Fringe was J. J. Abrams's next big success on TV after Lost, and the show similarly counted on a talented ensemble cast. While Lost had already dealt with time travel and parallel worlds, Fringe took these subjects to another level. During the time the series aired, from 2008 through 2013, Fringe's alternate universe was one of the coolest things on television. There, every character had a different version of themselves, and many key events in history turned out differently; whereas in the prime universe, the World Trade Center was attacked on September 11th, in the other world, the White House was destroyed instead.

The show begins when FBI Agent Olivia Dunham is forced to work with a dysfunctional scientist and his estranged son in the face of a series of unexplained events. The mysterious phenomena indicate that the world is no longer in balance and humanity is vulnerable. Fringe is different from typical procedural shows, as each case stacks up the mystery, leading to a series of mind-bending revelations. As the chemistry among the cast evolves and the story progresses, Fringe gradually becomes a straight-up sci-fi show. Here is a guide to Fringe's main and supporting cast, which characters they play, and what else they're known for.

Related: Fringe: Where Are They Now?

Anna Torv As Olivia Dunham

Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop Fringe

FBI agent Olivia Dunham is one of a kind. In the face of a series of unexplainable phenomena, Olivia is the first Fringe Character to set skepticism aside and track the connections behind the paranormal events, becoming the soul of The Pattern, the codename to the "Fringe events" that are sweeping the country. Olivia struggles with balancing work and her personal life, which makes her a perfect agent but a difficult person to relate to, which only gets worse due to her trust issues and her tendency to act on her own. Olivia turns out to be a powerful key between the two worlds.

Fringe brought Anna Torv into the spotlight with her casting. She later appeared in episodes of The Last of Us as Tess, a catalyst for many events of the game and the show. However, Torv's best role after Fringe was Dr. Wendy Carr in Mindhunter. That show adapts the real-life stories of two detectives who interview famous serial killers to solve open cases. Just like other characters in the show, Dr. Carr is based on a real-life person: Ann W. Burgess. Although several liberties were taken with the character's arc, the changes only makes Torv's performance more impressive and realistic.

Joshua Jackson As Peter Bishop

Peter Bishop is that grumpy character with a big heart that every show has. He was born in the alternate universe and brought by Walter Bishop to the prime universe after his son died of an incurable disease in his world. This decision causes serious consequences for both universes, and Peter grows up without knowing his an anomaly in this world. He is often at the center of most of Fringe's unanswered questions. Moreover, Peter's relationship with his father has always been turbulent, and the fact that the two end up forced to work together feels like their final attempt to understand each other.

On Fringe, Peter is portrayed by Joshua Jackson, a renowned actor otherwise famous for his role as Cole Lockhart in the intimate adult drama The Affair. Before Fringe, Jackson had already built a reputation for himself, earning a Best Cast Ensemble nomination at the SAG Awards for the film Bobby, in which he co-starred with Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, and others. Jackson also played a key role in the impactful limited series When They See Us as a compassionate attorney, but his most popular TV character was undoubtedly Pacey Witter from Dawson's Creek.

Related: Why Joshua Jackson Wouldn't Play His The Affair Character Now

John Noble As Dr. Walter Bishop

Dr. Walter Bishop's ideas are often as crazy as the paranormal cases he witnesses, and he delivers all the weirdest lines on Fringe. The other characters don't know it, but the audience is well aware that Dr. Bishop's abnormal personality is directly linked with the burden he carries from kidnapping Peter from the alternate universe. Perhaps that secret and the things he's seen have corrupted his mind, but Dr. Bishop remains sane enough to solve the most inexplicable mysteries. He's the brain of the show, and despite Olivia's sharp wit and Peter's competency, they wouldn't close half their cases without Walter.

John Noble is one of the most active TV performers of his generation, even though he used to focus on movies before joining the cast of Fringe. Denethor from the Lord of the Rings trilogy is his most popular character, and he also appeared in Running Scared, an action thriller from the 2000s. After Fringe, Noble continued to actively contribute to shows such as Sleepy Hollow and The Boys, where he plays Billy Butcher's father. He's also part of the cast of the Apple TV Plus series Severance.

Jasika Nicole As Astrid Farnsworth

Astrid from Fringe

Astrid Farnsworth is a Junior FBI Agent and Walter Bishop's right hand. She joins the Fringe Division as Olivia's assistant but is drawn to Walter, who loves to explain to her every single thing he's doing. Astrid appears in all 100 episodes of Fringe, evolving from a curious assistant to a key character in the final battle against evil that occurs in season 5. Jasika Nicole, who plays Astrid as part of Fringe's cast​​​​​, is otherwise famous for her role in The Good Doctor as Dr. Carly Lever.

Lance Reddick As Phillip Broyles

Lance Reddick in Fringe

While Olivia is the soul of the Fringe Division, Colonel Phillip Broyles is the head of the project. Broyles, who is played by Lost alumnus Lance Reddick, tends to put work above his personal life, which cost him his marriage. After Fringe, Lance Reddick racked up many badass roles, including Albert Wesker in the Resident Evil TV show, Irvin Irving on Bosch, and Charon in the John Wick film franchise. Reddick passed away in March 2023, just a few days prior to the release of John Wick: Chapter 4.

Related: Lance Reddick’s Best Video Game Performances

Seth Gabel As Lincoln Lee

Lee from Fringe

Lincoln Lee, the FBI Agent who works in both the alternate and prime universe, is played by Seth Gabel. Since he's always moving between the two worlds, the character is crucial to Fringe's narrative and develops a powerful bond with Olivia. Gabel rose to prominence with his Jeremy Darling role in the cast of the TV show Dirty Sex Money, later appearing in Genius and Big Sky. His most popular character is the witch expert Cotton Mather on Salem.

Blair Brown As Nina Sharp

Nina Sharp is a nuanced Fringe character whose true intentions are left for interpretation. She is the director of Massive Dynamic, a multi-billion-dollar corporation that withholds valuable secrets about the alternate universe. Blair Brown, who plays Nina, starred in Altered States and Space Cowboys, indicating she was a veteran of the sci-fi genre before Fringe.

Kirk Acevedo As Charlie Francis

Kirk Acevedo as Charlie in Fringe

Charlie is a charismatic character on Fringe introduced as a Senior FBI Agent and Olivia's closest friend. He's the second in the Fringe Division's chain of command, but he dies in season 2 before taking charge. Charlie returns occasionally in the form of his double from the alternate universe, but he is no longer a key character. On the big screen, Acevedo is known for his performances in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and The Thin Red Line. His career in TV is even more impressive: Acevedo played key roles on the shows Oz, Arrow, and 12 Monkeys.

Related: Why Kirk Acevedo's Charlie Francis Left Fringe

Fringe Supporting Cast & Characters

Lance Reddick, John Noble, Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson in Fringe

Michael Cerveris as The Observer - Cerveris initially shows up as September, the sole Observer, a mysterious figure that appears in the background of every Fringe episode, almost like an Easter egg. The Observers invade in Fringe season 5, revealing that there are many others like September, and they are all part of a visionary plan. Viewers will be familiar with Cerveris as Watson in The Gilded Age and Ted Gunn in Mindhunter, where he reunited with Anna Torv.

Mark Valley as John Scott - John Scott, Olivia's lover who dies in the pilot and haunts her throughout the first season of Fringe, is played by Days of Our Lives star Mark Valley.

Ryan McDonald as Brandon Fayette - Brandon is a scientist who answers directly to "Walternate" in the alternate universe, while he's loyal to Nina in the prime universe. The character is played on Fringe by Ryan McDonald, who is best known for the movies Black Conflux and Becky.

Leonard Nimoy as William Bell - William Bell, Walter's former lab partner and Fringe season 4's main antagonist, is played by Star Trek legend Leonard Nimoy. In addition to delivering the most iconic portrayal of Spock in the franchise, Nimoy also made Star Trek's 1970 animated series better.

Related: The Best Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Leonard Nimoy

Michael Kopsa as Captain Windmark - Captain Windmark is an Observer and Fringe's final antagonist, played in the cast by Michael Kopsa, who is a prominent voice actor and also known for playing Ned Cecil in 2005's Fantastic Four.

Jared Harris as David Robert Jones - One of the biggest stars in the cast of Fringe, Jared Harris plays the first big antagonist of the series, offering a continuous storyline to what would otherwise be a procedural show. The actor is famous for playing Lane Pryce in Mad Men and Valery Legaov in Chernobyl.