Hulu’s new mystery thriller series,Paradise, features a strong cast to lead its unpredictable story. The series follows a Secret Service Agent, Xavier Collins, who discovers that President Cal Bradford has been murdered. As Xavier comes under suspicion for President Bradford’s death, he searches for answers about what really happened, and is unsure of who he can trust as his questions lead to many shocking revelations in thispolitical thriller.
TheHulu showis created by Dan Fogelman, who also created the hit NBC seriesThis Is Usthat aired for six seasons.More than one of the cast members previously worked with Fogelman onThis Is Us.Paradise’s reviewshave been largely positive so far, withmuch of the praise directed toward the talented cast that bring Xavier, President Bradford, and the rest of the compelling characters to lifein a series filled with mystery, drama, and suspense.
Sterling K. Brown
Date of Birth: July 11, 2025
Actor: Sterling K. Brown was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Brown’s breakthrough role came in 2016 as Christopher Darden inThe People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, which led to him winning an Emmy Award nomination. Later that year,Brown debuted the role of Randall Pearson inThis Is Us, which earned him another Emmy Awardwinand critical acclaim throughout the series' six-season run. Brown’s awards' success continued in movies with his Academy Award nomination for playing Clifford “Cliff” Ellison in 2023’sAmerican Fiction. He voiced characters in Prime Video’s animatedInvincibleseries and in Disney’sFrozen II.
2016
2016-2022
2018
2023
Angstrom Levy
2023-2024
Character: Brown plays the protagonist, Xavier Collins, inParadise. Xavier is the Secret Service agent who finds President Bradford’s body and who is determined to learn the truth. Xavier is a principled and dedicated man, although he is burdened by painful incidents from his past. He had a complex relationship with President Bradford, which is explored via flashbacks, but he is still intent on figuring out who killed him and ensuring justice is served.
Julianne Nicholson
Date of Birth: August 08, 2025
Actor: Julianne Nicholson was born in Medford, Massachusetts. Playing Jennifer McNeely in the 1999 movieThe Love Letterproved to be Nicholson’s breakout role. After appearing in a 2001 episode ofLaw & Order, she went on to have a larger presence in the franchise byplaying main roles in seasons 6-8 ofLaw & Order: Criminal Intentand inLaw & Order True Crime. She received an Emmy Award nomination for her performance as Lori Ross in HBO’s critically acclaimed miniseriesMare of Easttown. Nicholson has more recently starred in the moviesJanet PlanetandDream Scenario.
1999
2006-2009
2013
2021
Janet Matthews
Character: InParadise, Nicholson plays Samantha Redmond, who is nicknamed Sinatra. She is a powerful and influential member of President Bradford’s cabinet. In the aftermath of his death, Sinatra takes charge of the official investigation into President Bradford’s death and in deciding how his demise will be presented to the public. Her backstory and motivations are largely unveiled via flashbacks in episode 2.
James Marsden
Date of Birth: August 07, 2025
Actor: James Marsden was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma. His breakout role was through his performance as Cyclops/Scott Summers inX-Men, which he reprised in multiple sequels. Marsden gained further recognition for his comedic performance as Prince Edward inEnchanted, his depiction of the host Teddy Flood in HBO’sWestworld, and as the identical twins Steve and Ben Wood in Netflix’s dark comedyDead to Me.In Lee Daniels’The Butler, Marsden played President John F. Kennedy, and he more recently starred as Tom Wachowski in theSonic the Hedgehogmovies.
2000
2007
Steve and Ben Wood
2019-2022
Tom Wachowski
2020
Character: Marsden plays another commander-in-chief inParadisevia the role of President Cal Bradford. On the outside, President Bradford is a charming and confident man, making it easy to see how he was elected twice as the President of the United States of America. As suggested by Bradford’s murder, there is more to him than meets the eye, and he had his fair share of secrets, many of which are brought to life through the flashbacks.
Sarah Shahi
Date of Birth: June 28, 2025
Actor: Sarah Shahi was born in Euless, Texas. One of her first roles was as a bachelorette in a 2000 episode ofSpin City. She had a memorable part in an episode of HBO’sThe Sopranosas Sonya Aragon. Shahi hada recurring role in season 2 of the CBS seriesPerson of Interestas Sameen Shaw and was promoted to a series regularin seasons 3-5. She also had prominent roles in ABC’sThe Rookie, DC’sBlack Adammovie, Netflix’sSex/Life, and Prime Video’sRed, White & Royal Blue.
2005-2009
2013-2016
2022
Zahra Bankston
Character: Shahi plays Dr. Gabriela Torabi inParadise. Dr. Torabi is a therapist and an advisor to President Bradford. She shares an important history with Sinatra and becomes an integral figure during Xavier’s investigation into what happened to the president. Who Dr. Torabi is really loyal to is one ofParadise’s many intriguing mysteries.
Paradise’s Supporting Cast of Characters
Jon Beavers as Billy Pace: Jon Beavers plays Billy Pace, who is one of Xavier’s friends and a fellow Secret Service agent. Beavers recently played Junior Sykes in Kevin Costner’sHorizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1. He has also appeared in episodes ofGotham,NCIS,S.W.A.T.,9-1-1: Lonestar, andChicago P.D.
Krys Marshall as Agent Nicole Robinson: Krys Marshall plays Agent Nicole Robinson, who oversees President Bradford’s security and has her own complex relationship with him. She played Danielle Poole in all four seasons of Apple TV+‘sFor All Mankind. She also appeared in a season 1 episode ofThis Is Us.
Nicole Brydon Bloom as Jane Driscoll: Nicole Brydon Bloom plays Jane Driscoll, a member of the Secret Service and Billy’s girlfriend. She has starred in multiple episodes ofThe Gilded AgeandWe Were the Lucky Ones.
Aliyah Mastin as Presley Collins:Aliyah Mastin plays Presley Collins, who is Xavier’s teenage daughter. She previously appeared in Netflix’sHoney Girls.
Percy Daggs IV as James Collins: Percy Daggs IV plays James Collins, who is Xavier’s younger son. Daggs starred in all six episodes of the seriesThe Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, which features Samuel L. Jackson as the titular character, along with roles played by Walton Goggins and Dominique Fishback.
Glynn Turman as Xavier’s father: Glynn Turman plays Xavier’s father. He is an airplane pilot and the proud son of a Tuskegee airman. Turman is an accomplished actor who has starred inPeyton Place,Cooley High,A Different World,The Wire, andIn Treatment. In more recent years, Turman played Chiron in Disney+‘sPercy Jackson and the Olympians, Nate Lahey Sr. inHow to Get Away with Murder, and Toledo inMa Rainey’s Black Bottom. He won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series forIn Treatmentand received an Emmy Award nomination forHow to Get Away with Murder.
Gerald McRaney as Cal Bradford’s father: Gerald McRaney plays Cal’s Bradford’s father, who is an irascible individual with dementia. McRaney played the wise and kindly Dr. Nathan Katowski, better known as Dr. K, inThis Is Us, which led to an Emmy Award win. He has also starred inHouse of Cards,NCIS: Los Angeles,Deadwood, andLongmire.
