Donald Glover and Maya Erskine lead the new Amazon Studios series Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and a few other notable names join the cast for adventure.
The new show is based on the 2005 film of the same name—though do not expect Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt to show up.
What audiences can expect, however, is a newly married couple navigating their lives as professional spies, even though they only just met.
Cast and Characters of Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Donald Glover - John Smith
Donald Glover plays John Smith—though, of course, that’s not his real name, just the one he now uses for his newly assigned spy work 24-7. John is not nearly as guarded as his wife, and he’s slightly more optimistic.
In a press release for the television series, Glover described his John Smith as “an Army brat” who is basically “like a golden retriever for spying:”
"John is an Army brat… His father was in the military. And, you know, I think he's good with his hands, he likes to be physical. He's an avid yoga person. I think he's just excited about being a spy. He has an idea of what being a spy is in his head. He's hoping to have to duck through a bunch of red lasers, like 'Thomas Crown Affair'-style, you know? All that fun stuff. I think he's actually up for it like a golden retriever for spying."
Many will know Glover from his time on Community, Atlanta, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Across the Spider-Verse, and more.
Maya Erskine - Jane Smith
Maya Erskine’s Jane Smith is another spy fresh off the block who is very guarded and not too forthcoming with John right off the bat. While warming up to her new husband takes some time, she ends up sneaking in something of her own to their new house.
While speaking in a press release, Erskine shared that Jane "is someone who has come from a really broken family" and But again, this is far from the film's first confirmed release date. is not very trusting of this world:"
“Jane is someone who has come from a really broken family, a broken background and is not very trusting of this world. And she’s a person who’s not trusting, entering a partnership that’s fully based on trust. And it’s something that she has to learn and sort of uncover and really become vulnerable and learn to rely on another person, which she hasn’t done her whole life, which I think she gets to at a certain point in this series. And it’s really fun to see her open up in that way.”
Erskine recently lent her voice talents to Netflix’s Blue Eye Samurai and can also be seen in both Obi-Wan Kenobi and PEN15.
Paul Dano - Hot Neighbor
Paul Dano, also known affectionately in the show as the hot neighbor, lives next door to John and Jane in NYC—as his nickname suggests. But perhaps there’s more to him than meets the eye…
Dano’s performance as The Riddler in The Batman is still on many people’s minds, but he’s also shown up in Dumb Money, Swiss Army Man, 12 Years a Slave, and more.
Wagner Moura - John Smith
Wagner Moura’s John Smith is married to his own Jane and meets Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s titular characters one random morning. This marks the first time the leading duo ever met another couple in their line of work.
Many will recognize Moura from his time in Narcos, and he also voiced the Wolf in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Parker Posey - Jane Smith
This Jane Smith, played by Parker Posey, alongside her own John Smith, introduces the idea of extremely high-risk missions to Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s married secret agent couple.
Some of Posey’s previous projects include Lost in Space, The Staircase, Beau Is Afraid, and more.
Ron Perlman - Toby Hellinger
Toby Hellinger, played by Ron Perlman, is a wealthy man submerged in what seem to be shady business dealings—not that John and Jane are up for asking questions, though, as they work to protect him from being assassinated.
Some of Perlman’s most well-known onscreen roles include Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy, and Hand of God.
Alexander Skarsgård - John Smith
Alexander Skarsgård briefly shows up as part of a mysterious duo in the show’s premiere episode.
The actor played Eric Northman on HBO’s True Blood and also starred in movies such as The Legend of Tarzan and The Northman.
Eiza González - Jane Smith
Married to Alexander Skarsgård’s character, Eiza González makes her brief appearance count.
The actress can previously be seen in Baby Driver, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Alita: Battle Angel. She can next be seen in the upcoming film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
John Turturro - Eric Shane
Eric Shane, played by John Turturro, is an incredibly wealthy buyer from whom John and Jane must extract information at a silent auction.
Most recently, Turturro had a leading role in Apple TV+’s Severance. The actor also portrayed Carmine Falcone in The Batman.
Sharon Horgan - Gavol
Sharon Horgan plays a very wealthy and successful businesswoman who becomes the focus of one of John and Jane’s missions at a Ski Resort.
Horgan can be heard lending her voice to animated projects such as Disenchantment and HouseBroken, and she also starred in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
Billy Campbell - Parker
Billy Campbell’s Parker is the husband to Sharon Horgan’s Gavol, and the two are currently in a bit of a hiccup in their marriage while at a Ski Resort with their son.
Some of Campbell’s previous work includes Cardinal, Star Trek: Prodigy, and Something Undone.
Michaela Coel - Bev
Michaela Coel’s Bev is someone whom Donald Glover’s John Smith meets that might throw a wrench in his marriage with Jane.
The actress portrayed Aneka in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and also played large roles in I May Destroy You, Chewing Gum, and Black Earth Rising.
Sarah Paulson - Therapist
Much like the original 2005 film the series is based on, at some point during the eight-episode season, John and Jane need to go to therapy—which is where Sarah Paulson’s therapist comes into play.
Paulson will be instantly recognizable to any who has seen her work on American Horror Story, though her list of work expands far past that, including projects like Ratched, Deadwood, and more.
Beverly Glover - John’s Mom
Beverly Glover, Donald Glover’s real-life mother, plays the same role for his fictional onscreen character, John Smith, in the new Amazon Studios series.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is her first onscreen credit.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is now streaming on Prime Video.
