Under Salt Marsh cast: Who stars in the Sky Atlantic crime thriller?
Everything you need to know about the main characters in Under Salt Marsh.
Crime thriller Under Salt Marsh unfolds in the fictional Welsh town of Morfa Halen, where residents are bracing for a once-in-a-generation storm when teacher Jackie Ellis (Yellowstone's Kelly Reilly) finds the body of a nine-year-old boy from her school.
Was it a horrible accident – or something far more sinister? The discovery may even be linked to the disappearance of Jackie's niece, Nessa, who went missing a few years earlier while Jackie was working as a detective.
Detective Eric Bull (Rafe Spall), who once worked alongside Jackie and investigated Nessa's case, returns to the community he previously failed. But if he's to succeed this time, "Jackie and Bull must reconcile and race to uncover long-buried secrets inside Morfa, before the storm breaks and all the evidence is gone for good".
"These two characters have so much history, they've gone through something deeply traumatic together," said Reilly of Jackie and Bull. "And I think Jackie, quite honestly, would love to never see him again because it's just too painful. She's not ready to. Bull is probably the worst person she could see in this moment because it just brings back all of the trauma of this case that they didn't solve together.
"And so him suddenly showing up at her house after finding this body of this child is like a horror film."
Spall went on to say that the "unconventional" relationship between Jackie and Bull was what attracted him to the role.
"There isn't that risk of them getting together, but they've got a lot to work out," he added. "They have a lot of love for each other and a lot of anger, and as we know, there's a very fine line between those two emotions. It makes, I think, for a pretty original central duo."
Alongside Reilly and Spall, a number of well-known faces crop up, plus some you might not be familiar with.
Read on for a rundown of the main players in Under Salt Marsh.
Under Salt Marsh cast
- Kelly Reilly as Jackie Ellis
- Rafe Spall as Detective Eric Bull
- Jonathan Pryce as Solomon Bevan
- Naomi Yang as DC Jess Deng
- Harry Lawtey as Dylan Rees
- Dinita Gohil as Nisha Jones
- Brian Gleeson as Mac Jones
- Kimberley Nixon as Shell Hill
- Mark Stanley as Danny Hill
- Dino Fetscher as Gareth Evans
- Rhodri Meilir as Ned Bevan
- Julian Lewis Jones as Osian Northam
- Morgan Watkins as Kieran Benbow
- William Thomas as Owen Ellis
- Amara Atwal as Nessa
- Jack Thomas-Humphreys as Cefin Hill
- Osian Emlyn as James Rees
- India Mullen as Lydia Taman
- Janeks Babidorics as August Antonov
- Dritan Kastrati as Victor Antonov
- Lizzie Annis as Cara Rees
- Gwïon Morris Jones as Eddie Bevan
- Eiry Thomas as Irene Hassan
- Marilyn Cutts as Carys Northam
- Martyn Ellis as Jim
For more information about the characters and where you've seen the cast before, read on.
Kelly Reilly plays Jackie Ellis
Who is Jackie Ellis? A former detective turned teacher, Jackie is haunted by the disappearance of her niece Nessa, who went missing three years ago while Jackie was still in the police – a case that ultimately cost her her job. She believes the death of Cefin, the young boy she finds dead, is connected.
Where have I seen Kelly Reilly before? She's best known for Yellowstone. Other credits include Flight, Sherlock Holmes (2009), Pride & Prejudice (2005), Brittania, True Detective and Above Suspicion.
Rafe Spall plays Eric Bull
Who is Eric Bull? A detective leading the investigation into the death of nine-year-old Cefin, Bull also previously worked on Nessa's case. Jackie was once his partner and friend, but the two are no longer on speaking terms.
Where have I seen Rafe Spall before? You might have watched him in The Big Short, Life of Pi, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Salisbury Poisonings, Trying, Black Mirror and The Ritual.
Jonathan Pryce plays Solomon Bevan
Who is Solomon Bevan? Cefin's grandfather. Soloman is the patriarch of a big farming family in Morfa Halen.
Where have I seen Jonathan Pryce before? His credits include The Two Popes, The Crown, Wolf Hall, Slow Horses, Game of Thrones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Brazil, Evita and Taboo.
Naomi Yang plays Jess Deng
Who is Jess Deng? A DC working alongside Bull, Jess clashes with him during the investigation as she questions whether Jackie should be involved at all.
Where have I seen Naomi Yang before? You might recognise her from DI Ray, Wolfe, Nightsleeper, Maternal and Liaison.
Harry Lawtey plays Dylan Rees
Who is Dylan Rees? A construction worker whose nephew is best friends with Cefin. Dylan and Jackie are also hooking up.
Where have I seen Harry Lawtey before? He's best known for Industry, Mr Burton and Joker: Folie à Deux. he's also appeared in Magpie Murders and You & Me.
Dinita Gohil plays Nisha Jones
Who is Nisha Jones? Nisha is Jackie's sister-in-law and Nessa's aunt. A fellow teacher, she helped Jackie secure a job at the school after she left the police.
Where have I seen Dinita Gohil before? She has appeared in The Sandman, Clink, DI Ray, The Road Trip and Treason, among others.
Brian Gleeson plays Mac Jones
Who is Mac Jones? Nisha's husband, who is overseeing a major construction project in Morfa Halen. He’s vocal about his love for the town.
Where have I seen Brian Gleeson before? Love/Hate, Peaky Blinders, Bad Sisters, Snow White and the Huntsman, Logan Lucky and Assassin's Creed are some of the titles he's appeared in.
Kimberley Nixon plays Shell Hill
Who is Shell Hill? Cefin's mum and a member of the Bevan family. Shell doesn’t live on the farm, but in town with her husband and children.
Where have I seen Kimberley Nixon before? You might have watched her in Fresh Meat, Cranford, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and Wild Child.
Mark Stanley plays Danny Hill
Who is Danny Hill? Shell's husband and Cefin's dad, he runs the local butchers.
Where have I seen Mark Stanley before? His CV includes Happy Valley, Game of Thrones, Trigger Point, Dickensian, White House Farm and more.
Dino Fetscher plays Gareth Evans
Who is Gareth Evans? He works for the environmental agency and is in town to carry out an assessment. He also has history with Bull.
Where have I seen Dino Fetscher before? You might know him from Fool Me Once, Foundation, Gentleman Jack, Humans and Paranoid.
Rhodri Meilir plays Ned Bevan
Who is Ned Bevan? One of Solomon's adult sons. He works on the farm.
Where have I seen Rhodri Meilir before? In My Skin, Living a Lie and My Family are some of the titles he's appeared in.
Julian Lewis Jones plays Osian Northam
Who is Osian Northam? He's very passionate about the environment, which can sometimes tip into concerning behaviour. The community considers him a bit odd.
Where have I seen Julian Lewis Jones before? His credits include Stella, Where the Heart Is, The Guest and Bregus.
Morgan Watkins plays Kieran Benbow
Who is Kieran Benbow? He was a suspect when Nessa first disappeared, but the evidence came up short.
Where have I seen Morgan Watkins before? Watkins played Norman Pike in BBC drama The Hour and Rottweiler in Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014).
William Thomas plays Owen Ellis
Who is Owen Ellis? Jackie's dad.
Where have I seen William Thomas before? You might know him from Mammoth, The One That Got Away, Tree on a Hill, Alys and Torchwood.
Additional Under Salt Marsh cast includes:
- Amara Atwal (Coldwater) plays Nessa - Jackie's niece. Her disappearance remains a mystery.
- Jack Thomas-Humphreys (Bariau) plays Cefin Hill - Jackie finds his body in a drainage ditch.
- Osian Emlyn plays James Rees - Cefin's best friend.
- India Mullen (Red Rock, Normal People) plays Lydia Taman - Jackie's sister and Nessa's mum. The two no longer have a relationship following events that unfolded during the investigation into her daughter's disappearance.
- Janeks Babidorics (Brassic) plays August Antonov - he works on the Bevan farm and lives in a caravan on site.
- Dritan Kastrati (MobLand) plays Victor Antonov - August's cousin.
- Lizzie Annis (The Witcher: Blood Origin) plays Cara Rees - James's mum and Dylan's sister.
- Gwïon Morris Jones plays Eddie Bevan - one of the younger members of the Bevan clan.
- Eiry Thomas (Keeping Faith, Out There, The Pact, The Bench) plays Irene Hassan - a pathologist.
- Marilyn Cutts (Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale) plays Carys Northam - she runs the local pub and guest house.
- Martyn Ellis (The New Adventures of Robin Hood) plays Jim - he runs the local chippy.
Read more:
- Where was Under Salt Marsh filmed?
- Under Salt Marsh review: Flood-stricken crime drama continues the rise of Welsh noir
- Slow Horses' Jonathan Pryce on returning to his Welsh roots with new drama: "I left it physically, but emotionally, I've never left"
The first two episodes of Under Salt Marsh will premiere on Sky Atlantic and NOW on January 30th with a new episode following the next four Fridays.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
