Apple TV+'s new epic Invasion contains a vast cast of characters chronicling the first days of an extraterrestrial takeover around the globe. Invasion promises a grandiose scope right from the off, with Apple TV+'s latest flagship show taking place in many stunning locations, including New York, Japan, London, Kandahar, and the Arabian desert of Yemen. Set within these vivid landscapes, a plethora of decidedly human characters come to the fore, as they contend with everyday problems and the looming threat of an alien presence on Earth.
The first three episodes of Apple TV+'s Invasion delivers a taut narrative that succeeds by keeping its promise of the otherworldly tantalizingly out of reach. Whether harking back to classic UFO tropes, such as crop circles and television static, or introducing mysterious mass nosebleeds, Invasion ratchets up the tension by only partially delving into the threat of its currently unseen foe. This ambiguity also allows Invasion to get away with vast amounts of suspension of disbelief, with its unexplained alien menace able to manifest in many different ways.
Yet, despite its extraterrestrial intrigue, Invasion succeeds in its early premise by pushing its eclectic and compelling cast to the fore. The series' current narrative pits flawed humanity against the cosmic unknown on a global scale, delivering shifting societal perspectives from multiple characters. Here's the full cast and character guide for Apple TV+'s Invasion so far.
Sheriff John Bell Tyson (Sam Neil)
Sam Neil is perhaps the most well-known of Invasion's cast to western audiences, first rising to widespread acclaim as Dr. Alan Grant from the iconic Jurassic Park franchise. Neil is also no stranger to starring in immensely popular streaming series, as his turn in Peaky Blinders attests, so it is a surprise to behold his relatively minor role in Apple TV+'s Invasion to date. Neil plays John Tyson, a world-weary sheriff from Idaville, Oklahoma, who is still searching for a deeper meaning to his career despite his imminent retirement. Tyson's discovery of mysterious crop circles in a cornfield act as the first signpost for Invasion's true premise, deftly setting the scene for later shocks to unfold.
Aneesha Malik (Golshifteh Farahani)
Invasion's show production is designed to ensure Golshifteh Farahani delivers one of the most instantly compelling character portrayals with her heartbreaking turn as Aneesha Malik. Still reeling from her revelations of a broken home, Aneesha must rally for her shell-shocked children after a series of mysterious quakes and explosions devastate the Malik family's neighborhood. Farahani herself is an accomplished actor by any yardstick, featuring in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and action-thrillers Body of Lies and the Chris Hemsworth-led Extraction.
Ahmed Malik (Firas Nassar)
The patriarch of the Malik family, Ahmed, begins Invasion with some serious wrongs to right, including infidelity, deception, and general cowardice. Already rattled by his wife Aneesha's interrogations, Ahmed must attempt to put fear aside when his family comes under attack from an unknown alien quantity. Firas Nassar portrays Ahmed, a relatively green actor compared to other Invasion cast members, with his most recent turn in Netflix's based-on-a-true-story conflict series Fauda his biggest project to date.
Luke Malik (Azhy Robertson)
The elder child of the Malik family, Luke, is plagued by voices in his head in the immediate aftermath of the attack on the Malik neighborhood. A devoted brother and son, Luke's seemingly ethereal commune with the strange voices will no doubt have a larger role to play as Invasion's narrative progresses. Despite his young age, actor Azhy Robertson is already stringing together quite the acting resume, having recently held roles in Gossip Girl and The Plot Against America, alongside his starring role in Invasion.
Sarah Malik (Tara Moayedi)
In Tara Moayedi's breakout role, the young Sarah Malik finds her world changed in an instant following a series of mysterious nosebleeds afflicting the New York school districts. Like the rest of the Malik family, Sarah must chart a new course through a world turned upside-down by the imminent alien threat in Invasion, while also coming to terms with her terrifying new reality on the road.
Mitsuki Yamato (Shioli Kutsuna)
A brilliant, yet tortured technician, Mitsuki Yamato plies her trade for the JASA space station in Japan. Like many of Invasion's characters, Mitsuki experiences a nexus event when her secret lover Hinata is jettisoned from the recently launched JASA shuttle, sending Mitsuki spiraling into despair. This moving portrait of lost love and societal pressure is presented by the supremely talented Shioli Kutsuna, who is intimately familiar with top-tier productions. Kutsuna's impressive credits roll include turns in Deadpool 2, The Outsider, and Netflix's Murder Mystery, with the Australian-born actress adding a smattering of stardust to Invasion's alien sci-fi proceedings.
Kaito Kawaguchi (Daisuke Tsuji)
Kaito Kawaguchi, like Mitsuki, is another technician bearing witness to the horrors unfolding before the JASA space station crews. While not as technologically gifted as his partner in crime, Kaito presents as a loyal friend, aiding Mitsuki's mission for information at the risk of his own career. Daisuke Tsuji has enjoyed a varied career in acting and voiceover work, with his most prominent roles to date arriving in the popular series Brockmire and The Man in the High Castle.
Trevante Ward (Shamier Anderson)
Shamier Anderson is a television series stalwart, with a roll-call of prominent shows dating back to 2009. First breaking onto the scene with Overruled!, Anderson has since marked highlights of his career with excellent character performances in Goliath season 2, Slasher, and Wynonna Earp. Invasion's Trevante Ward is a highly respected member of his military platoon on a routine mission in Kandahar before his squadron loses all communication with their headquarters. Left alone in the desert and faced with an unprecedented threat, Ward must steel himself against an unforgiving landscape while placing his trust in a mysterious Bedouin man.
Caspar Morrow (Billy Barratt)
Caspar Morrow's narrative is one of Invasion's most compelling, with Caspar's school bus accident instigating a Lord of the Flies-esque situation between Morrow and his equally terrified classmates. A reclusive character and excellent artist, Caspar is also stricken by random seizures that severely complicate his survival plans in the series. Billy Barratt plays Caspar, an up-and-coming young talent who made the International Emmy Awards interesting again by taking home Best Performance By An Actor in 2020.
Jamila Huston (India Brown)
The object of Caspar's stifled affections, Jamila, is another of the English schoolchildren trapped in a ravine after their horrific bus crash. The daughter of a nurse, Jamila, exudes a calm presence while her peers descend into panic, leaving many of the children to look to her as the group's de-facto leader. The young England-born actress, India Brown, is best known for her portrayal of Ella Hoy in Hulu's Stephen King adaptation of The Stranger.
Montgomery "Monty" Cuttermill (Paddy Holland)
If Caspar and Jamila represent the best of the trapped crop of schoolchildren, then Paddy Holland's Monty is undoubtedly the most rotten of the bunch. A callous bully akin to IT's Henry Powers, Montogomery repeatedly picks on his classmates, mocking the introverted Caspar's seizures and family history at every turn. Invasion marks Paddy Holland's first starring role on-screen, with the young actor also previously credited for a small part in Holmes and Watson.
Invasion Supporting Cast and Characters
Rinko Kikuchi As Hinata: Kikuchi plays Hinata, Mitsuki Yamato's love interest and JASA space shuttle crew member, who is mysteriously sucked into space during Invasion's inaugural episode. Mitsuki is haunted by visions of Hinata, with Kikuchi's character taking on a spiritual quality, as she guides Mitsuki through her perilous journey.
Tom Cullen As Mr. Edwards: A staunch advocate of Caspar and the only schoolteacher on Invasion's ill-fated field trip, Mr. Edwards is left prone after his horrific bus crash. A Welsh actor and producer, Cullen has starred in big-budget British productions, such as the successful Downton Abbey movie and The Five.
Cache Vanderpuye As Alfie Ademura: Caspar's closest friend and confidante, Alfie is another of the English schoolchildren that crawls from the bus crash wreckage. Invasion is Cache Vanderpuye's first credited role of any kind.
Toko Igawa As Ikuro Murai: JASA space station chief and shuttle mission director, Ikuro Murai often acts in direct opposition to the headstrong nature of Mitsuki Yamato. Murai is portrayed by Toko Igawa, whose acting credits include The Last Samurai and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Alex Hernandez as Chavez: Trevante Ward's closest friend within the Kandahar platoon, Alex Hernandez' Chavez, initially provides comic relief for his tightly wound squadron before going missing in the desert. Hernandez is also known for playing Tibbs in the 2020 comic-book-inspired action movie Bloodshot.