Meet the cast of Electric Dreams: The Commuter
Timothy Spall leads the cast of Jack Thorne's Philip K Dick adaptation, starring as train station employee Ed Jacobson
This episode of Channel 4's Electric Dreams is the work of Cursed Child writer Jack Thorne. In The Commuter, we see an ordinary man drawn to investigate the mysterious town of Macon Heights – and what he finds there forces him to confront issues in his own life.
With an all-star cast, there will be plenty of familiar faces in this episode...
Ed Jacobson – Timothy Spall
Who does he play? Ed is an unassuming employee at a train station, plastering a smile on his face as he goes through the motions each day before returning to his struggling marriage and his mentally ill son. One day a woman turns up at his counter and asks for a ticket to a town that doesn't exist: Macon Heights. This starts a life-changing journey for Ed himself.
Where have I seen him before? Bafta-winning actor Timothy Spall is one of the biggest names in Electric Dreams. He first came to fame in the comedy series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and has also starred in Harry Potter (as Peter Pettigrew), The Last Samurai, Pierrepoint, Mr Turner, and The King's Speech.
Mary Jacobson – Rebecca Manley
Who does she play? Mary is Ed's wife. She loves her son, but every day is a battle with his violent and criminal behaviour – and there's a chasm between her and her husband opening up.
Where have I seen her before? Rebecca Manley's credits include Last Tango in Halifax, This Is England '88 and '90, and Emmerdale.
Sam Jacobson – Anthony Boyle
Who does he play? Sam is Ed and Mary's son. He has major mental health issues leading to psychotic, violent episodes – frequently getting him in trouble with the police.
Where have I seen him before? Anthony Boyle won an Olivier Award for his role as Scorpius Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – so he's worked with The Commuter's writer Jack Thorne before.
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