Dark CIA secrets, bounty hunting, international assassins, the Russo brothers, Ryan Gosling doing Jason Bourne, Chris Evans with a psychopath’s moustache, an A-list cast – The Gray Man has all the ingredients to make a killer spy thriller on Netflix.
Based on the brilliant Mark Greaney book series and co-starring Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton and Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page, this is one of the biggest and most anticipated blockbusters of 2022.
Here's everything you need to know about the cast and characters of The Gray Man…
NetflixGray Man cast full list
- Ryan Gosling- Plays Court Gentry / Sierra Six
- Chris Evans- Plays Lloyd Hansen
- Ana de Armas– Plays Dani Miranda
- Jessica Henwick– Plays Suzanne Brewer
- Regé-Jean Page– Plays Denny Carmichael
- Julia Butters- Plays Claire Fitzroy
- Dhanush - Plays Avik San
- Alfre Woodard– Plays Margaret Cahill
- Billy Bob Thornton- Plays Donald Fitzroy
- Eme Ikwuakor- Plays Mr Felix
- Robert Kazinsky- Plays Perini
- Wagner Moura – Plays Lazlo Sosa
- Callan Mulvey
- Scott Haze
- Michael Gandolfini
- Sam Lerner
- DeObia Oparei
Ryan Gosling – Plays Court Gentry/The Gray Man/Sierra Six
NetflixA CIA-trained assassin from the top-secret Sierra program has gone rogue. Sierra Six aka the Gray Man is now targeted by the agency. He has something they need; it’s the only thing keeping him alive and the reason they want him dead.
He has operated in the dirty business of government-sanctioned homicide ever since he was recruited out of jail as a young man by Donald Fitzroy. He operates beyond borders, in a web of co-conspirators and competitors. But unlike those who are hunting him, the Gray Man doesn’t kill for pleasure or a price.
“I’m really excited for audiences to see this film because, personally, it’s the kind of film that I would have loved growing up,” said Gosling.
“It’s the kind of film that made me want to make movies. It has such an amazing cast and it walks such an interesting tonal line. It gives you all of the larger-than-life action sequences and set pieces, but at the same time you get to follow these characters. I also think Six is relatable because he’s an analog hero in a digital world.”
Chris Evans – Plays Lloyd Hansen
NetflixFormer CIA recruit Lloyd Hansen lasted five-and-a-half months with the agency before being dismissed for unauthorized torture and lack of impulse control.
A free-agent assassin, he torments his targets for sport. Hired by Carmichael, a former schoolmate, to hunt the Gray Man, he’s never learned to play nicely with others.
“My moustache! [Laughs] What can I say? Certain characters just come to life through something simple, whether it’s wardrobe or a prop,” said Evens.
“The second that we cut that moustache I was like 'Oh there he is, there’s this psycho.' But seriously, I’m excited for audiences to see Ryan in a true action movie and to have so many good characters and so many good performances and to blend those worlds of action and drama.”
Ana De Armas - Plays Dan Miranda
NetflixA kick-ass agent, smart and tough, without whose support the Gray Man would have been dead many times over. She is not an agency favorite but hasn’t yet burned all her bridges. She could be a key operative or a rogue or both.
De Armas said: “I had a very interesting conversation with a CIA agent who was helping me to understand how it works inside the agency. He talked to me about the mindset. He said you have a mission. You have a boss. You have rules you have to follow. You’ve been working really hard to get where you are, and your reputation and everything you’ve done in your life, this matters the most.
“You don’t want to just throw everything away. You have to stick to what you’re doing. The job is the most important thing. But more than that, ultimately, you always do the right thing. I feel like there is a point in the movie when that clicks inside her.”
Jessica Henwick – Plays Suzanne Brewer
NetflixThe title 'Deputy' Group Chief rankles her not only because she thinks her immediate boss is reckless and arrogant but because his job should be hers if it was based on merit, not gender. She is no less ruthless; just smarter.
“I know Russos love villains who you can empathize with. We really wanted to humanize her,” said Henwick.
“Especially because you have these really loud characters on either side, and she’s quiet and stressed for a lot of the film. Then when she explodes, it feels so warranted. And even though she does something that we perhaps don’t like, we completely understand what led her to that point and she feels very human and relatable.
Regé-Jean Page plays Denny Carmichael
NetflixIf Wikipedia doesn’t have him cross-referenced under “ruthlessly ambitious,” the entry needs updating. A rapier wit and a complete lack of scruples has served him well in his position of agency Group Chief.
“There is no limit to the scope of this film,” said the Bridgerton star.
“It’s a global travel adventure, but with spies, explosions, guns, falling out of airplanes—there’s nothing that isn’t in this movie. It has this ‘How is this dude still on his feet?’ factor and it has that suave suits and sophistication Bond factor. It has that hyper-real, hyper-violent Bourne factor.
“It just smushes it all in and makes something tastier all together thanks to the marriage of all those elements.”
Wagner Moura – Plays Lazlo Sosa
NetflixWhen Sierra Six needs new documents fast as he tries to outrun the mercenaries sent after him, he turns to talented counterfeiter Lazlo Sosa who proves that even friends have a price.
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Julia Butters – Plays Claire Fitzroy
As a young girl who lost her parents and is dealing with a heart condition, Claire has endured a lot in her 12 years. But she has two people she can count on: her uncle Donald and the Gray Man, with whom she forms a special bond. Until Lloyd Hansen shows up threatening everything she loves.
Dhanush – Plays Avik San
He’s a killing machine, unstoppable but not unprincipled. He accepts the assignment to terminate Sierra Six but those who hired him forgot to tell him to leave his code of honour at the door.
“It’s always fun to play a baddie but there’s a lot of gray to this character,” said Dhanush.
“The brothers gave me a beautiful backstory for Avik San. He comes from a very poor background and he’s worked his way up to being the best of the best at what he does. He’s an assassin and a brutal murderer but he has his own ethics and he doesn’t like to kill unnecessarily. At his core, he’s a man of honour.”
Alfre Woodard – Plays Margaret Cahill
A former bureau chief, forced into retirement by a new regime. She’s living a quiet life in Prague when Sierra Six shows up needing her help. She has been preparing for this moment.
Billy Bob Thornton – Plays Donald Fitzroy
Fitzroy was the ultimate Company Man. He ran the agency and created the Sierra program that handled operatives like Sierra Six. He retired to care for his orphaned niece, Claire, but his allegiance to Sierra Six has drawn him back into the action and he’s now caught between his only two weaknesses: Claire and Six.
When my agent called and told me the Russos wanted me to be in this multi-million dollar film, he said, “Before you say anything, just read it” — because I’ve done a couple of big event movies in my time, but he knows I’m more into independent drama or comedy. I was so impressed. The script was so well written, the characters are so well drawn and it’s all rooted in the real world. Everybody is ambiguous to a certain degree and I loved that about it, because life is not black and white.”
Watch The Gray Man in select cinemas on 15 July and on Netflix from 22 July.
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