Get to Know the Cast of Alice & Jack
While the show may be titled Alice & Jack, there are characters aplenty in their inner circles that you can’t help but love, too! Learn more about the talented cast and where you’ve seen them before, including Andrea Riseborough, Domhnall Gleeson, Aisling Bea, and more.
- 1.
Andrea Riseborough
Character: Alice, an independent, self sufficient woman who seems to have it all figured out — except when it comes to love, that is.
Where You May Have Seen Her Before: Prior to her days as the fiercely independent Alice in Alice & Jack (and also serving as Executive Producer), you may have seen Riseborough in such films and series as Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) as Laura; Matila the Musical as Matilda’s mother, Mrs. Wormwood; Battle of the Sexes as Marilyn Barnett, Billie Jean King’s partner; Oblivion as Victoria; the title role in To Leslie, and more. Other notable movies & TV shows include Lee (alongside Kate Winslet and Alexander Skarsgård in the story of acclaimed war correspondent Lee Miller), The Death of Stalin (Armando Iannucci’s satirical political black comedy), and, most recently, in The Regime alongside Kate Winslet
What She Hopes People Take Away from the Series: Riseborough hopes that people will find themselves relating to the core of the story — messy, wonderful, difficult love. “This story is for anyone who could or couldn’t make the sacrifice that love demanded, for anyone who battles and accepts the one who makes their soul soar, for anyone who longs to feel, who has felt, and who feels the tingling anticipation of love’s joy.”
On Reuniting with Gleeson: It turns out, Alice & Jack isn’t the first project Riseborough and Gleeson have appeared in together. The duo previously shared the screen in two films: 2010’s Never Let Me Go and 2012’s Shadow Dancer. So when they came back together for Alice & Jack, Riseborough was thrilled. “Those first two experiences were film, so really, in many ways, a different world,” she told Radio Times. “But to have a history with someone and a trust and a sort of mutual respect creates an environment where you feel that bit more bolstered to be really vulnerable when telling a story like this, and this is a very, very vulnerable story for both of those characters.”
- 2.
Domhnall Gleeson
Character: Jack, a man who, for better or for worse, can’t seem to resist the pull to Alice no matter how many times they come in and out of each other’s lives.
Where You May Have Seen Him Before: Before starring as Jack in Alice & Jack (and also serving as Executive Producer), Gleeson appeared in a number of hit films and series such as Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, and Star Wars Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker as General Hux of the villainous First Order; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 as Bill Weasley, Ron’s brother and the eldest Weasley child; Goodbye Christopher Robin as Winnie the Pooh author Alan “A.A.” Milne; The Revenant as Captain Andrew Henry; Brooklyn as Jim Farrell; Ex Machina as Caleb; and more. In addition to working with Riseborough on Alice & Jack, the pair have appeared in two films together before — 2010’s Never Let Me Go and 2012’s Shadow Dancer.
What He Hopes People Take Away from the Series: “The only work I’ve wanted to watch and do since the pandemic is work about connection and love, and work with a sense of humor. Alice and Jack keep coming back to each other because they can’t help themselves – they find in each other something that they don’t have on their own. I think they’re soulmates, I think it’s bigger than just the two of them. Their story centers on connection and love in the most beautiful way and reminds us that we are always allowed to smile – even if it’s through the tears.”
On Reuniting with Riseborough: Like his costar, Gleeson was excited to work with Riseborough again, and explained to Radio Times how this project compared to their past ones. “Well, it was a lot more time together, and our characters were at the front of this one together. Our first one together was Never Let Me Go… so basically, as long ago as the relationship between Alice and Jack spends in the series, I’ve known and worked with Andrea that long.”
- 3.
Aisling Bea
Character: Lynn, Jack’s ex-wife and the mother of Celia. Their marriage seemed to be going well until Alice popped back into the picture when Celia was a baby, and Jack confessed to her that he still thinks of Alice every day.
Where You May Have Seen Her Before: Bea has appeared in such films and TV series as Home Sweet Home Alone with Rob Delaney and Ellie Kemper; Love Wedding Repeat alongside Poldark stars Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza Poldark) and Jack Farthing (George Warleggan); Living With Yourself with Paul Rudd, and more. In addition to her acting work, her stand-up special came out on Netflix last year as part of The Comedy Lineup. Bea also wrote, produced and starred in both seasons of This Way Up, alongside Alice & Jack costar Sunil Patel, for which she was nominated for a Best Female Comedy BAFTA 2022 and a National Comedy Award for Best Actress. She also won the BAFTA for Breakthrough Talent 2021.
On Her Experience on the Series: What made Bea say yes to Alice & Jack? “It was exactly what I was in the mood for,” she told The Guardian in one interview. “On my first day on the job, Andrea Riseborough had put Post-Its all over the inside of my car saying: ‘Good luck!’ ‘We love you!’ ‘We can’t believe we have you!’ I was like, how does this incredible, Oscar-nominated actress have the time to write me notes? It came along at a point when I needed a boost, work-wise.”
On Working with Gleeson: Nearly all of Bea’s scenes in the series were filmed alongside Domnhall Gleeson, and she felt a quick connection with her fellow Irish costar. “We bounce off each other like a pair of tennis players, so that was easy. My character, Lynn, wasn’t originally written as Irish but when I got the job, I drew on that experience of being new in London and meeting another Irish person. It’s like you’re part of a club already. You have a shared culture and feeling of home, so you just jump in straight away. I fell in friend-love with Domhnall – make sure you put the word friend in there! – and we’ve become really close.”
- 4.
Aimee Lou Wood
Character: Maya, Alice’s assistant and self appointed (best, and perhaps only) friend. Alice keeps most people at an arm’s length, but Maya is determined to make Alice see that she cares about her as more than just a boss. Maya also happens to be the biggest supporter of Alice and Jack’s relationship, no matter how messy it gets.
Where You May Have Seen Her Before: Before her days on-screen, Wood started off in theatre, appearing on stage in Mary Stuart; People, Places and Things; and Uncle Vanya, alongside Mr Bates vs The Post Office star Toby Jones. In 2019, Wood made her screen debut in the hit series Sex Education for which she won a BAFTA award for Best Female Comedy Performance. She has also appeared in several feature films to critical acclaim, including The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and Living. In 2023, Wood was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star award.
Coming Soon for the Star: Wood has officially been cast in Season 3 of The White Lotus, a show that has featured many a MASTERPIECE alumni including Theo James (Sanditon), Tom Hollander (Us), and Haley Lu Richardson (The Chaperone).
- 5.
Sunil Patel
Character: Paul, Jack’s longtime best friend and fellow researcher. As Jack’s best friend, Paul takes on the responsibility of reminding Jack (fairly often) how much Alice has hurt him in the past and why he thinks Jack should steer clear of her. Jack may not exactly take his advice, but nonetheless, Paul is always there for him — even if he can’t help saying, “I told you so.”
Where You May Have Seen Him Before: You may recognize Patel from roles in series such as This Time with Alan Partridge; Stath Lets Flats; This Way Up (which Alice & Jack costar Aisling Bea wrote, produced and starred in); Documentary Now! and The Witchfinder. Patel is also the creator, host and presenter of the BBC Radio series Sunil Patel: An Idiot’s Guide To Cryptocurrency and, like Bea, is an established stand-up comedian, having made his stand-up debut on Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club in 2020.
