The cast of the TV show Fatal Attraction from Paramount Plus has a number of well-known actors who play the classic roles of Alex Forrest and Dan Gallagher. Based on the same-named 1987 psychological thriller, the Fatal Attraction TV series will once again feature Alex Forrester and Dan Gallagher in a passionate but turbulent encounter that quickly turns deadly when Alex starts tormenting Dan and his family after he ends their “relationship.” Glenn Close received her fourth “Best Actress” Oscar nomination for the 1987 film, despite outcry over the plot’s stigmatization of mental health disorders and maintenance of damaging preconceptions about women.
Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan were chosen for the lead parts in the Fatal Attraction remake, playing more complicated and modernized versions of Alex Forrest and Dan Gallagher. They aren’t the only brilliant actors in the Fatal Attraction cast, though; a number of well-known celebrities will also be appearing with them as either a recurring or new character.
Lizzy Caplan as Alex Forrest
In the 1987 film starring Glenn Close, Lizzy Caplan replaced Glenn Close as the complex Alex Forrest. In addition to playing the witty Janis Ian in Mean Girls, Marlena in Cloverfield, and magician Lula in Now You See Me 2, Caplan has a strong resume, much like many of her co-stars from Fatal Attraction on Paramount+.
She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her performance as Virginia Johnson in the drama Masters of Sex, and she garnered praise for her portrayal of Annie Wilkes, the younger version of the iconic movie character, in the Hulu anthology Castle Rock. Although Caplan’s comedic performances are very enjoyable, she does appear to get along better with the characters that are more nuanced.
Joshua Jackson as Dan Gallagher
Joshua Jackson’s breakthrough roles were as Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks and Pacey Witter in the teen drama Dawson’s Creek, but he appears to have discovered his calling in grittier, more morally challenging films as he chose to play the role of Dan Gallagher, a businessman who risks his marriage by having an affair with Alex. Along with these roles, he also appeared as Peter Bishop in the science fiction series Fringe, Cole Lockheart in the drama The Affair, Blaine Tuttle in Cruel Intentions, and Dr. Christopher Duntsch in the dark crime anthology Dr. Death.
Amanda Peet as Beth Gallagher
Additionally, Amanda Peet has joined the cast of Fatal Attraction as Beth Gallagher, Dan’s wife and Ellen’s mother. When Dan and Alex’s relationship takes a dark turn, Beth will find herself thrust into the centre of all the drama. Even though Peet is known for taking on comedic roles like Emily Freihl in A Lot Like Love, Darcy Silverman in Gulliver’s Travels, Jill St. Claire in The Whole Nine Yards, and Judith in Saving Silverman, she has also taken on more serious parts like Jackie in High Crimes and Paris in the psychological thriller Identity. Her varied film and television credits demonstrate her ability to work in any medium.
Alyssa Jirrel as Ellen
Ellen, Alex’s daughter, will witness her family being torn apart as things start to take a dark turn (which will ultimately result in her father’s incarceration), which is one of the key differences that will be presented in the reboot. Alyssa Jirrels, well known for her roles as Veracity Campbell in Mech-X4, Yasmin in 2020’s Saved By The Bell, and Nicole Dietrich in As We See It, will play Ellen for the entirety of the series.
Reno Wilson as Earl Brooker
Reno Wilson, an accomplished actor, portrays respected LAPD detective Earl Brooker in the new version. It’s possible that some people are most familiar with him from his roles as James Lewis in Bel-Air, Stan Hill in Good Girls, and Officer Carl McMillan in the American sitcom Mike & Molly. The Transformers franchise, in which he provided the voices of Frenzy (Transformers), Mudflap (Revenge of the Fallen), and Brains (Dark Side of the Moon; Age of Extinction), among others, has shown him to be a master voice actor as well. Several video games, including Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic, have also featured Wilson’s voice.
Adrian Lyne served as the director of the first Fatal Attraction film, which was made available in 1987. In the lead roles were Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and Anne Archer.
