I Am Not Okay With This is the latest Netflix original to blend sci-fi and horror elements with an emotional coming-of-age story and has so far been met with a largely positive reception.

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The series - an adaption of Charles Forman's 2017 graphic novel of the same name - comes from the producers of Stranger Things and the director of The End of the F***ing World and the influence of both of those series on it are clear.

Among the many similarities with those shows, I Am Not Okay With This boasts an impressive young cast with some really stand-out performances - here's everything you need to know about the stars bringing the show to life...

Sophia Lillis plays Sydney

Who is Sydney? In an early voiceover, protagonist Sydney describes herself as a "boring 17-year-old white girl" - but little does she know at this point that she's about to discover she actually has telekinetic superpowers. She is a student at Westinghouse High School in a small American town, her father has recently died and she's been struggling in the time that has passed since, but her life is about to change forever...

What else has Sophia Lillis been in? At the age of 18, Lillis already has some high-profile roles to her name, having starred as Beverley Marsh in the 2017 It adaptation and as young Camille Preaker in HBO's Sharp Objects. That means she has starred as younger versions of characters played by both Jessica Chastain and Amy Adams - not bad going!

Other roles include Gretel in the recent film Gretel & Hansel and the titular character in last year's Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase.

Wyatt Oleff plays Stanley Barber

Who is Stanley Barber? Sydney's neighbour, Stanley is a goofy and slightly eccentric pupil at Westinghouse and also a part time weed-dealer. After becoming close with Sydney he develops feelings for her, while he has a fractious relationship with his father.

What else has Wyatt Oleff been in? I Am Not Okay With This is not the first time that Oleff has co-starred with Lillis - he was also one of the loser club in the 2017 version of It, playing Stanley Uris. He also starred as young Peter Quill in both Guardians of the Galaxy films, and has made one of appearances in a number of US TV shows, including Once Upon A Time.

Sofia Bryant plays Dina

Who is Dina? Dina is Sydney's best friend and the two are inseparable - at least until Dina starts going out with jock Brad.

What else has Sofia Bryant been in? This is Bryant's most major role to date, though she has previously made one-off appearances in episodes of The Good Wife, Blue Bloods and The Code. She will also star in the 2021 film Mark, Mary & Some Other People alongside Hayley Law and Ben Rosenfeld.

Kathleen Rose Perkins plays Maggie

Who is Maggie? Sydney's mother, Maggie and her daughter don't always get on - though it is clear that she loves her daughter. She works long hours at a nearby diner and is still struggling after the death of her husband.

What else has Kathleen Rose Perkins been in? Perkins is likely most recognisable to audiences for playing Carol Rance, one of the lead roles in Matt LeBlanc sitcom Episodes. In addition to that, she has appeared in a wealth of American TV shows, including recurring roles in NCIS: Los Angeles, Fresh Off The Boat, and Colony.

Her feature film appearances include Gone Girl, The Skeleton Twins and Paradise.

Aidan Wojtak-Hissong plays Liam

Who is Liam? Liam is Sydney's slightly precocious younger brother, and the pair get on well for the most part - although an incident involving Liam's hedgehog somewhat tests that relationship.

What else has Aidan Wojtak-Hissong been in? Young actor Wojtak-Hissong has previously starred in supernatural drama series Falling Water and kids TV show Playdate.

Richard Ellis plays Brad Lewis

Who is Brad Lewis? One of the most popular students at Westinghouse and a star American Football player, Brad is an archetypal jock character and starts dating Dina. He does not get on well with Sydney who views him very unfavourably.

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What else has Richard Ellis been in? I Am Not Okay With This the biggest role of Ellis's short career so far - he has previously appeared on an episode of Veronica Mars and in the 2019 horror film The Wretched.

Authors

Patrick Cremona, RadioTimes.com's senior film writer looking at the camera and smiling
Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.

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