Sharon Knolle
·4 min read
Kenneth Branagh is back for this third — and by TheWrap’s account, best —appearance as Agatha Christie’s detective Hercule Poirot in “A Haunting in Venice.” He also directs the spooky mystery, which boasts a terrific lineup of murder suspects (and potential victims), including Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan and Kelly Reilly.
Here’s who plays which character in the film based on Christie’s 1969 novel “Hallowe’en Party” — and where you might have seen the less familiar names before.
“A Haunting in Venice” is now streaming on Disney+.
Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot
British actor Kenneth Branagh reprises his role as the fussy Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, whom he previously played in the recent remakes “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile.” The film begins in 1947 with Poirot retired from sleuthing and leading a quiet life in Venice — until he’s dragged into a new case. Branagh also directs, as he did with the two previous Poirot outings. He starred in and directed the Shakespeare adaptations “Henry V,” “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Hamlet.” And Harry Potter fans will remember him as vain Hogwarts professor Gilderoy Lockhart. He won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for 2021’s “Belfast.”
Tina Fey as Ariadne Oliver
“30 Rock” creator and star Tina Fey plays a mystery novelist whose books helped boost Poirot’s fame. She persuades Poirot to attend a séance at a palazzo with a tragic history with the hopes of reigniting his career, as well as her own. Fey wrote the screenplay for “Mean Girls” and is known for her many team-ups with fellow “SNL” alum Amy Poehler.
Kelly Reilly as Rowena Drake
“Yellowstone” breakout Kelly Reilly plays renowned opera singer Rowena, who hosts the séance at her crumbling Venice mansion in hopes of contacting the daughter who fell to her death from the balcony of her bedroom. Reilly’s previous films include “Sherlock Holmes” and “Flight.”
Michelle Yeoh as Joyce Reynolds
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh plays the psychic who is brought in to communicate with the spirit of Rowena’s daughter. Poirot, who does not believe in the supernatural or the possibility of an afterlife, suspects she is a fraud. Yeoh’s many films include “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” and the James Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies.”
Jamie Dornan as Dr. Leslie Ferrier
Jamie Dornan reteams with his “Belfast” director to play a doctor who’s never recovered from the horrors of World War II. Like Poirot, he is essentially retired: Rowena’s daughter was his only patient before she died. The Irish actor is best known for the “Fifty Shades of Grey” franchise and for playing serial killer Paul Spector for three seasons of “The Fall.”
Jude Hill as Leopold Ferrier
“Belfast” star Jude Hill also reunites with Branagh here as Young Leopold, the son of Dr. Ferrier and a very precocious boy who doesn’t enjoy parties and would rather bury his nose in an Edgar Allan Poe book. He’s very protective of his delicate and easily overwhelmed father. “Belfast” marked Hill’s feature film debut. He also appeared in the British series “Magpie Murders” and the fantasy action comedy “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”
Riccardo Scamarcio as Vitale Portfoglio
Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio plays Poirot’s intimidating bodyguard, who accompanies him to the fateful séance. In addition to several Italian films and TV Series, Scarmarcio played the main villain in “John Wick: Chapter 2,” mob boss Santino D’Antonio.
Kyle Hill as Maxime Gerard
Kyle Hill stars as Maxime, a famous chef and the ex-fiancée of Rowena’s daughter. He is most definitely not welcome when he arrives to the séance. Hill’s previous films include Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” and “The Greatest Beer Run Ever.” He also played Hawk Lane on “The Path” and Timothy Campbell on “American Horror Story: Apocalypse.”
Camille Cottin as Olga Seminoff
Camille Cottin plays Olga, Rowena’s highly religious housekeeper who disapproves of the séance. Cottin, who is French, made her English language TV debut on “Killing Eve,” where she played Hélène. She also played Paola Franchi in Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci.”
Ali Khan and Emma Laird as Nicholas and Desdemona Holland
As played by Ali Khan and Emma Laird, half siblings Nicholas and Desdemona Holland serve as Joyce Reynolds’ assistants. Khan previously played Chaddick on Netflix’s “The School for Good and Evil” and Taz on the BBC/Netflix series “Red Rose.” Laird plays Iris on the Jeremy Renner-led “Mayor of Kingstown” and Annabelle on the Apple TV+ series “The Crowded Room.”
The post ‘A Haunting in Venice’ Cast and Character Guide appeared first on TheWrap.
