Meet the cast of Black Mirror season 6
Once again, we're going on a star-studded dystopian ride.
Black Mirror season 6 is upon us, and it's very different from previous instalments of the hit Netflix anthology series, with a couple of episodes heading further into the horror region.
Of course, in keeping with previous seasons, fans have also seen a lot of the episodes explore the dark side of technology, including with Joan Is Awful, which focuses on the dangers posed by artificial intelligence, and Loch Henry, which tackles true crime.
But, with episodes like Demon 79 and the widely-divisive Mazey Day, things get a little more horrifying in the Netflix - or should we say Streamberry - series.
Well, without further ado, let's meet the cast who told those terrifying, comedic and, as always, slightly traumatising tales.
See the full list below, with details on all the actors further down the page.
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Who's in the cast of Black Mirror season 6?
With Black Mirror being an anthology series, you can expect lots of new characters in Black Mirror season 6, including some that are brought to life by famous faces. Here's the Black Mirror season 6 cast list:
Joan Is Awful cast
The following individuals star in the cast of Joan is Awful.
- Annie Murphy as Joan
- Salma Hayek Pinault as herself
- Avi Nash as Krish
- Himesh Patel as Krish
- Rob Delaney as Mac
- Ben Barnes as Mac
- Michael Cera as Beppe
Loch Henry cast
The following individuals star in the cast of Loch Henry.
- Samuel Blenkin as Davis
- Myha'la Herrold as Pia
- Daniel Portman as Stuart
- Monica Dolan as Janet
- Gregor Firth as Kenneth
- John Hannah as Richard
- Tom Crowhurst as Iain Adair
Beyond the Sea cast
The following individuals star in the cast of Beyond the Sea.
- Aaron Paul as Cliff
- Josh Hartnett as David
- Kate Mara as Lana
- Auden Thornton as Jessica
- Rory Culkin as Kappa
Mazey Day cast
The following individuals star in the cast of Mazee.
- Clara Rugaard as Mazey
- Zazie Beetz as Bo
- Danny Ramirez as Hector
Demon 79 cast
- Anjana Vasan as Nida
- Paapa Essiedu as Gaap
- David Shields as Michael Smart
- Katherine Rose Morley as Vicky
- Shaun Dooley as Len Fisher
- Nicholas Burns as Keith Holligan
Speaking about embracing horror so much in the new season, creator Brooker explained: "Consequently, this time, alongside some of the more familiar Black Mirror tropes we’ve also got a few new elements, including some I’ve previously sworn blind the show would never do, to stretch the parameters of what ‘a Black Mirror episode’ even is.
"The stories are all still tonally Black Mirror through-and-through — but with some crazy swings and more variety than ever before."
Here's everything you need to know about the cast and their characters.
Annie Murphy as Joan (Joan Is Awful)
Who is Joan? Murphy's character begins the episode as some kind of high-flying worker who is a tad highly strung. She receives an "I miss you" text, which seems to prompt her to spiral, and we later see her crash a wedding dressed as a cheerleader.
Murphy stars in the Joan Is Awful episode as an "average woman" who discovers that a global streaming platform has launched a prestige TV drama adaptation of her life. Oh, and she's being portrayed by none other than Salma Hayek Pinault.
Where have I seen Annie Murphy before? Murphy is perhaps best known for her role in Schitt's Creek as Alexis Rose, but also led the cast of Kevin Can F**k Himself. She has also starred in Murderville and Russian Doll.
Salma Hayek Pinault as herself (Joan Is Awful)
Who is Hayek Pinault's character? We won't go into the details of Hayek's character for fear of spoiling too much - but safe to say it's not exactly simple!
Where have I seen Salma Hayek Pinault before? The award-winning actress needs no introduction and has a long list of films and shows under her belt ranging from Ugly Betty to Frida. She has more recently voiced the role of Kitty Softpaws in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and also starred in Marvel's Eternals and House of Gucci.
Samuel Blenkin as Davis (Loch Henry)
Who is Davis? Davis is a film student who takes his girlfriend, Pia, to visit to his humble hometown. However, he quickly starts to uncover secrets about the town he thought he knew so well.
Blenkin recently told RadioTimes.com and other press of the series: "The commentary [Brooker's] making is about streaming itself and so many of the episodes are about the way we consume content, the way that we don’t think about that too deeply and I really like the way he’s poking us to think more deeply about the way we consume entertainment and what entertainment is for.”
Where have I seen Samuel Blenkin before? If you're an Atlanta fan, you'll no doubt recognise Blenkin from his weird (yet wonderful) performance in the Amsterdam-set season 3 episode where he starred as Wiley. Blenkin has also starred in The Witcher: Blood Origin, The Sandman, Misbehaviour and episodes of Grantchester, Doctors and Peaky Blinders.
Myha’la Herrold as Pia (Loch Henry)
Who is Pia? Pia is a film student and Davis' girlfriend. She joins him on a trip to his hometown, and quickly realises there's a film to be made very close to home.
Herrold recently told RadioTimes.com and other press of why she took on the role: "It’s a Black Mirror. I love watching true crime and crime documentaries. It’s a question – why do we love to watch that so much? But she’s right, Pia’s right, I would’ve watched that. In fact, when I was reading the script, I was like ‘this is a great story, I would watch this documentary’. We are obsessed with maybe our own mortality.”
Where have I seen Myha’la Herrold before? Herrold of course leads the cast of hit BBC series Industry as Harper Stern but has also recently starred in Bodies Bodies Bodies.
Aaron Paul as Cliff (Beyond the Sea)
Who is Cliff? Cliff is astronaut on a years-long mission in space. However, he's able to still spend time with his loved ones through the use of a "replica" body that's still on Earth.
Where have I seen Aaron Paul before? Paul is no stranger to the Black Mirror universe, with the actor previously having lent his voice to appear as Gamer691 in season 4's USS Callister. Paul is perhaps best known for his role as Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad, reprising the role in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and Better Call Saul. He has also starred in Apple TV+'s Truth Be Told, Westworld and The Path.
Josh Hartnett as David (Beyond the Sea)
Who is David? David is an astronaut on a years-long mission in space, along with Aaron Paul's Cliff. However, when a tragedy befalls him, he starts to lose his grip.
Hartnett told RadioTimes.com and other press: “I’ve always been a fan of Black Mirror and Charlie Brooker so I didn’t care what it was. I was going to do it. When I read it, I was like ‘Oh man, that’s way darker than I expected it to be’ but I liked the idea of telling a story about isolation and this is isolation on all fronts, all the characters feel isolated."
Where have I seen Josh Hartnett before? Hartnett has most recently been seen on our screens in Sky's The Fear Index and is set to appear in the star-studded Oppenheimer. He is best known for his starring roles in Pearl Harbour, Black Hawk Down, 40 Days and 40 Nights and O.
Auden Thornton as Jessica (Beyond the Sea)
Who is Jessica? Jessica is David's wife and the pair appear to have the perfect life at the beginning of the episode. However, as we know all too well from Black Mirror, nothing is ever perfect.
Where have I seen Auden Thornton before? Thornton has starred in This Is Us and Thirtysomething(else), but has also had guest roles in Elementary, Bull, The Good Wife, Royal Pains and True Story.
Kate Mara as Lana (Beyond the Sea)
Who is Lana? Lana is the wife of Aaron Paul's Cliff, with the pair having recently moved to the woods. But it seems Lana isn't too happy with how her life is going.
Mara recently told RadioTimes.com and other press of her character: "What I loved about it was the themes and the subject matter, exploring people’s relationships and specifically for my character, exploring the relationship between a husband and wife. And what it means and what it feels like when you don’t feel connected and when you’re yearning for that connection with your family and with your partner."
Where else have I seen Kate Mara? Mara has most recently been seen on our screens in miniseries A Teacher but is well known for her roles in House of Cards, American Horror Story: Murder House, 24, Pose and Call Jane.
Clara Rugaard as Mazey (Mazey Day)
Who is Mazey? Mazey has been described as a "troubled starlet" who has to deal with invasive paparazzi and a hit-and-run incident. In the teaser, we see her windscreen wiper plaster the same creepy smiley face on the window as seen in Zazie Beetz's camera lens and on a watch face later in the trailer.
Rugaard recently told RadioTimes.com and other press about signing up for Black Mirror before she'd even read a script: “Basically yeah, I did two little scenes on tape, knew it was for Black Mirror and got a phone call 2 days later saying I got the part.
"Black Mirror has always been one of my favourite shows so it was a bit of a given for me before I’d even read the script. Same feeling I have when watching any Black Mirror episode, never really knowing what twists and turns are going to occur. I definitely didn’t see the twist happening. I didn’t expect anything less from Charlie Brooker.”
Where have I seen Clara Rugaard before? The Danish actress and singer has most recently led the cast of Sky's The Rising, but has also starred in Teen Spirit, Press Play and Still Star-Crossed.
Zazie Beetz as Bo (Mazey Day)
Who is Bo? Bo is a paparazzo who becomes obsessed with trying to get a picture of troubled starlet Mazey Day. But at what cost?
Previously speaking about her role, Beetz teased: “I wouldn’t say my character is having a lot of fun. But I think there’s a really great tongue-in-cheek dark element to it, premonition kind of element. The mirror reflecting back on us.”
Where have I seen Zazie Beetz before? Beetz is perhaps best known for her role as Van throughout all four seasons of Atlanta, as well as starring in Joker as Sophie alongside Joaquin Phoenix, a role she is set to reprise in the upcoming sequel film. She has also starred in films such as Bullet Train, The Harder They Fall and Deadpool 2.
Anjana Vasan as Nida (Demon 79)
Who is Nida? Nida is an ordinary woman who works in a shoe store - but she's having an incredibly hard time of it. However, things only get worse when she gets an unexpected visit at home one day.
Vasan told RadioTimes.com and other press of the episode: “I found it very moving, very surprising, I also laughed. So for all of those ingredients to be in one script, I thought was very special."
Where have I seen Anjana Vasan before? The Laurence Olivier award-winning actress is best known for her role in Channel 4's We Are Lady Parts and her recent on-stage performance as Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire. She has also starred in Riz Ahmed's Mogul Mowgli, Killing Eve, Fresh Meat and Hang Ups.
Paapa Essiedu as Gaap (Demon 79)
Who is Gaap? Gaap is a demon who's rather inspired by the Rasputin hitmakers Boney M. If you want more, you'll have to watch and find out for yourself...
Essiedu recently told RadioTimes.com and other press: “I read it and I knew I liked it, I didn’t really know what was going on if I’m honest. I couldn’t really fully visualise it but it was one of those ones that I read all in one sitting. It just straddles the line between humour and very, very painful truths in a way that not many scripts or scriptwriters at least have the courage to do.”
Where have I seen Paapa Essiedu before? Essiedu has been in multiple excellent roles as of late, including leading the cast of The Lazarus Project and the second season of The Capture. He has also starred in Gangs of London, I May Destroy You, Black Earth Rising and Kiri.
Want more Black Mirror? We've got you covered:
- How to watch Black Mirror in chronological order
- Black Mirror fans name chilling story the best episode of season 6
- Black Mirror: All 28 episodes ranked from best to worst
- Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker explains 'Red Mirror' label
Read our interview with Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker, as well as season 6 stars Salma Hayek, Aaron Paul and Rob Delaney, in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine – out now.
Black Mirror season 6 will be available to stream on Netflix in June 2023. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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