The Umbrella Academy has proved itself to be one of Netflix’s most successful productions since its February 2019 release. It tells the intriguing story of a dysfunctional family of heroes who are reunited after going separate ways, taking place in a world like ours where the space-time continuum is monitored by The Commission.
The very different lives of the seven Hargreeves siblings make for a character-centric plot able to strike a chord with a diverse audience. What were the actors behind the beloved characters doing when they weren’t trying to stop (or start) an impending apocalypse? Here are ten places to spot some familiar faces.
Merlin (2008-2012)
Before throwing on that oversized overcoat and “sitting on the moon” as Luther Hargreeves, Tom Hopper was best known for making an appearance as Sir Percival in the British fantasy-drama Merlin.
The series ran from 2008 to 2012 and is based on Arthurian legends of the great wizard Merlin and his connection to King Arthur. Hopper’s character is a Knight of the Round Table who befriends Sir Lancelot and accompanies him on his quest to retake Morgana under the order of Merlin himself.
Hamilton
Prior to her role as Allison Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman had little television experience, but she had already secured an impressive theater resume. She was a member of the original ensemble cast of the acclaimed Broadway show Hamilton.
After having taken a break from the production, she returned to Hamilton in 2016, opening the company in Chicago and starring as Angelica Schuyler in the show’s first national tour. Raver-Lampman had a chance to express her musical side in The Umbrella Academy. She sings the cover of Ethel Waters’s “Stormy Weather” on the series soundtrack.
Misfits (2009-2013)
If someone had recognized Robert Sheehan before his portrayal of Klaus Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, there is a chance they were familiar with his role in the British sci-fi comedy-drama Misfits.
Sheehan played Nathan Young, the shameless smart aleck in a group of young offenders who gain superpowers when they’re struck by lightning in a freak storm while doing their community service. Misfits began airing on channel E4 in 2009, and Sheehan had a recurring role in the first two seasons of the series.
El Chicano (2019)
The world of superheroes wasn’t unfamiliar territory to David Castañeda before he stepped into the role of vigilante Diego Hargreeves. Castañeda played Shotgun, a gang leader in the 2019 independent film El Chicano. Set in modern-day East Los Angeles, the story follows detective Diego Hernandez’s investigation of the connection between the murders of Shotgun’s gang members, his twin brother’s death, and the identity of the masked “El Chicano.”
The film first premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2019 and was dubbed the “first Latino superhero movie” because of its Mexican folklore roots.
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn (2014-2018)
Before his portrayal of a time-traveling 58-year-old man inside a child’s body, Aidan Gallagher played a lead role as Nicky Harper in the Nickelodeon comedy Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. Like Number Five in The Umbrella Academy, Nicky finds himself in a handful of dysfunctional siblings.
Gallagher’s character is one of the four Harper quadruplets who are nothing alike, other than having the same birthday and parents. Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn is driven by sibling rivalry, but the kids come to realize what they can accomplish when they work as a team.
Dating After College (2019-)
Justin H. Min had few television roles before his big break as Ben Hargreeves. Ben is the only dead Hargreeves sibling, but after the final few episodes of The Umbrella Academy, he may be more alive than dead in season two.
Min recently took on the role of Cameron in the Wong Fu Productions mini-series Dating After College. The series is about two post-graduate college students facing relationship challenges and struggling through the trials and tribulations of love and dating in the “real” world.
Inception (2010)
Before her role as the White Violin, Vanya Hargreeves, in The Umbrella Academy, Ellen Page worked on the highly successful, four-time Academy Award-winning Inception. The film follows a professional thief (portrayed by frontman Leonardo DiCaprio) who retrieves information from his targets by invading their subconsciouses.
Page played Ariadne, a graduated architecture student who is presented with the task of constructing dreamscapes within the science fiction world of Inception. In an interview with The Telegraph, she described Ariadne as a character who guides the audience through the film, saying, “She’s just learning about these ideas and, in essence, she assists the audience in learning about dream sharing.”
Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
If someone recognized Tom Hopper from somewhere before they watched his performance as Luther Hargreeves and they had never seen the British series Merlin, there is a good chance they had seen him in the popular fantasy drama Game of Thrones. The program has become a household name, as a Game of Thrones frenzy swept the world last year as the series that ran for eight years came to a close.
Hopper portrayed Dickon Tarly, an accomplished swordsman and huntsman, in seasons six and seven. Both of Hopper’s characters are shown favoritism by their fathers, and much like Luther, Dickon can be devoted to his father to a fault.
Bad Samaritan (2018)
Robert Sheehan’s most recent role, apart from Klaus Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, is Portland photographer Sean Falco in the crime thriller Bad Samaritan. Sean and his best friend are part-time burglars who coverup their illicit operation by working as valets at a restaurant and robbing the customers.
The film involves Sheehan’s character, Sean, robbing the house of a rich man (David Tennant) and discovering a woman being held hostage inside. Through the course of the film, Sean is determined to bring the man to justice.
Juno (2007)
Ellen Page is arguably the most well-known member of the main Umbrella Academy cast, and she definitely has had the longest acting career. One of her most acclaimed roles is Juno MacGuff in Juno.
Page played an independent teenager facing an unplanned pregnancy while juggling the new ups and downs of adulthood. The quirky coming-of-age film received four 80th Academy Award nominations and a Best Picture Best Actress nomination for Page. Juno took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and continues to stand the test of time.