Meet the cast of Deadline, Channel 5's latest thriller

Peaky Blinders star Charlie Murphy leads the cast as Varge, while James D’Arcy plays James Alden, an investigative journalist who is intrigued by the case, as well as Natalie herself, and who must untangle his feelings to get to the truth and clear her name.

Murphy previously compared the Channel 5 drama to the Amanda Knox case, who accused the media of building a false narrative around her as she stood trial for the murder of student Meredith Kercher, for which she was ultimately acquitted in 2015.

"Everything is trial by media these days," Murphy told RadioTimes.com. "It's definitely a commentary on that. Whether she's guilty or innocent, people have made up their minds before she even hits the courtroom, and that has happened time and time again [in the real world].

"[We discussed] how people judge how others react to losing someone, what is socially acceptable; how people study people's behaviour, if they cry or if they don’t cry."

She continued: "Amanda Knox was a definite touchstone for us in terms of references of trial by media," D'Arcy said. "We talked about the way the tabloid media will spin things.

"That's obviously the starting point of the entire show. He's putting together the [crime] reconstruction [for his documentary] and he's made a decision already. There's a narrative in there that he's decided. The media is biased. It needs clickbait."

Deadline comes from screenwriter Gareth Tunley – who also penned Channel 5's critically panned 2021 miniseries Intruder – with Barunka O’Shaughnessy (Motherland) as co-writer and Joe Ahearne (Doctor Who) taking directing duties.

So, without further ado, read on for everything you need to know about the Deadline cast.

Who's in the cast of Deadline on Netflix?

Charlie Murphy plays Natalie Varga

Who is Natalie? Natalie is a wealthy woman who is accused of murdering her husband. She becomes a scandalous figure in the national press, with a wide variety of publications taking glee in tearing her down and scrutinising her every move. In a desperate attempt to set the record straight, she accepts an interview request from James – but in return, she asks him to find the real killer.

What else has Charlie Murphy been in? Murphy has previously earned acclaim for her performances as Ann Gallagher in Happy Valley and Jessie Eden in Peaky Blinders. Meanwhile, fans of The Last Kingdom will remember her for portraying Iseult in the show's first season; a mysterious woman who briefly becomes acquainted with Uhtred of Bebbanburg. This year, she has appeared in high-profile video game adaptation Halo, which airs on newbie streamer Paramount Plus.

Brian Caspe plays Toth

Who is Toth? Toth is a formidable henchman who takes an interest in James' investigation.

What else has Brian Caspe been in? Caspe recently appeared in BritBox original thriller Spy City, sci-fi drama Doctor Who and Prime Video's Carnival Row.

James D'Arcy plays James Alden

Who is James? James is an investigative journalist who remains haunted by a mistake he made in his early days on the job. He finds himself fascinated by Natalie's story when it hits the press and only becomes more infatuated with her after their first meeting. While not a detective, he accepts the challenge of uncovering the true culprit behind her husband's murder, motivated by his feelings for Natalie and a thirst for personal redemption.

What else has James D'Arcy been in? D'Arcy is known for television roles in ITV dramas Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Broadchurch, as well as US thriller Homeland and Prime Video miniseries Leonardo. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he is known for playing Edwin Jarvis – the Stark family butler – in both Agent Carter and Avengers: Endgame (the latter being only a brief cameo). In 2017, he teamed up with director Christopher Nolan for war film Dunkirk and will do so again for upcoming biopic Oppenheimer.

Indra Ové plays Barbara

Who is Barbara? Barbara is James' boss at Patchwork Pictures, the production company where he currently works as a documentary filmmaker. The two of them have a very strong relationship, having been friends for a long time and even once harbouring romantic feelings for one another. As a result, Barbara is willing to turn a blind eye to his reckless tendencies, but she may find herself pushed too far by his mission to clear Natalie's name.

What else has Indra Ové been in? Ové's recent projects include ITV drama Unforgotten, fantasy comedy Good Omens and Netflix hit Sex Education, where she played foster parent Anna. On the big screen, she has a memorable role in the first Resident Evil movie and, more recently, appeared in British romcom Finding Your Feet.

Anamaria Marinca plays Mrs Molnar

Who is Mrs Molnar? Mrs Molnar is Natalie's lawyer, who is cautious about allowing James access to her client.

What else has Anamaria Marinca been in? Marinca has recently been seen in Apple TV+ drama Invasion as well as Sky thrillers Temple and Tin Star. On the big screen, she is known for roles in The Old Guard, The Girl with All the Gifts and 2017's live-action Ghost in the Shell.

Deadline premiered on Channel 5 at 9pm on Tuesday 5th April 2022 and is available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

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