Apple TV+’s latest crime drama, Sugar, boasts an all-star cast headlined by Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell. Over the past five years, Apple has put its stake in the streaming service game, with many of the best TV series on Apple TV+ led by movie star casts. Sugar is no exception, with an outstanding ensemble of veteran talent and rising stars. The series blends the classic film noir detective genre, akin to Chinatown, with riveting modern action, making for an engaging thriller. It’s produced by Mark Protosevich, who previously wrote I Am Legend and Thor.
Sugar’s first two episodes have proven successful, with the series earning an 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It follows private detective John Sugar (Colin Farrell), who’s investigating the disappearance of the granddaughter of a Hollywood producer. The city of Los Angeles is synonymous with the private detective noir genre, and it again serves as the perfect backdrop for Sugar. The cast is rounded out by alum from some of the best crime shows ever, including The Wire, Better Call Saul, True Detective, and iconic noir films like L.A. Confidential.
Actor: The Sugar cast is led by Colin Farrell, an Oscar-nominated movie star from Dublin, Ireland, who had his big break in Joel Schumacher’s Tigerlandin 2000. Farrell was rushed into stardom in his early 20s, with surging popularity leading him to big-budget movies like Minority Report, Daredevil, and Alexander before his mainstream stardom simmered down in the latter half of the decade. Farrell has since become one of the industry’s most respected actors. Colin Farrell’s best movies include collaborations with filmmakers Yorgos Lanthimos and Martin McDonagh, and he has still maintained appearances in commercial hits like The Batman.
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Character: Colin Farrell plays the titular role of John Sugar, an enigmatic private detective tasked with finding the missing girl. Like many of film noir’s best detectives, John Sugar is plagued by internal conflicts, with his past unraveling along with his investigation.
Actor: Kirby Howell-Baptiste is an actress from London, England, who’s actively appeared in various supporting movie and TV roles since 2008. Despite not starring in any major productions, Kirby has built a successful career in some of the most well-regarded TV shows of the past decade, including Barry, Hacks, The Good Place, and The Sandman. She had a main role in Killing Eve’s critically acclaimed first season and has appeared in movies like Cruella and Silent Night.
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Character: Kirby plays Ruby, John Sugar’s colleague who aids him in the investigation of the missing girl. Typical film noirs see the protagonist without many reliable allies, though Ruby seems to be a dependable supporting character.
Actor: Amy Ryan is from Queens, New York, and broke into film roles with her Academy-Award-nominated performance in Gone Baby Gone. Ryan has played supporting characters in a variety of well-known movies, including Birdman, Bridge of Spies, and the recent 2023 horror movie Beau is Afraid. Some of her best work can be seen on television, where she’s played roles in some of the best TV shows of all time, The Wire and The Office. Recently, she’s played Jan in Only Murders in the Building.
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Character: Amy Ryan plays Melanie Mackintosh in Sugar, a rock star who’s been around the Siegel family and knows some of their secrets. She and Sugar engage in some witty banter early on, and it seems like she could be an ally for him.
Actor: Dennis Boutsikaris is an American character actor from Newark, New Jersey, with over fifty years of screen credits, appearing in some of the most popular shows of the past few decades. While Boutsikaris has appeared in his share of movies, like Money Monster, The Bourne Legacy, and Batteries Not Included, a majority of his work has been on television. His roles have mainly included guest appearances, though he’s played recurring characters on Better Call Saul and the recent AMC series Mayfair Witches.
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Character: Dennis Boutsikaris plays a member of the Siegel family who carried on his father’s legacy by becoming a movie producer. Though, in his case, his movies are cheap schlock that lack accomplishment. Like the rest of his family, Bernie Siegel is a suspicious figure.
Actor: Nate Corddry is an actor from Weymouth, Massachusetts, who is known for roles in various TV shows, both drama and comedy. With little over two decades of experience in the industry, Corddry has accumulated an impressive resume, particularly in the past five years. He’s played roles in famous comedies like New Girl, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Barry, along with dramas like Mindhunter and For All Mankind. He’s also had minor roles in films like Yogi Bear and the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot.
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Character: Nate Corddry plays David Siegel, the half-brother of the missing girl. John Sugar is introduced to him in episode 1, with their first encounter implying David knows more than he lets on. Using his familial connections, David was a former child star.
Actor: James Cromwell was born in Los Angeles as the son of actor John Cromwell and actress Kay Johnson and had his TV debut on The Rockford Files in 1974. His five-decade career has included dozens of memorable character roles in TV shows like Succession, for which he was nominated for three Emmys, Six Feet Under, American Horror Story, and more. His most recognizable role is perhaps the 1995 film Babe, for which he was nominated for an Oscar.
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Character: Veteran actor James Cromwell plays fictional movie producer Jonathan Siegel, the man who hires Sugar to find his granddaughter. Jonathan Siegel and his family possess immense power in the show’s depiction of Hollywood, leading to a conspiracy about their involvement.