Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Cast & Character Guide

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters boasts a diverse cast in the roles of its human characters, some of whom are played by multiple actors at different points in time. A direct sequel to 2014’s Godzilla and part of Legendary Pictures’ larger MonsterVerse franchise, the Apple TV+ original series features not just the thermonuclear lizard but also numerous other creatures from its creator Toho’s roster. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also balances human drama with members of the titular monster-hunting organization and civilians influenced by the Titans and the MUTOs (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms). The action shifts across different countries as American and Japanese characters are prominently featured throughout the show.

While the MonsterVerse consists of many Titans, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also offers a promising ensemble in terms of its human characters. Putting the spotlight on several actors of Japanese descent reconnects the MonsterVerse to Godzilla’s origins. These casting decisions also add to the ensemble’s diversity, considering how the MonsterVerse previously featured only limited non-American actors like Ken Watanabe (Godzilla) and Demián Bichir (Godzilla vs Kong). Of course, the spotlight is also on a real-life father-son duo, who appear among the lead actors. Dedicated fans of the franchise will also be able to spot some returning characters in the Apple TV+ series — other than Godzilla, that is.

Anna Sawai As Cate

The human cast of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is led by Anna Sawai as Cate. The actress plays a former schoolteacher who is also a survivor of G-Day — that’s the day Godzilla attacked San Francisco in the 2014 movie. As she travels to Japan, she discovers that her family has been hiding some shocking connections to monsters like Godzilla. Sawai is no stranger to Apple TV+ as her breakout performance was in the period drama Pachinko as the confident Harvard graduate Naomi. She also plays the young ninja Kiriko in her debut film, Ninja Assassin, and Elle, one of Dominic Torreto’s crew members, in F9: The Fast Saga.

Kurt Russell As Lee Shaw

One of Hollywood’s most popular leading men in the 1980s, Kurt Russell stars in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters as Lee Shaw, an Army officer who discovered the existence of Titans in his younger days. Confronting his knowledge yet again, an aged Shaw plays a crucial role in the narrative. Russell’s previous sci-fi collaborations include his work with horror maestro John Carpenter. Some of the best Kurt Russell and John Carpenter movies include Escape from New York, in which Russell plays the hardened mercenary Snake Plissken, Big Trouble in Little China, as trucker Jack Burton, and The Thing, which sees him playing stranded helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady.

Russell’s more recent performances include the antagonistic planet Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the high-ranking CIA Agent Mr. Nobody in the Fast & Furious movies, and Santa Claus in the Christmas Chronicles franchise. The actor also often appears in Quentin Tarantino’s movies, having played the serial-killing stunt driver Mike McCay in Death Proof, bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth in The Hateful Eight, and stunt coordinator Randy Miller in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. His casting in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is special considering his son Wyatt Russell plays the younger version of Lee Shaw.

Wyatt Russell As Younger Lee Shaw

A younger version of the Army officer Lee Shaw is played by Wyatt Russell. One of the earliest members of Monarch, the dutiful soldier is bound to his responsibilities while also being haunted by the challenges of monster-hunting. Russell’s previous military roles include the reckless antihero super-soldier John Walker, aka U.S. Agent, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The former ice hockey player also played the valiant paratrooper Corporal Lewis Ford in the World War II-set zombie horror movie Overlord. Russell’s television work includes the comedy-drama series Lodge 49, in which he starred as optimistic ex-surfer Sean “Dud” Dudley.

Kiersey Clemons As May

An American living in Japan, May might appear to be tough on the surface, but deep down, she’s a deeply empathetic individual who can help others. Her code-breaking skills also come in handy in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters as she becomes a part of a larger conspiracy related to the Titans. May is played by Kiersey Clemons, who broke out in the coming-of-age comedy Dope as the protagonist’s friend and fellow geek Diggy. She also joined the DCEU, playing journalist Iris West in Zack Snyder’s Justice League and The Flash. Her other roles include amateur sleuth Susie in Susie Searches and budding burlesque dancer Chase in the Netflix anthology Easy.

Mari Yamamoto As Keiko

Mari Yamamoto is a member of the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast as Keiko, a scientist and advocate for treating the Titans with compassion instead of the brutality that Monarch otherwise endorses. Seeking the true nature of the origins and purpose of the Titans, Keiko’s quest is crucial to the present-day narrative of the MonsterVerse show. The Japanese-born actress playing Keiko previously starred in Pachinko as Hana, a woman sharing a troubled relationship with her single mother, and had a brief role in the action thriller Kate. Yamamoto was also involved in the script and continuity department of the American/Japanese neo-noir series Tokyo Vice.

Anders Holm As William “Bill” Randa

William “Bill” Randa is one of the senior researchers and founders of the secret organization Monarch, an outfit created to hunt and study Titans and MUTOs like King Kong and Godzilla. Anders Holm plays a younger version of the character, who was originally played by John Goodman in 2017’s Kong: Skull Island. Before joining the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast, Holm starred in and co-created the Comedy Central sitcom Workaholics. He also played journalist Vivian Kent’s husband Jack in Inventing Anna, music executive JJ in The Muppets: Mayhem, and unlucky hotel housekeeper Darren in Game Over, Man, for which he also wrote the screenplay.

John Goodman As Older William “Bill” Randa

John Goodman reprises his Kong: Skull Island role as Monarch’s intelligent and strategic researcher Bill Randa. While his younger version is played in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters by Anders Holm, Goodman’s character has his fair share of fighting Titans in the series. The actor boasts an impressive filmography, including numerous collaborations with the Coen brothers, most famously playing the aggressive war veteran Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski. His other popular roles include the voice of Sully in Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. franchise, the prehistoric family patriarch Fred Flintstone in the live-action The Flinstones movie, and the titular heroine’s husband Dan Conner in the sitcom Roseanne and its spinoff The Conners.

Godzilla

The monster movie icon Godzilla, or Gojira as he’s known in Japan, shows up in some crucial scenes in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. As parts of the narrative take place after Godzilla ravages San Francisco, more context will be offered on the events preceding his big fight against Gidorah and later Kong. The 2014 Godzilla movie will be referenced specifically in flashback scenes that show him wreaking havoc in San Francisco. As series executive producer Chris Black told Entertainment Weekly, the flashbacks find the audience’s perspective shifted from a God’s Eye top-down view to seeing him from below.

Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Supporting Cast & Characters

Ren Watabe as Kentaro – Cate’s newly discovered half-brother. Kentaro is an intellectually gifted and highly curious young man who delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding his late father. He is played in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters by Ren Watabe, whose only previous screen credit was a brief appearance in the Japanese drama 461 Days of Bento.

Joe Tippett as Tim – A Monarch member who is initially relegated to desk duties but is delighted to get a chance to prove his worth on the field. The Monarch: Legacy of Monsters character is played by Joe Tippet, who has had supporting appearances in the TV shows Mare of Easttown, The Morning Show, and Dirty John.

Elisa Lasowski as Duvall – A covert operative for Monarch, Duvall is an expert in her duties and often indulges in deadpan humor. She is played by French actress Elisa Lasowski, who acted in Eastern Promises, Burnt, an episode of Game of Thrones, and the music video for David Bowie’s “Blackstar.”

Takehiro Hira as Hiroshi: Cate and Kentaro’s father, who is an ominous figure in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. He is played by Japanese actor Takehiro Hira, who starred as a Tokyo Police detective in the British crime drama Giri/Haji and a Cobra operative in Snake Eyes.