The Assassin, on Amazon Prime, pulls you in right from the start thanks to leading cast member Keeley Hawes. 

Hungover and asleep on a deckchair, Keeley‘s character – retired assassin Julie – takes no prisoners after being hit on the head by a football.

Julie’s foul-mouthed take down of the kid responsible, aged only about 12, gives you an instant insight into her ruthless nature.

What follows will leave you on the edge of your seats – while also laughing and wincing at times.

Julie lives a remote life on a tiny Greek island. But when her son Edward, played by Freddie Highmore, turns up to see her, all hell breaks loose. Before you know it, the mother and son are on the run across the world with a huge bounty on her head.

Keeley and Freddie are accompanied by an outstanding cast in The Assassin. It includes a Neighbours legend and famous faces from Line Of Duty, Game of Thrones, Lost and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Here’s everything you need to know about The Assassin and its cast on Amazon Prime Video.

Keeley Hawes plays retired assassin Julie

Keeley Hawes, 49, has had an impressive career and her portrayal of Julie in The Assassin is another triumph.

The actress – real name Clare Hawes – broke into the business at a young age after enrolling at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She was friends with Spice Girl Emma Bunton and EastEnders’ Kellie Bright and began her career as a model, before moving into acting.

Following several minor TV roles, Keeley landed a small part in 1998 Hollywood movie The Avengers. Things took off from there. Four years later, Keeley appeared as both Kitty Butler in Tipping the Velvet and as Zoe Reynolds in the BBC drama Spooks.

Keeley went on to star as DI Alex Drake in Ashes to Ashes. It led to a win at the 2008 Glamour Awards for Best UK Television Actress. Keeley also received widespread praise for her portrayal of matriarch Louisa Durrell in ITV’s comedy-drama, The Durrells. She played Louisa for three years, across four series.

Roles continued to pour in, including the part of DI Lindsay Denton in BBC Two’s Line Of Duty. She played Home Secretary Julia Montague in ITV thriller The Bodyguard and Dorothy Wick in Mrs Wilson. Keeley received BAFTA nominations for all three roles.

More recently, Keeley turned her hand to an entirely different character. She played Cassandra Austen in BBC One’s historical mini series Miss Austen. Set in the 1800s, it was based on the novel of the same name. Cassandra is the lesser known sister of Jane Austen – and the one who famously burned her letters.

Elsewhere, Keeley has provided the voice of Lara Croft in the computer games based on the movie series. Keeley is married to her former Spooks co-star Matthew Macfadyen. They have two children together; a 20-year-old daughter and a son, 18. Keeley also shares a son, 23, with her first husband, DJ Spencer McCallum.

Keeley says The Assassin is the biggest “stunt piece” she has ever done.

Freddie Highmore portrays Julie’s son Edward

Actor Freddie Highmore plays Julie’s son Edward in The Assassin. Now 33, he had a pretty early – and big start to his career.

This was no doubt helped by his mum, Sue Latimer, being Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe’s agent. Freddie’s dad Edward is an actor. He’s best known for playing Leo Howard in the 80s BBC series Howards’ Way.

Freddie was just 11 when he landed his first major film role. He played Kate Winslet’s on-screen son in Finding Neverland. The following year, he starred as Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Hollywood A-lister Johnny Depp took the lead in both movies and reportedly recommended him for the role of Charlie.

The movies earned Freddie two consecutive Critics Choice Movie Awards for Best Young Performer. And the gongs didn’t stop there.

In 2013, Freddie played Norman Bates in drama-thriller series Bates Motel. The TV show is a prequel to the iconic Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho. Freddie’s portrayal of hotelier Bates, who has a three-way split personality, earned another string of nominations and award wins.

Freddie was also celebrated for the lead role of Dr. Shaun Murphy in ABC drama series The Good Doctor in 2017. Together with Bates Motel, they’re arguably Freddie’s most notable roles to date.

In 2021, Freddie revealed he’d married. His wife is web designer Klarissa Munz.

Gerald Kyd as villager Luka

Although he was born in South Africa, Gerald Kyd is half Scottish and half Greek. He trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and has worked across theatre, television and film.

Casualty fans will remember Gerald – nickname Gez – for playing hunky junior doctor Sean Maddox. His character formed a relationship with nurse Tina Seabrook, played by Clare Goose, and was involved in a naughty affair.

Gerald left the BBC medical drama two years later. Although he reprised the role of Sean for 2006 for Casualty’s 20th anniversary, Gerald was quoted saying that playing a heartthrob ‘didn’t sit with him’ or ‘suit his personality’.

Gerald, 52, has since appeared in shows including Persons Unknown, Silent Witness and Dr Who. He also had a small role in the BBC One legal drama The Split.

More recently, Gerald appeared in CBBC kids’ show Malory Towers. Channel 5 drama fans will also recognise him from last year’s Love Rat, also starring Sally Lindsay. Next month, the actor will appear alongside Suranne Jones in Netflix thriller The Hostage. Gerald has a wife called Samantha.

Gerald plays Luka in The Assassin cast. The character is left traumatised after losing all his family and friends at a wedding.

Shalom Brune-Franklin portrays Freddie’s girlfriend Kayla

Although she was born in St Albans, Herts, Shalom Brune-Franklin moved to Australia with her parents when she was in her teens. Her mother is Mauritian and her father is Thai, and Shalom now has dual UK and Australian citizenship.

Shalom, 30, found a love of acting while at school. She later enrolled at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and won the award for Most Outstanding Student. Her career began in Australian TV shows before she headed to the UK.

In 2017, Shalom appeared in Channel 4 drama The State. The mini series told the story of four young British Muslims who flew to Syria join the Islamic State. Shalom also caught the eye of the BBC. She also played the part of Maisie Richards in Our Girl from 2017 to 2018.

Shalom continued bagging roles both in Australia and the UK. Most notably on our shores, she appeared in series six of Line Of Duty as DC Chloe Bishop and a BBC adaptation of Great Expectations. She also starred opposite Jamie Dornan in hit BBC thriller The Tourist.

Shalmon had her big Netflix break last year. She played Keeley, the ex-girlfriend of Donny Dunn, in Baby Reindeer.

Shalom keeps her private life hush hush. But she did previously admit to having one demand on set. She told Country & Town House: “I always bring my pillow and dressing gown to my trailer to sneak a snooze at lunch when I can.”

Who plays Kayla’s brother Ezra in The Assassin? It’s Devon Terrell!

Devon Terrell, 32, started life in Long Beach, California. When he was five, his African-American father and an Anglo-Indian mother upped sticks and moved the family to Perth, Australia.

Like Shalom Brune-Franklin, who plays his sis, Devon’s love of acting was sparked at school Down Under. He later graduated from The National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney.

Devon’s initial attempt at breaking into the industry was a false start. He landed a role in HBO miniseries Codes of Conduct, but filming only got as far as the pilot. Happily better things were to come.

In 2016, he played a young Barack Obama in the Netflix biopic Barry. Devon described it as his “dream role” and it was also a big deal back home in Perth. “My family is absurdly excited – like, they’ve never been so excited,” Devon said at the time.

Devon stuck with Netflix for his next big role. He played Arthur in the fantasy drama series Cursed. He also appeared in the HBO comedy series Rap Sh!t in 2022.

Be warned, Devon’s rich kid character in The Assassin will leave you wanting to hire Julie yourself!

Jack Davenport is Sean in the The Assassin’s cast

Is Sean a friend or enemy of Julie in The Assassin? It’s not exactly clear… Sean is played by Jack Davenport in the Amazon Prime Video series.

Jack, 52, was born in Wimbledon, London, and had showbiz in his blood. He is the son Chariots Of Fire actor Nigel Davenport and BAFTA-winning actress Maria Aitken.

His first job was in a theatre production of Hamlet, alongside Welsh actor Rhys Ifans. Incredibly, Jack’s first TV role came after he wrote a letter to Fawlty Towers legend John Cleese. John sent his letter to a casting director and he was given the part of a trainee zookeeper in the 1997 film, Fierce Creatures.

Jack has a huge list of film and TV credits under his belt. He’s starred in Hollywood movies including The Talented Mr. Ripley, Pirates of the Caribbean and Kingsman: The Secret Service.

On the small screen, he is known for his role as Miles Stewart in popular BBC Two series This Life. He also played Steve Taylor in the Beeb’s Coupling. In 2019, Jack starred alongside Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon in Apple TV+ drama, The Morning Show.

Jack is married to Scottish actress Michelle Gomez. She has had roles in Green Wing and Bad Education. They have a 15-year-old son and live in the US.

Alan Dale stars as billionaire tycoon Aaron Cross

Neighbours fans will rejoice when they see Alan Dale in The Assassin. New Zealand actor Alan plays villainous billionaire businessman Aaron Cross in the Amazon Prime Video thriller.

Alan, 78, is best known for starring as Jim Robinson in Aussie soap Neighbours during the 1980s. Who can forget Jim’s tragic death, surrounded by a bowl of oranges?! It might have been the last of Jim, but it definitely wasn’t the last we saw of Alan.

Initially, Alan said he struggled to find work after starring as Jim. But soon the roles came in after he moved to the US. Alan went on to star in massive shows including The O.C., Ugly Betty, Lost, 24 and The West Wing.

Alan also played Joseph Anders in US soap Dynasty for four years, and he had minor parts in movies including Star Trek Nemesis, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Captain America: The Winter Solider.

Reflecting on his decision to relocate to the States, Alan told The Guardian: “When I moved to Los Angeles, aged 54, I printed out Winston Churchill’s phrase, ‘Never never never give up’, and stuck it on my fridge. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I knew I had to keep on going.”

Alan is married to former Miss Australia and television news journalist-turned-host Tracey Dale. They have four children together.

Gina Gershon as mystery woman Marie

Like her Assassin cast mates, Gina Gershon has a very impressive CV. The American actress and singer was born in Los Angeles in June 1962, which makes her 63 years old. Gina plays Marie in the six-part Prime series.

After completing a fine arts degree in drama and psychology/philosophy, Gina went to theatre school in New York. She began her working life as a dancer before a bit part in the 1986 movie Pretty In Pink gave Gina her break.

Gina landed roles in films including Cocktail, alongside Tom Cruise, and Out Of Control, with Steven Seagal. She played starred in the 1995 film Showgirls and Face/Off.

Gina also played a prostitute in US soap Melrose Place and portrayed Glenn Hall in Snoops. She’s since appeared in hit TV shows including Glee, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Riverdale.

Her theatre career is pretty impressive, too. Gina has starred on Broadway three times. In 2001, she repeatedly extended her role as Sally Bowles in Cabaret after impressing bosses.

Away from the cameras, Gina previously dated Belgian-German footballer Robert Dekeyser. There was also a rumour she dated Tom Cruise while filming Cocktail.

In a TV appearance last year, Gina said: “He had just got married and his wife was very present. But we did kiss as much as we could!” Tom split with his first wife, actress Mimi Rogers, the following year.

David Dencik plays IT specialist Jasper

David Dencik was born in Sweden but grew up in Denmark. As a teen, David moved to Brazil to study and fell in love with Capoeira. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that includes dance, music and acrobatics. His love for performing was born.

David’s breakout role was in Swedish TV crime drama Lasermannen. He went on to star in a long list of Danish shows, but he also landed roles in English-speaking movies.

The actor bagged parts in films including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and James Bond: No Time To Die.

In 2018, he starred in the one-series BBC thriller McMafia alongside James Norton. And in 2022, he appeared in ITV’s mini-series The Ipcress File, which was set during the Cold War.

David is married to a Danish lawyer called Sofie. The couple live in Copenhagen and have two children together.

Richard Dormer as Damien in The Assassin’s cast

Actor and playwright Richard Dormer hails from Northern Ireland. He plays Damien in The Assassin cast and, at first glance, wants to help Julie. But like all hit men and women, Damien also isn’t afraid to double cross friends… eek.

Richard was born in Portadown, NI, on November 11, 1969. This makes him 55 years old. Richard briefly moved to London to study at the prestigious RADA school of acting before returning home.

He has received critical acclaim for his work on stage and screen throughout his career. Richard is best known, however, for playing Beric Dondarrion in Game of Thrones, and Sheriff Dan Anderssen in Fortitude, which aired on Sky Atlantic.

More recently, Richard has starred in BBC One drama Blue Lights, playing Gerald ‘Gerry’ Cliff. He also landed the lead role of Captain Sam Vimes in The Watch, which saw a group of misfit cops save their city.

Earlier this year, Richard played Cornelius Wallace in the third series of Gangs of London. He confirmed to The Telegraph in 2019 that he’d divorced from his theatre director wife Rachel.

Other cast members in The Assassin to look out for

Georgina Bitmead: Young Julie

Benjamin Lake: Young Edward

Mohamed Chahrour: Guard Daw

Ibraim Cândido: Alfonso

Yannis Yee Georgopoulos: Pavel the wedding sniper

Tsvetolyub Iliev: Ivan

Dionisis Moustaklis: Andreas

Ivan Nenchev: Victor

Florin Piersic Jr: Vasyl

Martin Razpopov: Guard Rezov

Read more: The Assassin on Prime Video: Plot, start, and location of new thriller starring Keeley Hawes as retired hit-woman

The Assassin is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the UK and Ireland now.