The Gateway Cast & Character Guide

Here's our full guide to the cast and characters walking through The Gateway, now showing in theaters and on VOD. A hard-hitting and intense action thriller, The Gateway experienced a long, hard road to the big screen after Alexander Felix Bendaña's screenplay first started picking up attention in 2013. Eventually filming in 2019 with Michele Civetta directing, The Gateway was then stuck in pandemic movie limbo, as one of many completed projects without a means of distribution. Finally, The Gateway is getting a split theatrical/on-demand release beginning September 3.

Blending old-school noir vibes with a very modern, real-world setting, The Gateway follows Parker, a social worker who becomes responsible for a single mother and her child while the father, Mike, is in jail. When Mike is released and immediately resumes his life of illegality, Parker takes it upon himself to protect the family he's grown close to - by whatever means necessary.

The Gateway is packed with faces audiences of all generations might recognize, from storied Oscar nominees to comic book movie alumni. These are the names who make up the exciting cast of The Gateway.

Shea Wingham as Parker

Leading The Gateway's cast is Shea Wingham, who plays Parker - the renegade social worker who bravely stands between an innocent family and the criminal underworld that threatens to swallow them. Wingham is no stranger to noir-ish tones, having previously starred as Eli in Boardwalk Empire, as well as True Detective, Perry Mason and more. Wingham joined Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter as Roger Dooley, and is widely known for portraying Agent Stasiak in the Fast & Furious franchise. A veteran of grizzled authority figures, The Gateway finds Shea Wingham in familiar territory.

Olivia Munn as Dahlia

Olivia Munn plays The Gateway's young mother, Dahlia, who reluctantly accepts Parker's help when her daughter's life is in danger. A hard-working and hopeful Casino employee, Dahlia tries to shield her child from their harsh surroundings. Munn will be most familiar for playing Psylocke in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse. After establishing herself in political drama The Newsroom, Munn's other movie credits include Magic Mike, Deliver Us From Evil and The Predator.

Frank Grillo as Duke

The Gateway's Duke is a local criminal who acts as a point of contact for Dahlia's no-good partner when he gets released from jail. From behind a bar (rather than behind bars), Duke pulls the town's murky criminal strings. Frank Grillo plays Crossbones in the MCU, recently reprising the character in What If...? The actor has also starred in the Purge franchise, Prison Break and Kingdom.

Bruce Dern as Marcus

Adding some gravitas to The Gateway's cast is Bruce Dern, who earned Oscar nominations for both Coming Home and Nebraska. Among his litany of film credits are numerous Quentin Tarantino movies - Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Dern plays Marcus, Parker's father who abandoned him as a child. Left with little choice, Parker enlists Marcus' help to protect Dahlia and her daughter.

Taryn Manning as Corey

Known primarily for playing Cherry in Sons of Anarchy and Pennsatucky in Orange is the New Black, Taryn Manning can also be found performing as a pop artist after her musical beginnings in Boomkat. In The Gateway, Corey is a regular of the bar Parker drinks at, and the pair strike up a keen friendship.

The Gateway's Supporting Cast & Characters

Zack Avery as Mike - Dahlia's husband, released from prison as The Gateway begins before immediately picking up where he left off. Ironically, Avery (real name Zach Horwitz) was arrested in April 2021 on charges of fraud related to a multi-million dollar Ponzi con.

Mark Boone Junior as Gary - Another alum of Sons of Anarchy (Bobby) and the Fast & Furious series (2 Fast 2 Furious's Det. Whitworth). Boone is also a semi-regular of Christopher Nolan's movies. The Gateway's Gary appears to be another pal of Parker's.

Taegan Burns as Ashley - Ashley is Dahlia and Mike's daughter, and the kid Parker is determined to protect. As a young actress, The Gateway is one of Burns' first major movie roles.

Keith David as Terry - The Gateway is very much not a first role for Keith David, who boasts credits in Platoon, The Thing, Dead Presidents and There's Something About Mary. David also has a storied voice acting career, appearing in Adventure Time, Archer, Rick & Morty, and many more.