Washington Black cast: Full list of actors in Disney Plus adaptation
The new series is based on the novel of the same name by Esi Edugyan.
Disney Plus is bringing Esi Edugyan's celebrated novel Washington Black to the screen, following the epic journey of a former slave as he's taken under the wing of an eccentric inventor.
The title character is visited at two points in his life, as a child (played by Eddie Karanja) and as a young man (played by Ernest Kingsley Jr), with the show hopping between both timelines as the full story gradually comes together.
Tom Ellis and Sterling K Brown co-star as Titch Wilde and Medwin Harris, two older men who serve as mentors to Wash at pivotal stages of his development, while Iola Evans plays the enrapturing Tanna Goff.
Although steeped in the brutal history of the slave trade and colonialism, Washington Black also features fantastical elements, taking inspiration from steampunk and classic adventure stories.
Expect to see familiar faces from Dune, Game of Thrones and Sex Education, among other top talent – here's your full introduction to the Washington Black cast as the series premieres on Disney Plus.
Washington Black cast: Full list of actors in Disney Plus adaptation
Here's an overview of the Washington Black cast – read on for more detailed profiles on each character and actor, including where you might have seen them before.
- Ernest Kingsley Jr as George Washington 'Wash' Black
- Eddie Karanja as young Washington Black
- Tom Ellis as Christopher 'Titch' Wilde
- Sterling K Brown as Medwin Harris
- Iola Evans as Tanna Goff
- Julian Rhind-Tutt as Erasmus Wilde
- Billy Boyd as Willard
- Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine as Gaius
- Edward Bluemel as Billy McGee
- Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Miss Angie
- Rupert Graves as Mr Goff
- Shaunette Renée Wilson as Big Kit
- Charles Dance as James Wilde
- Blaine Dorey as Porter
Ernest Kingsley Jr as George Washington 'Wash' Black
Who is George Washington Black? Nicknamed 'Wash', he is the main protagonist of the story. We follow his extraordinary life, starting with his early years growing up as a slave on a Barbados sugar plantation, his adventures with eccentric inventor Titch Wilde, and his later life living in Nova Scotia as a budding scientist himself.
Eddie Karanja (below) plays Wash as a child, while Ernest Kingsley Jr (above) plays the older version.
What else has Ernest Kingsley Jr been in? Kingsley Jr began his screen career on the CBBC series The Sparticle Mystery, before landing roles in ITV's Grace, Netflix's The Sandman and Fox's War of the Worlds.
Eddie Karanja as young Washington Black
What else has Eddie Karanja been? Karanja has also appeared in Netflix fantasy series The Sandman, playing young Jed Walker in several episodes of the first season.
Tom Ellis as Christopher 'Titch' Wilde
Who is Christopher 'Titch' Wilde? Titch is an Englishman from a wealthy family and an inventor of cutting-edge technology. When Wash's life is placed in grave danger, he helps the child escape the sugar plantation on which he has grown up, commencing an epic journey that leaves a huge impression on him. Although Titch appears to be compassionate and considers himself an abolitionist, his treatment of Wash does raise questions about his trustworthiness.
What else has Tom Ellis been in? Ellis is perhaps best known for playing the title role in supernatural detective series Lucifer, which ran for six seasons and almost 100 episodes until 2021. Previously, he was known for playing love interest Gary in the beloved BBC sitcom Miranda.
Sterling K Brown as Medwin Harris
Who is Medwin? Medwin is another mentor figure, who Wash meets later in life.
Whar else has Sterling K Brown been in? Brown is one of the buzziest American actors on television at the moment, having leapt from hit family drama This Is Us to celebrated political thriller Paradise.
On the big screen, he earned an Academy Award nomination for his supporting role in 2023's American Fiction and appeared in the first Black Panther movie as Wakandan defector N'Jobu.
Other notable credits include Army Wives, American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. In addition to his on-camera role, he also serves as executive producer on Washington Black.
Iola Evans as Tanna Goff
Who is Tanna Goff? Tanna is the daughter of an upper-class Englishman. She is mixed race, but her father pressures her to hide this fact and attempt to "pass" as a white woman, believing this necessary to find her a wealthy husband. Tanna finds this very distressing, however, and also resents her father's reluctance to talk about her biological mother or place of birth.
What else has Iola Evans been in? Evans recently appeared opposite Asa Butterfield in Netflix original horror film Choose or Die. She is also known for young adult drama The 100, where she played Cassie.
Julian Rhind-Tutt as Erasmus Wilde
Who is Erasmus? Erasmus is a wealthy slave owner, who runs the sugar plantation where Wash and his mother are forced to work. He is a cruel man, who cannot comprehend why his brother, Titch, would support the abolishment of slavery.
What else has Julian Rhind-Tutt been in? His most famous credits include Channel 4's hospital comedy Green Wing, BBC period drama The Hour, the first episode of Inside No. 9, and ITV cult favourite Harlots. Other recent credits include Man vs Bee, The Reckoning and Ridley Scott's Napoleon.
Billy Boyd as Willard
Who is Willard? Willard is a bounty hunter, who pursues Wash following his escape from the plantation owned by Erasmus.
What else has Billy Boyd been in? Boyd played the loveable hobbit Pippin in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. More recent credits include Outlander, Doom Patrol and Dreamworks animated film Dog Man.
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine as Gaius
Who is Gaius? Gaius works in the household of the sugar plantation. He mimics the accent and mannerisms of the white residents, which is something that Wash finds strange and unsettling.
What else has Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine been in? Mwine's past credits include sci-fi hit Heroes, Chicago-set series The Chi, Netflix legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer and Rachel Weisz's psychological thriller Dead Ringers. Most recently, he joined the cast of Dexter: Resurrection, a brand new revival of the long-running franchise.
Edward Bluemel as Billy McGee
Who is Billy McGee? Billy is a wealthy Englishman living in Nova Scotia, who is courting Tanna Goff.
What else has Edward Bluemel been in? Bluemel is probably best known for his roles in spy thriller Killing Eve and fantasy drama A Discovery of Witches, where he took a leading role as Marcus Whitmore. He took a recurring role in Sex Education as Sean, the unreliable and troubled brother of Emma Mackey's Maeve, while most recently he has appeared in Prime Video's My Lady Jane and BBC Two sitcom We Might Regret This.
Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Miss Angie
Who is Miss Angie? Miss Angie is a woman who Wash encounters later in life. She is a fond friend in Nova Scotia, and has an on-again off-again flirtation with Medwin.
What else has Sharon Duncan-Brewster been in? Another Sex Education alum, Duncan-Brewster played one of Jackson's mothers, Roz Marchetti, in the Netflix coming-of-age series. Her other notable credits include Top Boy, Cucumber and Years and Years, plus feature films Dune, Enola Holmes 2 and John Wick spin-off Ballerina.
Rupert Graves as Mr Goff
Who is Mr Goff? Mr Goff is the father of Tanna, who is adamant that she must not disclose the truth of her birth mother. He is anxious to see her married into a wealthy family, thus securing her future safety in his eyes.
What else has Rupert Graves been in? Among Graves's most well-known credits are ITV's The Forsyte Saga, BBC One's Sherlock and Last Tango in Halifax. He's also known for period comedy-drama Emma and Apple TV+ thriller Surface.
Shaunette Renée Wilson as Big Kit
Who is Big Kit? Big Kit is Wash's mother, who is also enslaved on a sugar plantation.
What else has Shaunette Renée Wilson been in? Wilson played Mina Okafor in the hit US medical drama The Resident, with subsequent projects including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Karate Kid: Legends.
Charles Dance as James Wilde
Who is James Wilde? James is the father of Titch and Erasmus. Titch is particularly concerned with living up to his reputation and legacy as a scientist.
What else has Charles Dance been in? Dance is among the most established and prominent British actors working today, having gained a new generation of fans for his performance as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones. Other notable credits include Gosford Park, Bleak House, The Imitation Game, The Crown and, most recently, Sky's The Day of the Jackal.
Washington Black is available to stream on Disney Plus from Wednesday 23rd July 2025.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
