Mike Flanagan's adaptation of Stephen King's novel features a strong cast of recognizable
actors, both major stars and supporting players we've definitely seen before.
Things are about to get eerie as we figure out why the cast of Doctor Sleep looks so
familiar.
The leader of the True Knot cult goes by "Rose the Hat," and she looks to be a formidable
antagonist for Danny Torrance.
In the film, Rose is played by Rebecca Ferguson, who started acting in a Swedish soap opera,
but she's had plenty of stateside success over the last decade.
The Swedish actress is probably best known for playing Ilsa Faust in the newer Mission:
Impossible films.
She's also no stranger to horror roles, as she appeared in Life as Miranda North and
The Snowman as Katrine Bratt.
On top of all that, Ferguson has appeared in movies ranging from The Greatest Showman
and The Kid Who Would Be King to Men in Black: International and Florence Foster Jenkins.
In other words, Ferguson is an in-demand actress, talented, formidable, and the perfect pick
for such a terrifying Stephen King character.
One of Danny's allies against the True Knot is Billy Freeman, a man who helps our hero
cope with his alcoholism and fight against his inner demons.
He takes on a similar role to Dick Hallorann from The Shining, serving as an older mentor
striving to help Danny with his trauma.
In Doctor Sleep, veteran actor Cliff Curtis portrays Billy Freeman.
Curtis got his big break in 1999's Three Kings, where he played Amir Abdulah.
Since then, he's appeared in several movies and shows, where he's played roles like Pablo
Escobar in Blow, Smiley in Training Day, and Travis in Fear the Walking Dead.
One of the most frightening members of the True Knot is named Crow Daddy.
He's Rose the Hat's lover and a sadistic, terrifying individual.
Doctor Sleep features an inspired bit of casting for Crow Daddy, as he's played by Zahn McClarnon,
a man who lends plenty of gravitas to every role he takes.
McClarnon has been acting professionally for more than 30 years, appearing in several television
shows in the '90s, as well as providing voicework for several animated films.
Over the years, he's started appearing in larger roles, playing characters like Hanzee
in the Fargo television series and the Professor in Bone Tomahawk.
Probably his most recognizable role is that of Akecheta, the leader of the Ghost Nation
tribe on HBO's Westworld.
One of Danny's allies and close friends in Doctor Sleep, Dr. John knows more about Danny
than pretty much anyone.
He's aware that Danny possesses an extraordinary ability, and he also knows that Danny isn't
the only one with the Shine.
In the film, Dr. John is played by Bruce Greenwood, and Greenwood is no stranger to playing roles
that require a commanding on-screen presence.
Greenwood has played roles like John F. Kennedy in Thirteen Days, the president of the United
States in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and Christopher Pike in the more recent Star Trek
films.
He's also no stranger to Stephen King adaptations directed by Mike Flanagan, since he played
Gerald in Gerald's Game.
"And you did what you always do when it gets too much, you ran in here."
Some of the True Knot have gained psychic powers through their exposure to the Shine,
and Snakebite Andi is one of the most vicious and formidable psychics imaginable.
Andi has the power to make people fall into a deep sleep with just a verbal suggestion.
Snakebite Andi is played by Emily Alyn Lind in Doctor Sleep, and acting is in her blood.
Her mother is Barbara Alyn Woods, so Lind got started acting at a very young age.
She appeared as Shirley Temple in J. Edgar and in several television series before the
age of ten.
More recently, Lind appeared as Sophie Foster in Replicas, Ariel on the CBS series Code
Black, and young Amanda Clarke on the ABC series Revenge.
Another member of the True Knot, Grampa Flick kicks off the events of Doctor Sleep in a
lot of ways.
Since the group strives to be immortal by stealing the Shine from children, watching
a member of their cult grow older frightens and infuriates the other members of the group.
As to who portrays Grampa Flick, you've definitely seen actor Carel Struycken in plenty of roles.
Struycken has played monsters and odd characters in many things, including the Giant in Twin
Peaks, Mr. Homn on Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Moonlight Man in Gerald's Game, and the
bald Arquillian from Men in Black.
One of his most memorable roles was as Lurch in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values.
But no matter the project, the seven-foot-tall Dutchman always makes an impression when he
strides onto the screen.
"It is happening again.
It is happening again."
Without getting too heavy into spoiler territory, the character of Lucy plays a small but important
role in Doctor Sleep.
As such, the filmmakers needed to cast a confident actress to take on the part, and they found
one in Jocelin Donahue.
Donahue has made a pretty good name for herself by taking on roles that seem thankless on
paper and making them memorable.
Her horror credentials are certainly there.
She played the young version of Lorraine in Insidious: Chapter 2, and she won the Best
Actress award at LA Screamfest in 2009 for the lead role in the indie darling The House
of the Devil.
Silent Sarey is perhaps the most frightening member of the True Knot due to her impressive
psychic gift.
Sarey can essentially make people not realize she's there.
As long as they don't see her moving, she's basically invisible.
Silent Sarey is portrayed by Catherine Parker, who certainly possesses the right combination
of charisma and threat to play the character.
Early in her career, Parker found a good deal of acclaim in the role of Callie in Absentia,
which led to memorable roles on shows like Halt and Catch Fire and Masters of Sex.
Recently, horror fans saw her as Poppy Hill, the creepy flapper woman on Netflix's The
Haunting of Hill House, which was also directed by Mike Flanagan.
In Stephen King's novel, the character of Deenie plays a big part in getting Danny to
the town where most of Doctor Sleep's action takes place.
It's a small but important role, but Chelsea Talmadge [TALL-mij] is the perfect actress
to cast in such a pivotal role.
The other projects that Talmadge is known for generally gave her small scenes to play
with, and she managed to make them memorable.
Talmadge appeared on the series Halt and Catch Fire, playing Vera in six episodes of the
show.
She also had a recurring role on the Billy Ray Cyrus sitcom Still The King as Mabel.
The role you're most likely to recognize her from is Stranger Things.
She played Carol, one of the students who attend the pool party where Barb disappears,
and she later cheers on her boyfriend, Tommy, and Steve Harrington when they break Jonathan
Byers' camera.
"Dude!"
"Yeah, this isn't creepy at all."
Barry is a member of the True Knot, and he's a reminder to the group of why it's so important
that they continue to feed off the Shine of others.
He's played in Doctor Sleep by Robert Longstreet, who film fans have assuredly seen in something
over the years.
Longstreet has been in around 80 roles in his many years as an actor, but he's only
started to garner mainstream attention recently.
He played Anderson in Boots Riley's bizarre satire Sorry to Bother You, and he played
Professor James in Aquaman.
He also has credits in Take Shelter, The Old Man and the Gun, and Mohawk.
Plus, horror hounds will recognize him as Mr. Dudley, the kindly caretaker harboring
a dark secret in The Haunting of Hill House.
If you're only familiar with the movie version of The Shining, then you might be surprised
to see Dick Hallorann as a character in Doctor Sleep.
In the movie, Hallorann doesn't survive his experience at the Overlook Hotel.
However, he survives in the book, and Hallorann still has a role to play in Danny's life when
the sequel rolls around.
Carl Lumbly has been cast in the role that Scatman Crothers played in the original Kubrick
film.
Lumbly has had a huge variety of roles over his career, including several voice acting
performances in cartoons and video games.
As far as roles where he's actually shown up on camera, Lumbly is probably best known
for playing Marcus Dixon on the show Alias.
He played Mac Brashear in the film Men of Honor, and he also features in a recurring
role on the Supergirl series.
Another member of the True Knot, Apron Annie has a very small role in Doctor Sleep.
That said, you'll probably be snapping your fingers and wracking your brain when you see
the actress who plays her, Selena Anduze, up on the screen.
You've definitely seen her in at least one thing, and it's a place you've seen several
of the other actors in Doctor Sleep.
Selena Anduze was in The Haunting of Hill House.
She only appeared in one episode, "The Twin Thing," as a worker at the rehab facility.
In fact, Anduze seems to almost exclusively play doctors and detectives.
You may also have seen Anduze in small roles in movies like Venom, as the bistro manager,
or A Madea Family Funeral as the doctor.
Anduze was supposed to have a fairly meaty role in the DC series Swamp Thing as Caroline
Woodrue, but that show's swift cancellation put a stop to that role.
Doctor Sleep would hardly be the story of Danny's coping with his childhood trauma if
his mother wasn't a part of things.
In The Shining, Shelley Duvall played Wendy Torrance with wide-eyed panic, and Alex Essoe
is taking on the role in Doctor Sleep.
Essoe originally hails from Saudi Arabia, and she's only been acting professionally
since 2008.
She hasn't really had a big breakout role at this point, but hopefully Doctor Sleep
will put her on the path to bigger and better things.
What Essoe does have is a lot of horror experience.
She's appeared in indie horror films like Starry Eyes, The Neighbour, Dark Intentions,
and Midnighters.
She also appeared in The Drone, which is about a drone that gains sentience and goes on a
killing spree.
The True Knot in Doctor Sleep mostly preys on children, so there are several roles that
Jacob Tremblay could be taking on.
Considering Tremblay's impressive resume and prior experience working with director Mike
Flanagan, it seems likely he's taking on a substantial role in the film.
Our money is on him playing young Danny Torrance.
Regardless of what role Tremblay plays, we know he's in the film, and you've probably
seen something else he's been in.
He's actually done quite a bit of voice work, but one of his biggest roles was alongside
Brie Larson in the critically acclaimed film Room.
Considering his impressive performance in Room, it's hard to imagine Tremblay would
play just some random kid in Doctor Sleep.
Tremblay has some other impressive credentials, as well.
He was Cody in Before I Wake, a prior collaboration with Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan,
and he played Rory McKenna in The Predator.
Chances are good that you don't need a reminder about Ewan McGregor, the actor who plays the
grown-up Danny Torrance in Doctor Sleep.
Of all the actors in the film, he's about the only household name.
If you somehow aren't able to put a film to his face, though, here's what you've seen
him in.
McGregor showed promise early on, stealing the show in two impressive indie films: Shallow
Grave and Trainspotting.
However, it was his casting as young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels that shot
McGregor to superstardom.
He also played Ed Bloom in Big Fish, Phillip Morris in I Love You Phillip Morris, Christian
in Moulin Rouge, and the title character in Christopher Robin.
In other words, the dude is incredibly talented and an impressive anchor for the cast of Doctor
Sleep.
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