Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan from Amazon will feature the fifth live-action iteration of the titular hero, but the very first TV series adaptation. Following Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine, John Krasinski is the latest in line to play CIA analyst Jack Ryan – and the series’ cast explores an evolution of Clancy’s long-running franchise.
Instead of focusing on the classic would-be hero archetype, Jack Ryan centers around an up-and-coming CIA analyst who is happily confined to pushing pencils behind a desk. However, when Jack uncovers a string of suspicious patterns tied to terrorist activities, he’s thrust into action that sends him across the globe. While he attempts to track down the source of some questionable communication overseas, he ends up discovering a threat that traces its way back to the US. With John Krasinski in the starring role, the series also features Wendell Pierce, Abbie Cornish, Ali Suliman, and Dina Shihabi, with Carlton Cruse and Graham Roland as the show’s co-creators.
Related: Ranking All The (Very) Different Jack Ryan Movies
For the most part, Jack will be confined to solo missions during his pursuit, but that’s not to say he’ll be on his own completely. The new series features a whole slew of characters – some familiar names in Tom Clancy canon, some entirely new – who either aid Jack on his mission or stand in his way.
John Krasinski is Jack Ryan
The central character in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Jack Ryan is less a traditional hero than he his a typical everyman. That said, he also happens to be a CIA Analyst whose strict attention to detail not only triggers the CIA’s pursuit of a potential terrorist plot, but thrusts him into the center of the action. Played by John Krasinski (The Quiet Place, The Office), this will be the fifth live-action iteration of the character, after having been featured in The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears, and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.
Wendell Pierce is James Greer
Former case officer for the CIA, James Greer is Jack Ryan’s boss who essentially facilitates Jack’s transition from a behind-the-desk analyst to an on-the-field operative. Played by Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Selma) in the series, Greer showed up in the first three live-action movies centered around Jack Ryan. And, though two different actors played Jack Ryan during his tenure, Greer character was played by James Earl Jones opposite both Baldwin and Ford.
Abbie Cornish is Cathy Muller
Jack Ryan’s fiancée, Cathy Muller is completely in the dark when it comes to what Jack does for a living (in fact, she’s under the impression that he’s a State Department’s Supply Chain Logistician). That said, Cathy – a doctor who specializes in infectious diseases (which may or may not come in handy if the impending terrorist attack ever comes to light) – eventually discovers his true identity and must adapt to his unpredictable, secretive lifestyle. She’s played by Abbie Cornish (who you might recognize from Sucker Punch, the RoboCop remake, and last year’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri).
Ali Suliman is Suleiman
A new addition to the world of Tom Clancy, Suleiman (played by Ali Suliman, who you might recognize from Peter Berg’s Lone Survivor and Hulu’s The Looming Tower) is an Islamic activist who serves as Jack Ryan’s main antagonist. Deeply ambitious, at any cost, Suleiman’s goal is to extend his reach towards the West – which is precisely what catches Jack Ryan’s attention in the first place. As it so happens, his work is deeply affecting his family, which may well be the root of his ultimate downfall.
Dina Shihabi is Hanin
Hanin (played by Dina Shihabi) is Suleiman’s wife who opposes her husband’s goals and abandons him for the sake of her children. That said, one of her sons is still with Suleiman – being trained as a fellow Islamic activist – so she attempts to work with the CIA to help bring him back home. With whatever information she is able to give to Jack, he ultimately promises her that he is the best chance she has.
Jack Ryan’s Supporting Cast
Timothy Hutton as Nathan Singer – Played by Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton (he won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Ordinary People, though you’ll also probably recognize him from Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World and TNT’s series Leverage), CIA Deputy Director of Operations Nathan Springer plays an active role in giving Jack Ryan a global (though covert) presence, given his unique talents.
Amir El-Masry as Ibrahim – One of Jack Ryan’s key antagonists, Ibrahim (played by Amir El-Masyry, who you might recognize from Jon Stewart’s directorial debut Rosewater) isn’t just an Islamic activist, but Suleiman’s right-hand man.
John Hoogenakker as Matice – A Black Ops operative for the CIA who sometimes works alongside Jack Ryan, Matice has a recurring role in season one, but will be developed even further in season 2. Matice is played by John Hoogenakker (USA’s Colony, Empire).
John Magaro as Victor Polizzi – A US Air Force drone pilot based in Nevada, Victor Polizzi (played by John Magaro, who you might recognize from The Big Short and Orange is the New Black) is at odds with his duties due to the innocent deaths he causes any time he misses targets.
Peter Fonda as Joe Muller – Though he only makes a guest appearance in the Pilot episode, Joe Muller plays Cathy’s after Joe, and is played by veteran actor Peter Fonda (Easy Rider, 3:10 to Yuma).
The second season of Jack Ryan will feature even more recognizable faces, like Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Prometheus) as a German Secret Intelligence agent named Harriet “Harry” Baumann, Michael Kelly (House of Cards, Dawn of the Dead) as a CIA field officer named Mike November, Jovan Adepo (The Leftovers, Fences) as a former special crewman in the Navy named Marcus, and Jordi Mollà (Riddick, Bad Boys II) as the leader of a South American country named Nicolás Reyes.
More: Read Our Jack Ryan Series Review
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan season 1 will be streaming Labor Day Weekend on Amazon Prime Video.
