Meet the cast of Sky drama Prodigal Son
Tom Payne and Michael Sheen lead the cast of this Fox drama about a serial killer and his son, which now airs in the UK on Sky
Here's the concept behind new crime drama Prodigal Son: our protagonist (played by Tom Payne) profiles serial killers for a living, while his father (played by Michael Sheen) is an actual serial killer who has been in jail since the 1990s.
The drama, which has already aired in the US on Fox, now gets a UK outing on Sky – and there's plenty to look forward to, as it's 20 episodes long and has already been commissioned for a second season.
Here are the cast and characters you'll see on screen:
Michael Sheen plays Dr Martin Whitly
Who is Dr Martin Whitly? A talented thoracic surgeon and father-of-two who used to be a pillar of the community. That was until he was revealed to be a sadistic serial killer, nicknamed "The Surgeon". Now he's safely behind bars, but he is still desperate for a relationship with his "prodigal son" Malcolm.
What else has Michael Sheen been in? Having grown to prominence as a stage actor (earning multiple Olivier nominations), Michael Sheen has spent a lot more of the last two decades on screen. His recent string of high-profile roles includes Aziraphale in Good Omens, Chris Tarrant in Quiz, Michael in Staged and Roland Blum in The Good Fight; other notable credits include Frost/Nixon (as David Frost), Masters of Sex (as Dr William Masters), The Queen (as Tony Blair), Midnight in Paris (as Paul), Twilight (as Aro), and 30 Rock (as Wesley).
Tom Payne plays Malcolm Bright
Who is Malcolm Bright? When we meet Malcolm Bright, he's a criminal psychologist working as a serial killer profiler for the FBI – but when he's fired from that job, his old mentor Gil recruits him for the NYPD. Though he's given himself a new surname, Malcolm is actually the son of serial killer Dr Whitly. Since his father’s true identity was revealed when he was just a child, he has suffered from extreme nightmares, tremors, night terrors, insomnia and psychological trauma; it's a relationship which still causes him pain.
What else has Tom Payne been in? In The Walking Dead he sported quite a large beard to star as Paul 'Jesus' Rovia, a role he played for three years. The actor, who is actually English, started out as Spencer in Skins and Brett Aspinall in Waterloo Road; since then he's been in Wuthering Heights (as Linton), My Funny Valentine, Luck, and The Physician.
Lou Diamond Phillips plays Gil Arroyo
Who is Gil Arroyo? Malcolm's longtime mentor, who works for the NYPD. At the end of episode one, we find out how they first met.
What else has Lou Diamond Phillips been in? The prolific actor has almost 150 screen credits to his name, and has mainly made his career in the movies. Those include La Bamba, Courage Under Fire, Young Guns, The Big Hit, and Stand and Deliver – which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. On the stage, he was nominated for a Tony for 1996's The King and I; recently, you may have seen him in Blue Bloods (as Louis Delgado), The Lion Guard (as Surak), or Goliath (as Oscar Suarez). He had a guest role in Brooklyn Nine-Nine as Jeff Romero.
Aurora Perrineau plays Dani Powell
Who is Dani Powell? A detective at the NYPD.
What else has Aurora Perrineau been in? One of her most high-profile roles to date is as Tanya in When They See Us; she also starred as Shana Elmsford in Jem and the Holograms.
Keiko Agena plays Dr Edrisa Tanaka
Who is Dr Edrisa Tanaka? The medical examiner. She is very impressed by Malcolm Bright.
What else has Keiko Agena been in? Gilmore Girls fans will immediately recognise Keiko Agena as Rory's best friend, Lane – a role she reprised in the Netflix Gilmore Girls 2016 revival. Other recent roles have included Pam Bradley in 13 Reasons Why, Aiko Hakari in The First, Nancy in Dirty John, and Viola Goto in Better Call Saul.
Frank Harts plays JT Tarmel
Who is JT Tarmel? A detective at the NYPD.
What else has Frank Harts been in? Screen credits include The Leftovers (as Dennis Luckey), Billions (as Dale Christo), and The Path (as Agent Fredericks). He also appeared in Master of None, playing the character Eddie.
Bellamy Young plays Jessica Whitly
Who is Jessica Whitly? Malcolm's rich, manipulative, alcoholic, pill-pushing mother.
What else has Bellamy Young been in? Bellamy Young is perhaps most famous for playing Melody 'Mellie' Grant in the TV series Scandal. She's also played Beth Clemmons in Criminal Minds, Dr Miller in Scrubs, and Ellen Darling in Dirty Sexy Money.
Halston Sage plays Ainsley Whitly
Who is Ainsley Whitly? Malcolm's sister, who seems to have emerged relatively emotionally unscathed from her bizarre childhood. She is a loving sister, an exasperated daughter, and an ambitious TV reporter.
What else has Halston Sage been in? On the big screen, she's played Dazzler in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Erin in The Last Summer, Kendall in Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, and Lacey in Paper Towns. On the small screen, her credits include The Orville, Crisis, and How To Rock.
Prodigal Son begins on Sky and NOW TV on 28th July 2020. Ready to watch? See this month's best Sky TV deals and our full NOW TV guide. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide.
