HBO's 'Lovecraft Country': Where You've Seen the Cast Before

(Image credit: Elizabeth Morris/HBO)

published 18 August 2020

From the minds of Jordan Peele, J.J. Abrams, and Misha Green comes HBO's newest venture into sci-fi: Lovecraft Country. The series—which debuted August 16 and is adapted from Matt Ruff's 2016 fantasy book by the same name—follows Atticus Freeman on his journey across Jim Crow America to find his father and discover the truth about his family. But Attitus, alongside friend Leti and uncle George, discovers startling things, both supernatural and real, about the world around them. As they wade through dangerous territories, Lovecraft Country weaves a telling narrative about racism that still persists in society. And while the brilliant writing by Green make this a standout series, the impeccable acting is sure to make the HBO show one to watch and one to remember. From Jurnee Smollett to Jonathan Majors and Tony Goldwyn, check out the supremely talented cast of HBO's new series Lovecraft Country.

Jurnee Smollett as Letitia \201cLeti\201d Lewis

Smollett is a bona fide TV vet. She broke onto the scene in 1992 as Denise in '90s hit Hangin With Mr. Cooper and later played Michelle's bestie on Full House. As a child star she also had roles on Cosby and On Our Own. The actress later starred in Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, True Blood, and Underground, before moving to film with a small part in Birds of Prey. Catch her as the fearless Leti in Lovecraft Country.

Jonathan Majors as Atticus Freeman

Jonathan Majors stars as Atticus Freeman, a man who goes searching for his father and ends up uncovering a lot of unpleasant truths along the way. Before Lovecraft, the actor received critical acclaim for playing Montgomery Allen in 2019's The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

Courtney B. Vance as George Freeman

Vance has been a mainstay in television for decades. His most notable roles include Johnnie Cochran in American Crime Story; Ron Carver in Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Russell Banfield in ER; and Marshall Payton in State of Affairs. In Lovecraft Country, the Emmy-award winning actor stars as George Freeman, Atticus's loving and concerned uncle. (Not to mention, Vance is married to Angela Bassett!)

Aunjanue Ellis as Hippolyta Black

It's no surprise the talented Aunjanue Ellis has a long list of titles to her name, including TV shows like When They See Us, Quantico, and NCIS: Los Angeles, as well as films like The Help and If Beale Street Could Talk. She stars as Hippolyta Black in Lovecraft, Atticus's ambitious aunt.

Wunmi Mosaku as Ruby Baptiste

The British actress gives a memorable performance in Lovecraft as Ruby, Leti's talented and determined half-sister. Mosaku's previous credits include Vera, Black Mirror, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Abbey Lee as Christina Braithwhite

Australian supermodel Abbey Lee made her film debut in 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road and has continued to appear in movies like Gods of Egypt. But she's sure to have her biggest turn yet as Lovecraft's mysterious Christina.

Michael Kenneth Williams as Montrose Freeman

You'll remember Michael Kenneth Williams as Bobby McCray in Netflix's stirring miniseries When They See Us; Freddy Knight in HBO's The Night Of; Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire; and as Omar Little in The Wire. Basically, the actor is a damn legend. Expect him to bring that same talent to Lovecraft as Montrose Freeman, Atticus's unpredictable father.

Jamie Chung as Ji-Ah

Chung had a less traditional path to the small screen, making a name for herself on MTV's The Real World in 2004. Since then, she's had parts in Once Upon a Time, Gotham, and The Hangover films, among others.

Tony Goldwyn as Samuel Braithwhite

Tony Goldwyn gives a bone-chilling performance in Lovecraft as "Sons of Adam" leader Samuel Braithwhite. But before the HBO show, he was best known as Carl Bruner in Ghost, the voice of Tarzan in the Disney film, and as President Fitzgerald Grant in Scandal.

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Neha Prakash is Marie Claire's Entertainment Director, where she edits, writes, and ideates culture and current event features with a focus on elevating diverse voices and stories in film and television. She steers and books the brand's print and digital covers as well as oversees the talent and production on MC's video franchises like "How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?" and flagship events, including the Power Play summit. Since joining the team in early 2020, she's produced entertainment packages about buzzy television shows and films, helped oversee culture SEO content, commissioned op-eds from notable writers, and penned widely-shared celebrity profiles and interviews. She also assists with social coverage around major red carpet events, having conducted celebrity interviews at the Met Gala, Oscars, and Golden Globes. Prior to Marie Claire, she held editor roles at Brides, Glamour, Mashable, and Condé Nast, where she launched the Social News Desk. Her pop culture, breaking news, and fashion coverage has appeared on Vanity Fair, GQ, Allure, Teen Vogue, and Architectural Digest. She earned a masters degree from the Columbia School of Journalism in 2012 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 2010. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and dog, Ghost; she loves matcha lattes, Bollywood movies, and has many hot takes about TV reboots. Follow her on Instagram @nehapk.