Ricky Gervais has enlisted some of his favourite comedy collaborators for his latest series, After Life on Netflix.

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Derek's Kerry Godliman, Extras' Ashley Jensen and a host of stars from David Brent: Life on the Road make up a brilliant cast.

Find out everything you need to know about the cast of Ricky Gervais' After Life below.


Ricky Gervais as Tony

Ricky Gervais, After Life (Netflix)
Ricky Gervais as Tony

Who is Tony? A grieving widower, who works at the local newspaper. He has decided that life without his late wife Lisa is meaningless, and that he will do and say whatever he wants, for as long as he wants, until he decides to end it all. It's an OK idea in theory...

Where have I seen Ricky Gervais before? Gervais created sitcoms The Office, Extras and Life's Too Short and feature film Cemetery Junction with Stephen Merchant, before going stateside to create Hollywood films Ghost Town and The Invention of Lying. He is also a very early adopter of the podcast, having kicked off the craze in the early 2000s with Merchant and loveable dunce Karl Pilkington.

Kerry Godliman as Lisa

Kerry Godliman

Who is Lisa? Tony's recently deceased wife. She pops up at the beginning of every episode as Tony watches a message she recorded for him on her death bed.

Where have I seen Kerry Godliman before? She shone as care assistant Hannah in Gervais' previous series, Derek, and has also featured in Our Girl, Save Me, Bad Move, Bliss and Home Time. Oh, and she also triumphed in the 2018 series of Dave's Taskmaster.

Ashley Jensen as Emma

ashley jensen
Ashley Jensen

Who is Emma? Tony's dad's nurse at the Autumnal Leaves care home.

Where have I seen Ashley Jensen before? The Scottish actress starred as Maggie in Ricky Gervais' sophomore sitcom Extras, and played Fran in Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney's comedy Catastrophe. She also featured in Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster and the US comedy Ugly Betty.

Roisin Conaty as Daphne

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Roisin Conaty arrives at the British Academy Television Craft Awards held at The Brewery on April 22, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Roisin Conaty

Who is Daphne? A local prostitute Tony befriends after he hires her... to clean his kitchen.

Where have I seen Roisin Conaty before? The comedian is best known for roles in sitcoms GameFace and Man Down. She also starred alongside Gervais in his 2016 The Office sequel David Brent: Life on the Road.

Diane Morgan as Kath

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Diane Morgan

Who is Kath? The head of advertising at The Tambury Gazette. She is also an obsessive Kevin Hart fan.

Where have I seen Diane Morgan before? The Lancashire-born actress is best known for playing 'journalist' Philomena Cunk. The character originated on Charlie Brooker's Wipe and she has since gone on to host a series of specials.

Tony Way as Lenny

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Tony Way

Who is Lenny? Tony's best mate and colleague at the Tambury Gazette.

Where have I seen Tony Way before? The comedy actor's TV roles include Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Murder in Successville, Zapped, Collateral and Drunk History UK. He's also popped up Edge of Tomorrow alongside Tom Cruise, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Ben Wheatley's High Rise.

Mandeep Dhillon as Sandy

Mandeep Dhillon

Who is Sandy? A young, earnest journo-in-training, who gets a job at the local paper, working under Tony on the features desk.

Where have I seen Mandeep Dhillon before? She appeared alongside Kiefer Sutherland in 24: Live Another Day, and has featured in Zapped, Fried, Some Girls and Stan Lee's Lucky Man. In 2018 she starred in BBC drama The City and the City.

David Bradley as Tony's dad

David Bradley

Who is Tony's Dad? Self explanatory. He is in a care home, suffering from dementia.

Where have I seen David Bradley before? He is best known for his roles as Alder Fitch in the Harry Potter film series, Walder Frey in Game of Thrones, and for playing the First Doctor in the 2017 Doctor Who Christmas special. You may also have spotted him in Broadchurch, Hot Fuzz, The World's End and Mount Pleasant. Earlier this year, he appeared in the cast of BBC1's adaptation of Les Misérables.

Tom Basden as Matt

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Tom Basden

Who is Matt? The editor of the Tambury Gazette, and Tony's brother-in-law. He likes to see the good in people, and tries to help Tony out of his depression.

Where have I seen Tom Basden before? He plays Aurelius in Plebs and John in Quacks. He is one of many After Life cast members to have also starred in Gervais' 2014 film David Brent: Life on the Road.

Tim Plester as Julian

Tim Plester

Who is Julian? A junkie who is meant to distribute the papers, but often dumps them and goes off to score heroin.

Where have I seen Tim Plester before? He played Black Walder Rivers in Game of Thrones, RT Baker in Bohemian Rhapsody, and has also featured in Wolf Hall and Taboo.

Penelope Wilton as Ann

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: Dame Penelope Wilton attends the BFI Southbank's tribute to Sir John Hurt on June 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David M Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Penelope Wilton

Who is Ann? A kind widow Tony meets in the graveyard where Lisa is buried.

Where have I seen Penelope Wilton before? She is best known for playing Isobel Crawley in Downton Abbey, and for roles in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Shaun of the Dead, Pride & Prejudice, Match Point and Doctor Who.

Paul Kaye as The Psychiatrist

Paul Kaye (Getty Images)
Paul Kaye

Who is the psychiatrist? Ricky's hapless counsellor, who doesn't seem to care all that much about his problems.

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Where have I seen Paul Kaye before? He played Thoros of Myr in Game of Thrones and Frankie Wilde in It's All Gone Pete Tong. He has also featured in Zapped, Cold Feet and Vera, and is set to star as Horace in Good Omens. Before all this of course, he was the man behind shock celebrity interviewer Dennis Pennis.

Authors

Ben AllenOn Demand Writer, RadioTimes.com
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