Meet the cast of The Diplomat season 3
Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell star in the Netflix political drama series.
After a long year waiting for a follow-up to that dramatic cliffhanger, The Diplomat is back, with Kate and Hal scrambling now that Grace Penn has become the president.
Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell and Allison Janney will all be back in their roles for the new season, with Janney having told RadioTimes.com what we can expect from Grace's reaction to the news she is now commander in chief.
She said: "I think she's completely shocked, as I was when I read the script. As I've said before, I threw it across the room, because I couldn't believe… that was such an unbelievably incredible ending. And I think Grace is just catapulted in in the start of season three, we start right there where she doesn't even know, she's like, ‘What's happened, what is going on?’
"And then she learns of Rayburn's death. I think she was very close to him. I think it's devastating. And then realising that she is now the president, and Kate has just accused her of being a terrorist and that she's coming for her job. So it's a really, perfectly written cocktail of stuff going on – betrayal and people's ambitions and political… it's absolutely incredible."
Of course, most of the other major players are back too, with the cast this time around including returnees David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear and Celia Imrie.
Meanwhile, new stars joining for season 3 include Aidan Turner and Bradley Whitford, with the latter's reunion with Janney providing a real thrill for fans of The West Wing.
But who else stars in the series and who do they all play? Read on for our guide to the cast and characters of The Diplomat season 3.
The Diplomat cast: who stars in the Netflix series?
Here are the main cast members and characters in The Diplomat. Read on below for more info about who they are and where you've seen the actors before.
- Keri Russell as Kate Wyler
- Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler
- David Gyasi as Austin Dennison
- Ali Ahn as Eidra Park
- Rory Kinnear as Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge
- Ato Essandoh as Stuart Hayford
- Allison Janney as Vice President Grace Penn
- Bradley Whitford as Todd Penn
- Celia Imrie as Margaret 'Meg' Roylin
- Aidan Turner as Callum Ellis
- Tracy Ifeachor as Thema
- Pandora Colin as Lydia Trowbridge
- Nana Mensah as Billie Appiah
- Miguel Sandoval as Miguel Ganon
- Rosaline Elbay as Nora
- Alysia Reiner as Ivy Griffin
Keri Russell plays Kate Wyler
Who is Kate Wyler? Kate is a US diplomat who has built a career working in war zones and was due to be sent to Afghanistan. However, at the last moment she was told that she would instead become to the ambassador to the UK, a role she had serious reservations about. Over the show's first two seasons she was seen as a potential candidate to take over as vice president from Grace Penn, but after President Rayburn's death, Grace is now the president.
Where have I seen Keri Russell? Russell is known for her roles in films including Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, Mission: Impossible III, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Cocaine Bear, as well as the series Felicity, The Americans and Extrapolations.
Rufus Sewell plays Hal Wyler
Who is Hal Wyler? Hal is Kate's husband, a top US diplomat himself and a political heavyweight, who is known to be successful yet manipulative and ruthless. He has been trying to position Kate to be the next vice president, but his plan took an unexpected turn when he called president Rayburn and told him about Grace Penn's secret operations – the president died there and then, out of shock.
Where have I seen Rufus Sewell? Sewell is known for his roles in films including The Father, Old, Judy, Hercules, A Knight's Tale, The Illusionist and Scoop, as well as his roles in series such as The Man in the High Castle, Victoria, Kaleidoscope and The Sandman.
David Gyasi plays Austin Dennison
Who is Austin Dennison? Austin is the UK's foreign secretary who has become an ally to Kate, and they have developed feelings for one another. He often disagrees with the Prime Minister's position on serious matters and his conduct.
Where have I seen David Gyasi? Gyasi has had roles in films including Cloud Atlas, Interstellar, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, The Dark Knight Rises, and Annihilation, as well as in series such as Doctor Who, The A Word, The Sandman, The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself and Carnival Row.
Ali Ahn plays Eidra Park
Who is Eidra Park? Eidra is chief of the CIA in London. She was in a secret relationship with Stuart in season 1, but they broke up at the end of the season.
Where have I seen Ali Ahn? Ahn is best-known for her roles in series including Raising Dion, Next, Orange is the New Black, Billions, The Path, Supernatural and Agatha All Along.
Rory Kinnear plays Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge
Who is Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge? Nicol Trowbridge is the hawkish, volatile Conservative Prime Minister of the UK. Kate at one point believed he may have been behind an attack of his own people on board the HMS Courageous, but it later became clear he was unaware of the plot and Margaret Roylin's involvement. He is still unaware that Grace Penn and the US were involved.
Where have I seen Rory Kinnear? Kinnear is a prolific film and TV actor, perhaps best-known for his roles as Bill Tanner in the James Bond film series.
He also had major roles in films such as The Imitation Game, Men, Bank of Dave and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and series such as Black Mirror, Our Flag Means Death, Years and Years, Inside No 9, Penny Dreadful, The Rings of Power, Say Nothing and Toxic Town.
Ato Essandoh plays Stuart Hayford
Who is Stuart Hayford? Stuart is Kate's right hand man and her deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in London.
Where have I seen Ato Essandoh? Essandoh has had roles in series including Extrapolations, Chicago Med, Altered Carbon, Elementary, and Vinyl, and in films including Hitch, Blood Diamond, Django Unchained, Jason Bourne, X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Reptile.
Allison Janney plays Vice President Grace Penn
Who is Grace Penn? Grace is the new president of the USA, after Rayburn's death. She knows that Kate was vying to take over her job. She was also behind the plot to bomb the HMS Courageous.
Where have I seen Allison Janney? Janney is known for her roles in series including The West Wing, Mr Sunshine, Mom and Palm Royale, as well as films such as Miracle on 34th Street, 10 Things I Hate About You, American Beauty, Finding Nemo, Hairspray, Juno, The Help, I, Tonya, To Leslie, The Creator, Another Simple Favor and The Roses.
Bradley Whitford as Todd Penn
Who is Todd Penn? Todd is Grace Penn's husband, and the new first gentleman of the United States.
Where have I seen Bradley Whitford? Whitford is known for his roles in series including The West Wing, Trophy Wife, Transparent, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Echo 3, The Madness and The Handmaid's Tale, as well as films such as Philadelphia, The Cabin in the Woods, I Saw the Light, Get Out and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Celia Imrie plays Margaret 'Meg' Roylin
Who is Margaret 'Meg' Roylin? Meg is a Conservative Party operative who ran Trowbridge's campaign. In season 2 it became known that she had worked with Grace Penn and others on a secret plot to bomb the HMC Courageous, as a way of keeping the union together.
Where have I seen Celia Imrie? Imrie is known for her roles in films including Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, Bridget Jones's Diary, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, St Trinian's, Nanny McPhee, Calendar Girls, Good Grief and The Thursday Murder Club as well as in series such as After You've Gone, Patrick Melrose, Keeping Faith, and Better Things. She can currently be seen on The Celebrity Traitors.
Aidan Turner as Callum Ellis
Who is Callum Ellis? Callum is a "bird watcher" and a new acquaintance of Kate’s in London.
Where have I seen Aidan Turner? Turner is known for his roles in series including Being Human, And Then There Were None, Poldark, The Suspect, Fifteen-Love and Rivals, as well as films such as The Hobbit trilogy and Loving Vincent.
Nana Mensah plays Billie Appiah
Who is Billie Appiah? Billie is the White House Chief of Staff, who was originally attempting to get Kate to take up the role of vice president, until Rayburn's death.
Where have I seen Nana Mensah? Mensah is known for appearing in series such as New Amsterdam, 13 Reasons Why, The Chair, Presumed Innocent and Big Boys, and in films such as After Yang, Queen of Glory, and The King of Staten Island.
Miguel Sandoval as Miguel Ganon
Who is Miguel Ganon? Miguel is the US secretary of state.
Where have I seen Miguel Sandoval? Sandoval has had roles in series including LA Firefighters, Medium, Entrouage, Bad Judge, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Sharp Objects, Grey's Anatomy, Station 19, Barry and Sugar, as well as films such as Jurassic Park, Get Shorty and The Book of Life.
Rosaline Elbay as Nora
Who is Nora? Nora is the vice president’s chief-of-staff.
Where have I seen Rosaline Elbay? Elbay has previously had roles in series including Qabeel, Ramy and Kalaedoscope, as well as films such as Jagged Mind.
The Diplomat season 3 will stream on Netflix. Seasons 1-2 are available now – sign up from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Add The Diplomat to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
