Where You've Seen The Cast Of Mr. Harrigan's Phone Before
Stephen King is not only one of the most prolific writers in modern history, but also a popular source of material when it comes to Hollywood films. Although adaptations of his work have had mixed success, movie studios continue to mine his hundreds of novels and short stories in an attempt to find the next big horror hit. "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" is the latest example. The supernatural drama was picked up by Netflix in 2020, with "Saving Mr. Banks" director John Lee Hancock running the show behind the camera.
Unlike many other horror films that rely on jump scares, "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" is a more thoughtful and slow-burning story. In fact, some viewers may even be confused about exactly what has happened by the time the movie finishes — but that means they've also given more time to appreciate the performances of the cast, which includes the likes of Donald Sutherland, Jaeden Martell, and Joe Tippett.
If you've watched "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" and feel like you recognize some of the faces on the screen, chances are you've seen them before. Even though a lot of the cast members are quite young, they've got plenty of film and television parts under their belts, and you'll likely have encountered them somewhere over the last few years.
Donald Sutherland as Mr. Harrigan
Legendary actor Donald Sutherland takes on the role of Mr. John Harrigan in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," an elderly man who befriends Craig. After he dies, events take a sinister turn when Craig seemingly discovers that he is able to communicate with Mr. Harrigan. Discussing the process of casting Sutherland in an interview with Netflix Life, director John Lee Hancock said, "I've always been a huge fan, so it was a dream come true to have him say yes because he was at the top of the list for sure." Hancock also confirmed that the actor was his number one choice for the role, and he had even read the novella with Sutherland's voice in mind for the character.
Sutherland is a veteran actor who first rose to prominence with his roles in films like "The Dirty Dozen" and "M*A*S*H." He has also had roles in other high-profile movies, such as "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "Citizen X." He has been nominated for more than a dozen major awards throughout his career, including a Primetime Emmy Award win in 1995.
More recently, the actor has appeared in "The Hunger Games" franchise, where he played President Coriolanus Snow, along with roles in "The Undoing" and the FX drama series "Trust." The patriarch of a show business family, three of his sons — Kiefer Sutherland, Rossif Sutherland, and Angus Sutherland — are also actors (via Hollywood Life).
Jaeden Martell as Craig
As a young boy, Craig (Jaeden Martell) becomes fast friends with Mr. Harrigan after being forced to read to him. He is heartbroken when his elderly friend dies and when Mr. Harrigan bequeaths Craig a large gift in his will, he leaves a voicemail on the elderly man's cellphone thanking him for his kindness. This leads to a response from the phone of the apparently dead Mr. Harrigan, which prompts a series of strange events that no one can explain.
Speaking to Netflix Life, director John Lee Hancock said that the young Martell had been recommended by a number of people, and made a strong impression the first time they met. Hancock ultimately said that "whoever we cast needed to carry this movie, which is a daunting task for anyone, but Jaeden was more than up for it and up to it."
Although still a relative newcomer to Hollywood, Martell has appeared in a number of movies since making his television debut in a Hot Wheel commercial in 2010. He landed his first movie in 2014, playing Oliver in the comedy-drama "St. Vincent," which also starred Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy. Viewers will likely recognize him most from his appearance in another Stephen King project, playing Bill Denbrough in "It" and the 2019 sequel "It Chapter Two." Martell also played a major role in Rian Johnson's "Knives Out."
Colin O'Brien as Young Craig
Whereas the actor playing the older Craig will likely be known to many members of the audience, the person portraying the younger version of the character is far less recognizable. According to Green Room Acting Studio, Colin O'Brien had been training with the organization for some months before he was showcased at a special event in 2021, leading to him gaining representation and ultimately being cast in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone."
Although O'Brien has five credits to his name on projects that are in various stages of completion, the Netflix film counts as his big-screen debut. The youngster will appear in the 2023 Netflix production "The Motherships," starring Halle Berry and Molly Parker, as well as the Apple TV+ drama series "Dead Edward," based on Ann Napolitano's novel of the same name. But perhaps his most promising upcoming role is in the Paul King-directed musical fantasy film "Wonka," which will star Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka and Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Jim Carter, and Olivia Colman in supporting roles.
Joe Tippett as Craig's Father
Forced to raise Craig as a single parent following the death of his wife, Craig's father (Joe Tippett) shows deep affection for his son, but can appear distant, as he is still processing his grief. He plays a significant role throughout the movie, although he initially dismisses anything sinister when Craig explains the situation with the phone message he receives.
Tippett got his first professional role in an Off-Broadway production of "All the Fine Boys" (via Stage Buddy). He then went on to make his first film appearance in 2006 as Ben in the romantic comedy "Gray Matters." However, he wouldn't be a regular in on-screen projects until 2013, when he had a role in two episodes of "Boardwalk Empire."
Since then, he has been cast in the musical drama "Rise," where he plays Sam Strickland over the course of 10 episodes, as well as appearing in four episodes of Apple TV+'s "The Morning Show" alongside Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. But he is probably best known for portraying John Ross in the HBO miniseries "Mare of Easttown."
Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Ms. Hart
Kirby Howell-Baptiste plays the biology teacher known as Ms. Hart in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone." As a mentor to Craig, she acts as one of the few people that he can trust in the film. Deadline first reported that she was part of the cast of the Netflix movie in October 2021, around the same time that Joe Tippett was confirmed to be appearing.
The British actor started her career in 2008 when she first appeared in the long-running medical drama "Holby City." Between 2011 and 2012, she appeared in three short films, including "Prepping Keisha" and "Invasion of the Les-Body Snatchers." By 2017, she had appeared in "A Dog's Purpose" as Maya and went on to have recurring roles in the comedy series "Barry" and Michael Schur's "The Good Place" alongside Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, and Jameela Jamil.
Howell-Baptiste had a main role in the first season of "Killing Eve," returning to the spy thriller as a guest in Season 4. More recently, she has had roles in Netflix's "The Sandman," the 2019 revival of "Veronica Mars," the animated series "Infinity Train," and the Disney live-action film "Cruella."
Cyrus Arnold as Kenny Yankovich
"Mr. Harrigan's Phone" has one major antagonist in the form of Kenny Yankovich, the local school bully who enjoys making Craig's life as unpleasant as possible. The character is portrayed by Cyrus Arnold, another young actor in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" who is just getting started in the industry.
IMDb lists 28 credits to his name, with the vast majority coming between 2020 and 2022. Arnold made his television debut in 2013, appearing in the IFC series "Comedy Bang! Bang!" The following year, he had roles in "Sam & Cat," "About a Boy," and "More Time with Family."
His breakout role came in 2016, when he played Derek Jr. in the Ben Stiller comedy "Zoolander 2." This was followed up with a recurring role in "The Exorcist" television series, when he appeared in the second season with the likes of Alfonso Herrera, Ben Daniels, and Hannah Kasulka. More recently, he has played Trevor in "Just Beyond" and Josh Jagorski in the HBO Max comedy film "8-Bit Christmas."
Thomas Francis Murphy as Pete
Thomas Francis Murphy plays Pete Bostwick, Mr. Harrigan's gardener, in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone." The actor made his acting debut in 2008 with the film "Paper Covers Rock," but before that had worked a variety of jobs. These included everything from an ambulance driver to a theater critic, although he eventually began a career in performance with various plays by Sam Shepard, some of which even won praise from the New York Times.
In recent years, the veteran actor has appeared in several high-profile movies, from "12 Years a Slave" to "Free State of Jones," as well as a recurring role on "Salem." He is probably best remembered for his role in AMC's "The Walking Dead," where he played a leader of the Scavengers known as Brion.
Murphy later appeared in "Mindhunter," coming to the show as the cast and crew reshot earlier scenes midway through production — an experience that the actor described as "like coming into the lunch room mid-semester of the senior year" (via The Fincher Analyst). In an interview with Absolute Music Chat, the actor said that he continues to write and has screenplays that he hopes one day to use.
Peggy J. Scott as Edna Grogan
In "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," Peggy J. Scott plays Edna Grogan, the wealthy Mr. Harrigan's housekeeper. Scott has worked extensively in the theater during her career, but still has almost three dozen screen credits to her name. According to her official resume, Scott made her first acting performance in the New York production of "La Mama." She then went on to appear in a wide array of regional plays as well as many Broadway and Off-Broadway performances, including "Is He Dead?" and "The Lucky One" (via Broadway World).
Her first screen role came in 1982, when she played Mrs. Cratchit in the television film "A Christmas Carol" alongside Catherine Burns, Oliver Cliff, and Jonathan Fuller. Back then, she was credited as Peggy Schoditsch. Following a lengthy hiatus, she returned to television in 2004, appearing as Jeannie Reilly in Denis Leary's comedy-drama series "Rescue Me" on FX. Following that, Scott has had roles in "Person of Interest," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and "Succession." The actor has continued to be cast in recurring roles on shows such as "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and "Bull."
Randy Kovitz as Chick Rafferty
Cast in the role of business manager Chick Rafferty in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," Randy Kovitz is an experienced actor with more than 60 credits to his name. The actor trained at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, and has also worked at the Yale School of Drama and SUNY Purchase.
His first film role came in the 1978 George A. Romero classic horror film "Dawn of the Dead," playing a police officer working at the dock. A few years later, he had an uncredited regular role in the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow."
As a director, Kovitz has created two short films, "Lightweight" and "The Specials," projects that he wrote himself. The versatile performer has also worked as a fight choreographer for "Transylvanian Curse," "The Magic Sword: Quest for Camelot," and "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe," as well as taking on the role of an acting coach for the television series "Supah Ninjas!" This is something that Kovitz has continued at Carnegie Mellon's School of Drama, where he teaches Acting for the Camera.
Thalia Torio as Regina
Thalia Torio stars as Regina in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," a classmate and friend of Craig. The actor is almost a complete newcomer to the industry, with her debut role on screen coming in 2019, when she played a minor role in "Alternatino with Arturo Castro." Her next appearance was in the comedy-drama film "Where'd You Go, Bernadette," directed by Richard Linklater, where she appeared opposite Cate Blanchett, Kristen Wiig, and Laurence Fishburne. In 2021, she was part of the cast of the "Spiderwebs" episode of "FBI: Most Wanted," portraying Michelle Cutiongco.
Torio also directed the television miniseries "The Confession Tapes" in 2021, a crime drama that follows three women who are suspects of a murder that occurred on Halloween. She has also worked as an editor for the short film "You're Just Like Me" as well as taking on directing duties for the upcoming "Roads for the Lost Boy," which will feature "The Paper Bag Prince" and "Rub" actor Moud Sabra, along with independent filmmaker Hudson Flynn.
Conor William Wright as U-Boat
In "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," Conor William Wright plays a classmate and friend of Craig known only by his nickname: U-Boat. The actor and filmmaker first came to prominence in 2017, when he wrote, directed, and starred in the short film "Grey Dog." He went on to appear in a number of other short films, including "Flop Down" and "Girlfriend Material," before he was cast in a supporting role in a 2019 episode of the television series "Blue Bloods."
Since then, Wright has made a number of appearances in different projects. He played part of a young couple in the "Trial by Fury" episode of the psychological thriller miniseries "The Undoing," which starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. He also had roles in both "Alice Fades Away" and "The Survivor," before landing the part of Aaron in the black comedy sitcom "Search Party." In total, he appeared in eight episodes of the show throughout the five seasons of the show.
Alexa Niziak as Margie
Another one of Craig's friends in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" is Alexa Niziak, who plays the part of Margie. While she is relatively unknown to film and television audiences, the young actor has already had an extensive career in theater. According to Broadway World, she was just 11 years old when she made her Broadway debut, appearing in "A Christmas Story: The Musical," a production that was developed by musical duo Pasek and Paul and nominated for three Tony Awards (via Playbill). Niziak subsequently appeared in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Matilda the Musical," where she took on the role of Alice Pumpernickle.
In terms of television and film, the actor appeared as Dena in "This Killing Business" in 2013, and had a string of minor parts in "Orange Is the New Black," "The Americans," and "Evil." She portrayed Courtney in the third season of "The Sinner" and Mary in the critically panned "Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin." Before being cast in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," she was featured in the "One Night Stand" episode of the "FBI" television series.