a BAFTA nominated actor who has been seen in Limbo, crime drama Virdee, and alongside Keeley Hawes in drama Crossfire. His first major role on screen was in Pandora for The CW, where he played Martin Shral.
Niamh Walsh plays Zoe Hansen
Who is Zoe Hansen? Zoe Hansen is Rick’s long-suffering wife – and while she loves him dearly, she can sense that he’s hiding something from her. She’s just not sure what. Far more introverted than her husband, Zoe spends most of her time at home. She’s desperate to start a family with Rick, though they have suffered heartache in the past when it comes to conceiving.
Who is Niamh Walsh? Niamh Walsh is an Irish actress who gained prominence for playing Cara Martinez in Holby City from 2015-2016. Shortly after, she joined the cast of Sky Original Jamestown, playing Verity Rutter from 2019 to 2019. She’s since been seen in Netflix’s The English Game, The Sandman and BBC Three’s Wreck.
Levi Brown plays Wes Bartlett
Who is Wes Bartlett? Wes is Lily’s high school boyfriend, and while he may have a bad reputation, it’s more by association – he’s actually a pretty sound guy once you get to know him. That does little to soothe Abby’s worries about Lily’s taste in men though, especially as he keeps referring to her by a nickname she hates. However, when Lily goes missing, Wes may be just the support Abby needs to help her get through her grief.
Who is Levi Brown? Levi Brown is an up-and-coming actor who graduated from Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2021. Shortly after, he made his TV debut in Robert Popper’s I Hate You, before landing a role in Apple TV+’s Invasion. His breakout role was Dante Williams in Steven Knight’s 2024 BBC series This Town, which follows a group of teens as they navigated the '80s music scene in Coventry and Birmingham.
Victoria Ekanoye plays DS Rachel Brenton
Who is DS Rachel Brenton? DS Rachel Brenton works alongside Tommy Shah in investigating Lily’s disappearance.
Who is Victoria Ekanoye? Victoria Ekenoye is a British actress who first shot to prominence as Angie Appleton in Coronation Street from 2017 to 2019. She also appeared in The Royals, and The Jury: Murder Trial, playing DC Rachel Wickford in Channel 4’s trial recreation experiment.
Girl Taken starts Thursday 8th January on Paramount+.
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Authors
Tilly Pearce is a freelance TV journalist whose coverage ranges from reality shows like Love Is Blind to sci-fi shows like Fallout. She is an NCTJ Gold Standard accredited journalist, who has previously worked as Deputy TV Editor (maternity cover) at Digital Spy, and Deputy TV & Showbiz Editor at Daily Express US.
