Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for Seasons 1-3 of Manifest.
For many of us, Manifest flew under the radar for far too long. But after its recent cancellation and subsequent save by Netflix, this supernatural mystery drama has established itself as a must-add on everyone’s television watchlist.
Manifest is a missing plane drama unlike any other: Montego Air Flight 828 takes off one day and disappears for five years. While the passengers haven’t aged a day, their loved ones have lived through five trying years believing them to be dead. But that’s not all. Several passengers return with a supernatural ability, which they describe as "Callings." These Callings are both a blessing and a curse.
The main focus of Manifest is the Stone family, but there are several other characters in their orbit who are intrinsic to the story. Before the show returns for a jumbo fourth and final season, here’s the passenger list of characters from Manifest.
Michaela Stone (Melissa Roxburgh)
Melissa Roxburgh had guest appearances in several shows, including Supernatural, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow before taking on the lead role of Michaela Stone in Manifest. Michaela is a New York Police Department detective whose life was turned upside down by Flight 828. She was the first character to hear the Callings (and name them) and is the most determined passenger when it comes to investigating and obeying them. Thanks to the Callings, Michaela’s case records are excellent, but they’ve put a target on her back. She is also embroiled in a fair amount of drama: her brother and nephew were with her on the flight and she’s often pulled into solving Callings with them. Michaela had to partner with her former fiancé because they both worked in the same department. But it’s not all bad; along the way, Michaela’s found love and, in the most recent season, became co-caregiver to her late friend’s mother, Beverly (Adriane Lenox).
Ben Stone (Josh Dallas)
We’re most familiar with Josh Dallas as Prince Charming on Once Upon a Time. He also played the original Fandral in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Thor. Since then, he’s been co-leading Manifest as Ben Stone, Michaela’s brother who is obsessed with deciphering the Callings and saving people. Ben is very intense, which is understandable since his son feels the Callings more acutely than the other passengers. Ben is a math professor but uses most of his intelligence to map out and memorize the passenger manifest and investigate his Callings. Ben is a dedicated family man and constantly puts himself in harm's way to protect his family. Unfortunately, this has put a strain on his relationships, and he’s ended up chafing against everyone from his sister to his daughter. Season 3 ended with the Stone family facing a huge loss, so Ben will have to contend with that when the show returns.
Jared Vasquez (J.R. Ramirez)
J.R. Ramirez had recurring roles in several popular shows, including Arrow, Jessica Jones, and Power. On Manifest, he plays Jared Vasquez, Michaela’s colleague and former fiancé. The pair were supposed to be married when Flight 828 disappeared, so Jared married someone else. That didn’t last because he still had feelings for Michaela. And because of his love for Michaela, Jared often gets dragged into Stone family drama, Callings investigations, and so much worse. The man has nearly died a few times and his name in the force has been dragged through the mud. And just when Jared thought he’d found happiness with someone other than Michaela — Sarah Fitz (Lauren Norvelle) — he learned a secret that might force him to end his relationship.
Robert Vance (Daryl Edwards)
Daryl Edwards has appeared in numerous crime serials over the years, including two different Law & Order series, Marvel’s Daredevil, Defending Jacob, and more. He’s back to being an investigator on Manifest as NSA director Robert Vance. I feel bad for Robert Vance; the man curses the day he was assigned to the Flight 828 investigation because his life has been hell ever since. He was gaslighted by the passengers about the Callings (in their defense, the Callings are hard to believe), blown up, captured on foreign soil, deposed from his position in the NSA, and harangued by Ben Stone. The fact that Vance continues to help the passengers despite it all is a testament to his kindness. Deadline reported that Edwards had been upped to series regular for Season 4, which means Vance will continue to play an integral role in examining Flight 828’s mysteries and aiding the Stone family.
Olive Stone (Luna Blaise)
Luna Blaise is still early in her acting career: alongside her role on Manifest, she also had a recurring appearance on Fresh Off the Boat. Her character, Olive, is Ben’s daughter and Cal Stone’s twin. Since she didn’t take Flight 828, Olive spent five years thinking she had lost her father and brother. She went through therapy and was on the road to recovery when her family returned. Olive has her father’s determination, so she often gets caught up in the Callings investigations despite not having any powers herself. She tries her hardest to live the life of a normal teenager, but that hasn’t worked out for her. Olive has kept a positive outlook throughout, and her love for her brother is palpable. However, given the events of the Season 3 finale, Olive is going to need a lot of mental and emotional support to get through the latest upheaval in her life.
Saanvi Bahl (Parveen Kaur)
Parveen Kaur’s previous television credits include appearances on The Strain, Saving Hope, and Beyond, but this is the first time she’s had such a longstanding role in a series. Dr. Saanvi Bahl is married to her work: she’s a medical researcher whose work saved Cal’s life and, following the Callings, she dedicated her research to saving the passengers and unpacking the cause of the Callings. She even tested an experimental drug on herself, almost driving into a mental breakdown. Season 3 was a tough time for Saanvi as she accidentally killed someone and has been beating herself up about it ever since. The cat is now out of the bag, but how that will affect Saanvi and her relationship with the other characters remains to be seen.
Zeke Landon (Matt Long)
Matt Long, who has appeared on Mad Men, Private Practice, and Helix, was recently cast on the new show Getaway. This put his role on Manifest Season 4 in jeopardy, but Long has since been quoted saying that he will return for some of the season (though his role in the show has been less impactful, so he might be making the correct decision by reducing his screen time). Long plays Zeke Landon, the first character on the show who reappeared with Callings despite not being a passenger on Flight 828. Michaela saved his life and the two have been inseparable ever since. Zeke has been a pillar of support, but he’s also been like a second partner on Michaela’s investigations. Even after losing his abilities, Zeke has residual empathic powers that have helped many investigations. Zeke may look like a mess, but he is extremely kind and generous. He was quickly adopted into the Stone family and takes great care of Beverly. He is hopelessly in love with Michaela, his new wife and savior.
Cal Stone (Ty Doran)
Young actor Ty Doran will be stepping in to play the older version of Cal Stone in Season 4. Doran appeared in Season 2 of American Crime and has appeared in several other television shows. We know little about what Doran will bring to the character of Cal, as he's only appeared in the Season 3 finale as the character. Up until then, Cal (played by Jack Messina, who will not be returning for the final season) was still a pre-teen, five years younger than his twin sister Olive. Cal had leukemia when he got on the plane, but when he returned, Saanvi’s treatment cured him. Cal witnessed some supernatural spectacle while on the plane, and he always felt the Callings more intensely than his fellow passengers. In Season 3, he put his faith in someone who ended up hurting the Stone family. How will older Cal deal with this realization, and what will his family make of him in Season 4?
Angelina Meyer (Holly Taylor)
Holly Taylor is a Canadian actress with recurring roles on The Americans and The Unsettling. She joined Manifest in Season 3 as Angelina Meyer, one of the passengers on Flight 828. Angelina’s religious parents feared her Callings, so they imprisoned her. Michaela and Zeke freed Angelina and she found a home with the Stones. Unfortunately, Angelina isn’t exactly mentally stable. She fell in love with a convict which may have been her path to redemption, but he died. Instead, she went full Single White Female on Olive — she borrowed Olive’s clothes and style, pretended that the new Stone baby, Eden, was her personal guardian angel, and resorted to murder in the Season 3 finale. There may be no redeeming the character, but the Stones have their work cut out if they want to catch her.
Other Characters of Note
The final cast of Season 4 hasn’t been confirmed yet, but whether these characters return or not, this quick list will remind you who they are.
Grace Stone (Athena Karkanis) – Ben’s loving wife and mother to Cal, Olive, and baby Eden, Grace was also an entrepreneur, though her career was given barely any screentime. Considering the events of the Season 3 finale, it is not surprising that Karkanis will not be returning as Grace.
Drea Mikami (Ellen Tamaki) – Michaela’s new partner who always has Michaela’s back. She now knows about the Callings and treats the Stone as family.
Troy Davis (Ed Herbstman) – One-time assistant to Saanvi, Troy now works in the NSA’s secret lab investigating Flight 828.
Kate Bowers (Andrene Ward-Hammond) – Captain of the precinct and boss to Michaela, Jared, and Drea. Like Robert Vance, she’s had to put up with a lot from her subordinates.
Adrian (Jared Grimes) – A fellow passenger who became a cult leader of the Church of the Returned. He has a love-hate relationship with the Callings, but there’s a huge mystery surrounding his brief disappearance in Season 2.
Dr. Aria Gupta (Mahira Kakkar) – A researcher at NSA’s secret facility. She is dedicated to uncovering the science behind what happened to Flight 828. A bit too dedicated at times.
Eagan Tehrani (Ali Lopez-Sohaili) – Super-smart and super-manipulative passenger from Flight 828. Eagan is convinced the Stone family is conspiring against the other passengers. He’s started his own version of the Church of the Returned, one that is so extreme that even Adrian doesn’t want to be a part of it.