Meet the cast of Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead
The popular director has assembled an impressive ensemble cast for his latest action flick.
Army of the Dead is finally available to stream on Netflix and fans all over the world are excitedly diving into Zack Snyder's latest action epic, which boasts a large ensemble cast.
The prolific director has hired a diverse selection of actors to bring his nightmarish apocalyptic vision to life, led by Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista as mercenary Scott Ward.
He assembles a team for a horrific heist in zombie-ridden Las Vegas, attempting to secure a large cash fortune that could have them living the high life for years to come – if they can get out alive.
If you want to find out more about the cast of Army of the Dead, you've come to the right place; read on for all your essential information on the film's large character roster and where you might have seen them before.
Dave Bautista plays Scott Ward
Who is Scott Ward? Scott Ward is a mercenary, who risked his life many times to rescue citizens when the war against the zombies was at its worst point. His bravery went unrewarded and now he lives a lonely life working in a rundown burger restaurant. He is approached by businessman Bly Tanaka to venture into a decimated Las Vegas and retrieve a fortune in cash, for which he will be handsomely paid. He puts a crew together for a heist like no other, hoping that the money will help him to reconnect with his estranged daughter and rebuild his life.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Dave Bautista says, "I thought Scott Ward was just going to be a straightforward, very predictable action hero type character. But when I saw that he wasn't, that he had baggage and damage he was carrying around with him, I just felt like it gave the character a lot of soul.
"So I had a conversation with Zack [Snyder] after I read the script and asked if he'd give me even more freedom to play him like I wanted to and give him as much heart as I could. I really wanted to give people a different look at who an action hero could be. Obviously, I look the part physically, but I think there’s something interesting about giving an action hero some vulnerability, to make him not invincible."
What else has Dave Bautista been in? Bautista rose to fame as a professional wrestler for the WWE, but these days he is probably better known as Drax the Destroyer in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers films. His other projects include 007: Spectre, Blade Runner 2049 and the upcoming sci-fi epic Dune.
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Ella Purnell plays Kate Ward
Who is Kate Ward? Kate is Scott's estranged daughter, who currently lives in a refugee camp on the outskirts of Las Vegas, where she looks out for the vulnerable people at risk of being exploited there. She has not spoken to her father in years, but the two are reunited on a dangerous mission into the city to retrieve Tanaka's fortunes.
"I was really struck by the emotional core of this film," says Purnell. "The story between Kate and her dad is really touching and something I can relate to. It was something I wanted to bring to life."
What else has Ella Purnell been in? Purnell got her big break in Tim Burton's fantasy adventure Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which she followed up with roles in Ordeal by Innocence and Belgravia.
Omari Hardwick plays Vanderohe
Who is Vanderohe? Vanderohe is a tough former soldier, who fought on the frontline when the war against the ravenous zombies was at its most deadly. His distinctive weapon of choice is a huge buzzsaw, which has no trouble mowing down undead hordes (just mind out the way, it makes a mess).
"Vanderohe is a warrior by nature, he found his purpose when the zombie outbreak first happened," says Hardwick. "But now reteaming with Scott for this mission, he's second-guessing what he's made these zombie wars out to be and remembering that zombies were once human beings."
What else has Omari Hardwick been in? Hardwick is probably best known for playing James 'Ghost' St Patrick in the popular crime drama Power, which ran for six seasons before wrapping up in 2020. On the big screen, he has had roles in Kick-Ass, The A-Team and satirical dark comedy Sorry to Bother You.
Ana de la Reguera plays Maria Cruz
Who is Maria Cruz? Maria is an old friend of Scott's, who he asks to accompany him on his mission into Las Vegas. She is an accomplished mechanic and a fearless zombie slayer.
"I remember when I arrived on set, someone from the cast told me that they thought Cruz – because it didn't say Maria Cruz, it said Cruz only – they thought I was a man the whole time because I'm a mechanic, I'm the driver," de la Reguera tells RadioTimes.com and other press. "So that was very refreshing, I really think Zack is writing things that are completely equal."
What else has Ana de la Reguera been in? De la Reguera's previous projects include HBO comedy Eastbound & Down, Narcos, Jane The Virgin and crime thriller Goliath on Amazon Prime Video. She has previously appeared opposite Omari Hardwick in Power, where she played Alicia Jimenez.
Matthias Schweighöfer plays Ludwig Dieter
Who is Ludwig Dieter? Ludwig is an expert safecracker, who has great reverence for the intricate mechanisms he is responsible for decoding. He is hired to hack into a complex heavyweight safe in Bly Tanaka's casino complex, which contains a huge fortune for him and his teammates – if they can get out alive. Despite some initial tension, he forges an unlikely friendship with Vanderohe.
Schweighöfer says, "He feels like the VIP of the team. That without him, the journey would make no sense and he's cool with it. He doesn't give a peep about killing zombies. All the other people can do that."
The character of Ludwig Dieter will return in a prequel film titled Army of Thieves, which will be directed by Schweighöfer himself. It will see his character tackle another ambitious heist during the zombie outbreak.
What else has Matthias Schweighöfer been in? Schweighöfer has starred in a number of films produced in his native Germany, as well as Amazon Prime original series You Are Wanted.
Nora Arnezeder plays Lily aka The Coyote
Who is Lily aka The Coyote? Lily is a loner who lives in a refugee camp just outside Las Vegas, where she has built a reputation for sneaking people into the abandoned city to scavenge for riches. Through that dangerous work, she has developed a strong understanding of how the zombies behave, making her an essential member of the team.
In an interview with RadioTimes.com and other press, Arnezeder reveals the secret backstory she came up with for her character that didn't make it into the film.
"She has a daughter that she can't take care of and she had to abandon her, give her to a foster home in Los Angeles," she says. "And her bigger objective is to reconnect with her daughter after she gets the money to raise her. And having this very deep objective really gave a lot of depths to the character."
What else has Nora Arnezeder been in? Hailing from France, Arnezeder has been in several high-profile English-language projects in recent years including US drama Zoo, Amazon Prime Video's Mozart in the Jungle and Sky Atlantic's Riviera.
Tig Notaro plays Marianne Peters
Who is Marianne Peters? Peters is a pilot that Scott enlists to be their ticket out of Las Vegas after the heist. She is keen to help, as the years that followed the zombie war left her stuck in a job she despises. The role was originally played by Chris D'Elia (You) but he was removed from the film following misconduct allegations, with Tig Notaro being added in reshoots. Remarkably, all of her scenes were filmed solo and added in post-production, but the end result is rather seamless.
What else has Tig Notaro been in? Notaro is a stand-up comedian, who recently took the role of Denise 'Jett' Reno in sci-fi drama Star Trek: Discovery. Previously, she starred in acclaimed Amazon Prime comedy series One Mississippi, which was partly inspired by events in her own life.
Raúl Castillo plays Mikey Guzman
Who is Mikey Guzman? Mikey is a social media influencer. He has become an online sensation by making videos in which he kills zombies in a variety of inventive ways. His skills with a rifle make him a top candidate for Scott's ragtag team.
What else has Raúl Castillo been in? Castillo played Richie in HBO's LGBT drama Looking, a role he reprised for the 2016 film spin-off. More recently, he played Nick in Netflix's comedy drama Atypical.
Samantha Win plays Chambers
Who is Chambers? Chambers is a close friend of Mikey, who accompanies him on the mission because she wants to look out for him.
What else has Samantha Win been in? Samantha Win is a martial artist and stuntwoman who has previously worked with Zack Snyder on small roles in Man of Steel, Wonder Woman and Justice League. Sticking with the DC Universe, she played Beatrice in the seventh season of comic book drama Arrow.
Hiroyuki Sanada plays Bly Tanaka
Who is Bly Tanaka? Tanaka is a wealthy businessman, who once owned a thriving casino in Las Vegas. With the city set to be nuked by the US government, he hires Scott Ward to lead a team into the city and retrieve a large cash fortune locked in a safe within his old establishment.
What else has Hiroyuki Sanada been in? Sanada is a Japanese actor, who has been a big name in Asian cinema for decades, with appearances in numerous films including the spooky horror flick Ring (later remade by Gore Verbinski). More recently, he has taken roles in Western blockbusters such as The Last Samurai, Sunshine, The Wolverine and Avengers: Endgame. Most recently, he played iconic video game character Scorpion in 2021's Mortal Kombat adaptation.
Garret Dillahunt plays Martin
Who is Martin? Martin is Tanaka's right-hand man, who accompanies Scott's team to make sure they don't break away from the agreed arrangement with his boss.
What else has Garret Dillahunt been in? You may very well recognise Dillahunt. He's had roles in a number of major television shows including Deadwood, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Raising Hope, Justified, The Mindy Project and, most recently, Fear The Walking Dead. Meanwhile, on the big screen, he has appeared in No Country For Old Men, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, 12 Years A Slave and Widows.
Theo Rossi plays Burt Cummings
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Who is Burt Cummings? Burt is a security guard at the refugee campsite outside Las Vegas, who abuses his position to make life hell for the vulnerable people living there.
What else has Theo Rossi been in? Rossi has previously played Juan Carlos 'Juice' Ortiz on acclaimed biker drama Sons of Anarchy, as well as the villainous Hernan 'Shades' Alvarez on Marvel's Luke Cage.
If you've already watched the movie, you should take a look at our Army of the Dead ending explainer for some detailed analysis of the final scenes. Or, you might also want to check out the rumours that are already circulating about Army of the Dead spin-offs and Army of the Dead 2...
Army of the Dead is available to stream on Netflix from Friday 21st May. Check out more of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
