Colin Farrell leads the cast of new Apple TV+ contemporary noir series Sugar, in which he plays the titular private investigator, John Sugar.

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He is joined by Kirby as his colleague Ruby, while James Cromwell, Dennis Boutsikaris, Nate Corddry and Sydney Chandler all play key figures in his investigation.

With Amy Ryan and Anna Gunn rounding out the central cast, the show really is packed with stars. But who do they all play in the show and what might you have seen them in before?

Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Sugar.

Who's in the central cast of Sugar?

Here are the main cast members and characters in Sugar. Read on below for more info about who they are and where you've seen the actors before.

  • Colin Farrell as John Sugar
  • Kirby as Ruby
  • Amy Ryan as Melanie Mackie
  • James Cromwell as Jonathan Siegel
  • Anna Gunn as Margit
  • Dennis Boutsikaris as Bernie Siegel
  • Nate Corddry as David Siegel
  • Sydney Chandler as Olivia Siegel

Colin Farrell plays John Sugar

Colin Farrell in Sugar, looking at a laptop
Colin Farrell in Sugar. Apple TV+

Who is John Sugar? John is a private investigator looking into the disappearance of Olivia Siegel.

Farrell told RadioTimes.com of playing John: "He's such a tender character, and he obviously inhabits a world of darkness and criminality and he lives alone, he's quite a lonely character, and all those other [noir] tropes are honoured.

"But there was this kind of lack of cynicism, and this belief in human beings that I thought was really just an interesting counterpoint to the life that he lives and what he sees and what he observes human beings doing to each other."

What else has Colin Farrell been in? Farrell has appeared in a number of major films over the years, including the recent The Banshees of Inisherin, for which he was nominated for an Oscar.

He has also starred in Minority Report, Daredevil, Alexander, In Bruges, Crazy Heart, Horrible Bosses, Fright Night, Total Recall, Saving Mr Banks, The Lobster, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Widows, The Gentlemen, After Yang and The Batman. He has also starred in TV shows True Detective and Ballykissangel.

Kirby plays Ruby

Kirby in Sugar
Kirby in Sugar. Apple TV+

Who is Ruby? Ruby is Sugar's investigative partner.

Speaking with RadioTimes.com, Kirby said of the character: "Ruby, she is essentially Sugar's M meets Q. She's incredibly intelligent, very aware of the world she lives in, but also has an element of of mystery herself. And I think that she is quite a grounding force both in Sugar's life and in the show."

What else has Kirby been in? Previously known as Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Kirby has starred in shows and films including A Dog's Purpose, Love, The Good Place, Cruella, Killing Eve, Hacks, The Sandman, Barry, Culprits and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. She will also soon be seen as her Sandman character death in spin-off show Dead Boy Detectives.

Amy Ryan plays Melanie Mackie

Amy Ryan in Sugar, sat at a bar across from Colin Farrell
Amy Ryan in Sugar. Apple TV+

Who is Melanie Mackie? Melanie is a successful musician who Sugar meets.

Ryan told RadioTimes.com of playing the character: "I had a character description just written through an email but truly what drew me in was the names attached - Colin Farrell, and Fernando Meirelles, I thought 'yes, this will be different, this will be exciting'.

"Also just selfishly, just in terms of like, what I was going to be asked to do to be part of it, playing this successful musician who's had luck and success in her 20s and is just the older confident woman but she hasn't had success in the other parts of her life.

"She drinks too much and she is lonely, and she hasn't figured that part out yet. But yet, she had this bravado and the strength masking that and I was intrigued by that."

What else has Amy Ryan been in? Ryan has previously starred in films including You Can Count on Me, Capote, Gone Baby Gone, Green Zone, Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Goosebumps, Bridge of Spies and Beau is Afraid, as well as series including The Wire, The Office and Only Murders in the Building.

James Cromwell plays Jonathan Siegel

James Cromwell in Sugar, wearing sunglasses and a white suit and walking amongst palm trees
James Cromwell in Sugar. Apple TV+

Who is Jonathan Siegel? Jonathan is a legendary Hollywood producer, the father of Bernie and the grandfather of David and Olivia.

What else has James Cromwell been in? Cromwell is known for having recently played Ewan Roy in Succession, while his other previous roles have included parts in films and shows such as Revenge of the Nerds, The Twilight Zone, The Shaggy Dog, Babe, LA Confidential, Deep Impact, The Green Mile, I, Robot, The Longest Yard, Six Feet Under, The Queen, Spider-Man 3, 24, American Horror Story, Big Hero 6, The Young Pope and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Anna Gunn plays Margit

Anna Gunn
Anna Gunn. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

Who is Margit? Little is known about Margit at this point.

What else has Anna Gunn been in? Gunn is best-known for playing Skyler White in Breaking Bad, while she has also had roles in Down the Shore, The Practice, Deadwood, Gracepoint, Sully and Physical, along with other series and films.

Dennis Boutsikaris plays Bernie Siegel

Dennis Boutsikaris smiling and wearing a white shirt and black jacket
Dennis Boutsikaris. Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic

Who is Bernie Siegel? Bernie is Jonathan's son and Olivia and David's father. He is also a producer, but his achievements have always been overshadowed by those of his father.

What else has Dennis Boutsikaris been in? Boutsikaris has previously had roles in The Jackie Thomas Show, ER, Law & Order, Criminal Minds, Shameless, The Good Wife, Billions, Salvation, Better Call Saul and Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches, among other shows and films.

Nate Corddry plays David Siegel

Nate Corddry
Nate Corddry. Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty Images

Who is David Siegel? David is Olivia Siegel's half-brother and Bernie's son.

What else has Nate Corddry been in? Corddry has previously appeared in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Invention of Lying, The Pacific, Harry's Law, Tron: Uprising, St Vincent, Mom, Ghostbusters, The Circle, Mindhunter, Perry Mason, Gaslit, Paper Girls, For All Mankind and Barry.

Sydney Chandler plays Olivia Siegel

Sydney Chandler against an orange backdrop looking at the camera
Sydney Chandler Marc Piasecki/WireImage

Who is Olivia Siegel? Olivia is Jonathan's granddaughter. A former addict, it is her disappearance that Sugar is investigating.

What else has Sydney Chandler been in? Chandler has previously had roles in Danny Boyle series Pistol and Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry Darling.

Other supporting actors and characters in Sugar

Other supporting characters appear in the series, played by the following actors:

  • Alex Hernandez as Kenny
  • Lindsay Pulsipher as TBC
  • Txunamy Ortiz as Patricia
  • Miguel Sandoval as Thomas Kinsey
  • Elizabeth Anweis as Mrs Siegel
  • Jason Butler Harner as Henry
  • Massi Furlan as Carlos
  • Adrian Martinez as Glen
  • Eric Lange as Stallings
  • Scott Lawrence as Dr Vickers

Sugar premieres on Apple TV+ on Friday 5th April, with episodes being released weekly. Sign up to Apple TV+ now.

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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Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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