Fool Me Once just hit Netflix, telling a gripping mystery headlined by an A-list cast of British acting talent.
Debuting on the streamer to start the new year, the eight-part murder mystery follows a family shaken by two murders and the shocking circumstances surrounding them.
Based on Harlan Coban's 2016 novel, the series comes as the service's first big release of 2024, debuting to middling reviews (sitting at 45% on Rotten Tomatoes).
Every Main Actor & Character in Fool Me Once
Michelle Keegan - Maya Stern
Michelle Keegan's Maya Stern plays one of Fool Me Once's central characters. The series starts with Maya mourning the death of her husband; however, things change when she spies her hubby on a personal security camera, giving her hope that perhaps things are not as they seem.
Keegan has been a mainstay of British television for years, appearing in Our Girl, The Pound Poms, and 861 episodes of Coronation Street.
Richard Armitage - Joe Burkett
Joe Burkett (played by Richard Armitage) is the husband of Michelle Keegan's Maya. Kicking the show off, Joe is mysteriously murdered but pops back up again, showing up on security footage that causes things to spiral in the house of Maya Stern.
Before taking on the role of Joe in Fool Me Once, Armitage previously played big parts in the Hobbit trilogy, Netflix's Castlevania, and Into the Storm.
Adeel Akhtar - Sami Kierce
Adeel Akhtar brings to like Sami Kierce in Fool Me Once. Sami is a detective heading up the investigation into Joe's 'supposed' murder. After Joe pops back up despite seemingly being slain earlier in the series, what was initially a simple homicide case for Sami becomes something greater.
Akhtar is also seen in Four Lions, The Big Sick, and Enola Holmes.
Joanna Lumley - Judith Burkett
Joanna Lumley's Judith Burkett is the mother of Richard Armitage's Joe and the fierce matriarch of the wealthy Burkett family. Since marrying her son, Judith has butted heads with Michelle Keegan's Maya, something that is only amplified after her son's apparent murder.
Lumley's previous credits include The Wolf of Wall Street, Absolutely Fabulous, and Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.
Emmett J. Scanlan - Shane Tessier
Shane Tessier (portrayed by Emmett J. Scanlan in Fool Me Once) is a former military man who served alongside the main character, Maya Stern. While fighting for their country, Shane and Maya fostered a close friendship. After the murder of her husband, Shane is key in helping Maya mourn the shocking death.
Scanlan will be familiar to fans of Peaky Blinders, AMC's Kin, and Gangs of London.
Dino Fetscher - Marty McGreggor
Dino Fetscher plays Marty McGreggor in Fool Me Once, a charming London-based police officer. Marty is paired up with Adeel Akhtar's Sami on Joe's murder case, with his enthusiastic nature rubbing Sami's the wrong way.
Fetscher has also appeared in Foundation, Years and Years, and Humans.
Jade Anouka - Nicole Butler
Jade Anouka brings Nicole Butler to life in the hit Netflix drama. Nicole most appears as a figment of detective Sami Kearce's imagination, a former lover (and partner on the police force) who was tragically murdered long before the events of the series.
Anouka can also be seen in HBO's His Dark Materials, Cleaning Up, and The Drowning.
Natalie Anderson - Claire Walker
Natalie Anderson's Claire Walker is the other murder victim at the heart of Maya's central conflict in Fool Me Once. Claire is Maya's sister who is mysteriously killed after the death of Maya's husband, Joe.
Anderson's past credits include Happy Valley, The Royal, and Memory.
Marcus Garvey - Eddie Walker
Eddie Walker (played by Marcus Garvey) is the grieving husband of Natalie Anderson's Claire. Despite being Maya's brother-in-law (and mourning a loved one), he does not see eye-to-eye with the series protagonist.
He is also the father of Dänya Griver's Abby. At one of Abby's soccer games, Daniel confronts Maya, telling her to stay away from his family because "death follows [her]."
Garvey can also be seen in Four Lions, Broadchurch, and Stella.
Hattie Morahan - Caroline Burkett
Caroline Burkett (Hattie Morhan) is another member of the wealthy Burkett clan and the sister of Maya's husband, Joe. Caroline is not as manipulative as her mother but still seems to be hiding something, making Maya believe she had a hand in the murder of her husband.
Morahan is best known for her work in Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast, The Bank Job, and Mr. Holmes.
James Northcote - Neil Burkett
James Northcote brings to life Neil Burkett. Neil is Joe's younger brother and plays a key role in the Burkett conspiracy surrounding the murder of Maya's loving husband.
Northcote previously appeared in Anna Karenina,
Dänya Griver - Abby Walker
Dänya Griver plays Maya's niece, Abby Walker. Abby does not play too heavily in the series but can be seen playing at a soccer game Maya comes to watch where she has a confrontation with Abby's dad, Eddie.
Griver has one previous TV credit in the Malory Towers.
Adelle Leonce - Eva Finn
Appearing in Episode 1 is Adelle Leonce as Eva Finn. Eva is a close friend of Maya's who comes to comfort her before the death of her husband, Joe.
Leonce is best known for her work on Black Mirror, C.B. Strike, and Death in Paradise.
Natalia Kostrzewa - Izabella Godek
Brought to life by Polish actress Natalia Kostrzewa is Izabella Godek. Izabella plays a minor role in the series, appearing in four episodes as the nanny of Maya's daughter, Lily.
Kostrzewa has also appeared in Life and Death in the Warehouse and Sickness.
Thea Taylor-Morgan - Lily Burkett
Thea Taylor-Morgan plays Lily Burkett, the young daughter of Maya and Joe. Just like her mom, Lily is shocked to find out her father is dead.
Fool Me Once marks Taylor-Morgan's first major acting credit.
Samuel Glyde Rees - Young Joe Burkett
Seen in flashback is Samuel Glyde Rees as a young Joe Burkett.
Rees can also be seen in The Accident and Jerusalem or Bust.
All eight episodes of Fool Me Once are streaming now.
