Why The Cast Of John Wick 3 Looks So Familiar
It all started with a puppy. In the hit 2014 action-thriller John Wick, Keanu Reeves put on one of the best performances of his entire career as the title character. After a group of Russian mobsters break into Wick's home, make off with his vintage car, and worst of all, kill the puppy left behind by his deceased wife, Wick is out for revenge. Unbeknownst to these mobsters, Wick is a highly skilled, retired hitman, and now, he's got a few new targets.
The film was so successful that it spawned two sequels, John Wick: Chapter 2 and the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, due for release in May 2019. Some memorable cast members will be returning to their previous roles, and you'll also be seeing some new faces. In fact, you might recognize a few of them from other films and TV shows. If you found yourself asking "Wait, where have I seen that actor before?" while watching the trailer, here's your answer.
Jerome Flynn/Berrada
Jerome Flynn is a newcomer to the John Wick films. The studio has remained tight-lipped about his role, presumably to avoid spoiling any crucial plot points. However, it's rumored that he'll be playing a character called Berrada.
Viewers will immediately recognize Flynn from Game of Thrones, where he plays Bronn, a fan favorite and consistent source of comic relief. Although Flynn is definitely best known for appearing on Thrones, he also made an appearance in an episode of the critically acclaimed Netflix series Black Mirror, "Shut Up and Dance." From 2012 through 2016, he also played Bennet Drake on the TV series Ripper Street. But one of Flynn's most intriguing projects in recent years was providing the voice of Paul Gatchet for the first-ever fully painted feature film, Loving Vincent. No matter what, Flynn usually manages to bring a certain charm to the screen, but we'll see if that holds true for John Wick 3.
Ian McShane/Winston
Ian McShane is already a veteran of the John Wick series. In John Wick 3, he'll be returning to the screen as his character Winston, a branch manager of The Continental Hotel chain. But this hotel isn't your typical vacation spot: the Continental often hosts contract killers and other shady characters. However, Winston maintains that the hotel must remain a neutral zone, and defying him comes with a harsh punishment.
McShane has an extensive resume, and like Flynn, he has also appeared in Game of Thrones. But like many others, his character, Brother Ray, only survived one episode. In addition, he played the infamous pirate Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. For his role as Mr. Wednesday in the TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel American Gods, McShane was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series. He was also nominated for an Emmy and won a Golden Globe for his starring role on the series Deadwood as Al Swearengen.
Asia Kate Dillon/The Adjudicator
Rising star Asia Kate Dillon has been making waves in Hollywood ever since playing the first non-binary character on a mainstream North American television show. In Billions, Dillon plays non-binary hedge fund intern Taylor Mason. Their performance earned them a supporting actor nomination at the Critics Choice TV Awards.
In John Wick 3, Dillon makes their feature film debut as "Adjudicator," a member of the High Table who shows up when people have broken the rules of the underground criminal world and warns them that they're about to face serious consequences. In addition to Billions, Dillon is also known for their role as white supremacist inmate Brandy Epps in the popular Netflix series Orange is the New Black. And on top of all of their acting commitments, they also focus on advocacy for the LGBT community and exploring activist movements like Black Lives Matter through performance art. Dillon's career is only going up from here.
Halle Berry/Sofia
Halle Berry joins the cast of John Wick 3 as Sofia, a good friend of Wick's who also happens to be an assassin. In true Halle Berry fashion, Sofia is dressed to kill, and judging by the trailer, she's got a few dangerous moves up her sleeve.
One of Berry's most iconic roles was in the 2001 film Monster's Ball. Her performance as Leticia Musgrove, the struggling widower of an executed murderer, earned her the honor of becoming the first woman of color to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also got to play Bond girl Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day. Since 2000, Berry has appeared in several X-Men films as the character Storm, and from 2014 through 2015, she starred as Molly Woods on the series Extant. Although Berry has had some career mishaps along the way (we all try to forget about Catwoman), she'll be a welcome addition to John Wick 3.
Jason Mantzoukas/Tick Tock Man
Jason Mantzoukas is set to appear in John Wick 3 as the Tick Tock Man, a character whose storyline remains mysterious. Judging by the ominous name, he could be another villain that Wick has to watch out for ... or perhaps he'll turn out to be an unlikely ally. We'll have to wait until May to find out.
If you're hooked on popular sitcoms, you'll almost definitely recognize Mantzoukas. From 2016 through 2018, he played Adrian Pimento on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He's also made appearances on comedies like Parks and Recreation, Broad City, Modern Family, Community, and Workaholics. He can take any line and nail it with perfect comedic timing.
Most recently, he played Derek Hoffsteler on the quirky hit series The Good Place, which follows protagonist Eleanor Shellstrop when she mistakenly ends up in the utopian "Good Place" after she dies. Although he only appeared in five episodes, Mantzoukas was called a "certified scene-stealer" for his performance as Derek.
Robin Lord Taylor/Administrator
Robin Lord Taylor is new to the John Wick films. He'll be appearing as "The Administrator," another member of the High Table along with Dillon as The Adjudicator. Nothing gets past the High Table, so it's safe to say that Taylor will be pulling a few strings behind the scenes. What is he the administrator of, exactly? Well, whatever it turns out to be, you probably wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it.
If you happened to binge watch the addictive Lifetime series turned Netflix drama You, you'll probably remember Taylor from his role as Will. And if you're a fan of DC Comics, you might also know Taylor from his five-year stint on the series Gotham. He played the classic Batman villain The Penguin. But Taylor has worked in other genres besides drama: he also appeared as Abernathy in the hilarious 2006 film Accepted.
Laurence Fishburne/Bowery King
Laurence Fishburne first appeared in John Wick: Chapter 2 as the Bowery King, the intimidating leader of an extensive intelligence network who assists Wick in finding Santino D'Antonio. His spies are practically everywhere, and no one in New York City gets from Point A to Point B without the Bowery King hearing about it.
Fishburne has worked in Hollywood for decades, and chances are you've seen him in a few blockbusters. This isn't the first time that he's worked alongside Keanu Reeves; he played Morpheus in The Matrix films. He also played Tyrone "Mr. Clean" Miller in the classic 1979 war film Apocalypse Now. Fishburne has worked with an impressive list of Hollywood directors, including Clint Eastwood. He played the title character in Eastwood's Othello and a DEA agent in his recent film The Mule. Fishburne is one of those actors who always manages to leave a lasting impression, no matter what his role is.
Anjelica Huston/The Director
Anjelica Huston is new to the John Wick series, but her character in the third installment, "The Director," is sure to play a major part in the plot. Not only is she a member of the High Table, she's also tasked with serving as John Wick's protector — and judging by the countless dangerous situations John Wick gets into, this can't be an easy job.
Huston is known for her performance as Addams family matriarch Morticia in the 1991 film The Addams Family. Although the film received mixed reviews, Huston was a standout as Morticia, and she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. She definitely nailed that creepy vibe. She's also known for her role as Eleanor Zissou in the 2004 cult favorite The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and more recently, she had a recurring role as Vicki in the series Transparent.
Lance Reddick/Charon
So far, Lance Reddick has reprised his role as Charon in every John Wick film. Charon is the concierge at The Continental Hotel. He always has Wick's back; he's even taken care of his dog while Wick was out of the country. Look, after the incident that kicked off the first film, there is no way Wick is leaving his dog behind without a responsible sitter.
Where else have you seen Reddick, besides the front desk at the Continental? He's most famous for his role as Cedric Daniels in The Wire. He has also appeared in other popular crime dramas, like Law & Order and CSI: Miami. From 2008 through 2013, he played Phillip Broyles on the science-fiction series Fringe, a Homeland Security Agent and an investigator responsible for exploring unexplained incidents. Fringe isn't the only time Reddick appeared on a series that delved into the supernatural: he also played Papa Legba on American Horror Story: Coven.
Mark Dacascos/Zero
Little is known about Mark Dacascos' character in John Wick 3, but word is that he's playing the main assassin in the film, Zero. Zero has a serious vendetta against Wick, and he's out for blood. With a bounty on his head and Zero tracking him down, the stakes have never been higher for Wick.
Although Dacascos is playing a villain in this film, this role is not in his usual wheelhouse. You may know Dacascos from a very different genre: cooking shows. That's right, Dacascos was actually The Chairman on the long running series Iron Chef America: The Series. So, how did he get cast in an action film like John Wick 3? Well, he's actually a highly skilled martial artist, making him a perfect choice!
Dacascos is clearly a man of many talents. In addition to Iron Chef, he's also had small roles in series like Hawaii Five-O and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Said Taghmaoui/The Elder
So far, the studio has done a good job of keeping the details of the new John Wick characters quiet. Said Taghmaoui is slated to play a character known only as "The Elder," and as of right now, little else has been revealed about his role. However, he was clearly ecstatic about landing the part: he announced on Twitter that he would be in the film and posted a photo of the crew shooting in the desert.
Taghmaoui's addition to John Wick 3 is highly anticipated after his performance as Sameer in the massive blockbuster Wonder Woman. The Moroccan actor has primarily appeared in French films since the start of his career in 1994. But he's also been in some well received American films. In 1999, he appeared as Captain Said in the genre-bending war film and black comedy Three Kings. He played Farid in the 2007 film adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's best selling novel The Kite Runner. He also had a small role in American Hustle.
John Leguizamo/Aurelio
John Leguizamo makes his return to the John Wick series as Aurelio, Wick's close friend, whose day job just happens to involve repairing stolen cars. Once again, Aurelio will be one of Wick's allies, and it looks like Wick will need all the help he can get.
Leguizamo has played a wide variety of roles throughout his decades-long career. He is definitely not the kind of actor who struggles with being typecast. We're talking about a guy who went from playing Tybalt Capulet in the 1996 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet to voicing the sloth Sid in the Ice Age films. He doesn't shy away from a challenge, and he's just as comfortable voicing a cartoon character as he is appearing in a serious drama. You might also remember Leguizamo from his role Toulouse Lautrec in the Academy Award-winning musical drama Moulin Rogue! or as Val Venezuela in the 2011 legal thriller The Lincoln Lawyer.