Boston Strangler is a Hulu original movie with a fantastic ensemble cast portraying the story's real-life characters. It's based on the investigation of the titular serial killer who terrorized the streets of Boston in the 1960s. Although the case is widely known, there's not enough acclaim for Loretta McLaughlin, the brilliant investigative journalist responsible for breaking the case. For this reason, Boston Strangler commits to a new approach by telling the story from her perspective, following in detail the many confusing clues that led to the identity of the infamous murderer.
In 1968, the first movie about the case, entitled The Boston Strangler, was released. That version put Loretta in the background and focused on the serial killer as the main character. The 2023 Boston Strangler movie is better than the original for many reasons, with director Matt Ruskin claiming he "didn't want to glorify violence" (via Deadline) and instead, decided to do justice to the fantastic work done by the journalists in the case, especially Loretta. Here's a guide to Boston Strangler's main and supporting characters, who play them in the cast, and what else these actors are known for.
Keira Knightley As Loretta McLaughlin
Loretta McLaughlin, the real-life journalist who covered the true story of the Boston Strangler killings, is played by Keira Knightley in the movie. As the first person to connect the brutal murders and write about the serial killer, McLaughlin is a key character in the case. For this reason, most of Boston Strangler unfolds from her perspective, following the case from the very beginning until the shocking events that occurred after the killer's arrest.
Knightley is a movie veteran known as a regular collaborator in Joe Wright's best movies, including Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, and Anna Karenina, all of them adapted from classic novels. Knightley is a two-time Oscar nominee, for her performances in The Imitation Game and Pride & Prejudice. The actress has also had roles in hit franchises such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars, in which she played the character Sabé.
Carrie Coon As Jean Cole
Carrie Coon is another talented female lead in the cast of Boston Strangler, playing the journalist Jean Cole. She worked closely with Loretta as they began to investigate the case by themselves, informing people about the serial killer's possible targets and risk areas, while everyone else believed the crimes weren't committed by a single person. Coon is most commonly known for playing Nora Durst, one of the best characters on the HBO drama The Leftovers. She also played Gloria Burgle in the TV series Fargo, Proxima Midnight in Avengers: Infinity War, and Egon's daughter, Callie, in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Chris Cooper As Jack MacLaine
Jack MacLaine, the head of the newspaper the Boston Record American is played by Chris Cooper as a member of the Boston Strangler cast. The actor made his film debut in the 1987 movie Matewan but only reached the peak of his career after starring in the Best Picture winner American Beauty in 1999. Throughout the 2000s, Cooper appeared in a series of successful movies, including Me, Myself & Irene, Capote, and Adaptation, in which he played John Laroche. His performance in Adaptation was unanimously praised by critics and earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. In 2019, Cooper co-starred in Greta Gerwig's Little Women as Mr. Laurence.
Alessandro Nivola As Detective Conley
Detective Conley, one of the key officers from Boston PD involved in the Boston Strangler case, is played by Alessandro Nivola in the movie. The real-life Boston PD never caught the Boston Strangler, and Detective Conley represents a composite of the various detectives who worked on the case and looked down on Loretta. Before joining the cast of Boston Strangler, Nivola starred in Face/Off, the Sopranos spinoff movie The Many Saints of Newark, and American Hustle, which earned him a SAG Award for Best Ensemble Cast alongside Christian Bale and Amy Adams. In 2015, Nivola was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in the play The Elephant Man.
David Dastmalchian As Albert DeSalvo
Albert DeSalvo, the infamous man behind the Boston Strangler murders, is played by David Dastmalchian in the movie. DeSalvo only shows up late in the story. He's arrested after a shocking confession and is eventually stabbed to death inside the prison. David Dastmalchian has an incredible superhero movie record, appearing as Polka-Dot Man in The Suicide Squad, one of the Joker's thugs in The Dark Knight, and Kurt in the Ant-Man series within the MCU.
This is also not the first time Dastmalchian has played a disturbing character. In Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners, the actor is one of the main suspects of a chilling crime, a role that might have helped him prepare for Boston Strangler. Dastmalchian is a regular cast member in Villeneuve's movies, also appearing in Dune and Blade Runner 2049.
Greg Vrotsos As George Nassar
George Nassar, one of the suspects in the Boston Strangler murders, is played by Greg Vrotsos in the movie. Nassar is a wild card in the case; his intentions are unclear, although it's evident from the get-go he's somehow related to Albert DeSalvo and his crimes. Vrotsos has had a prolific career in TV, starring as Detective Voehel in Vinyl, Gene in Twin Peaks, and CO Hellman in Orange is the New Black. He also appeared on the show Mayans M.C. before joining the cast of Boston Strangler.
Boston Strangler Supporting Cast & Characters
Rory Cochrane as Detective DeLine - A Michigan State Police Officer who discovers the potential sixth victim in the strangler's case, DeLine is played by Rory Cochrane. The actor is most commonly known for his role as Tim "Speed" Speedle in CSI: Miami. Cochrane also appeared in the movies Argo, Dazed and Confused, and Black Mass.
Peter Gerety as Eddie Corsetti - Peter Gerety, who plays Eddie Corsetti, has an extensive list of crime films and shows in his filmography, including the HBO hit series The Wire and Homicide: Life on the Street.
Robert John Burke as Eddie Holland - In the cast of Boston Strangler, Eddie Holland is played by Robert John Burke, the star of Hal Hartley's The Unbelievable Truth. Burke is also famous for his role as Internal Affairs Bureau Captain Ed Tucker in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Smitty in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Bill Camp as Commissioner Edmund McNamara - Boston PD Commissioner Edmund McNamara is played by Bill Camp, who plays Radburn in 12 Years aSlave and Detective Garrity in Joker.
Morgan Spector as James McLaughlin - Loretta's husband in the Boston Strangler movie is played by Morgan Spector. The actor is widely known for appearances in the shows The Mist, Allegiance, Homeland, and The Gilded Age.