The Netflix chess epic The Queen’s Gambit took over the small screen in 2020 and encouraged people to dust off that old chessboard in the attic. The 1950s-era limited series, created for television by Scott Frank and Allan Scott and based on the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, follows the unexpected journey of Beth Harmon, a young girl growing up in an orphanage who discovers she has an impressive talent for chess. As she soars to the top of the chess world, she not only battles her opponents but also her own addictions.
At the core of every successful series is a powerful story told through the eyes of memorable characters. (And this show has just that.) We fell in love with Beth and Mr. Shaibel’s beautiful mentor relationship, Jolene’s grounded yet bold mindset, and the other unique people that filtered through Beth’s life. While, sigh, this Emmy-winning chess adventure might be over, the cast of The Queen’s Gambit isn’t going anywhere.
So where can we see these actors next? Let’s find out!
Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy)
The series tells the story in a non-linear fashion, with 4 of the 7 episodes featuring a young Beth Harmon (Isla Johnston) during her formative years at the orphanage, where she meets the strong-willed Jolene and her eventual mentor Mr. Shaibel. Actress Anya Taylor-Joy delivers an impressive performance as Beth, who grows into the independent chess queen we’ve been rooting for since the beginning. Taylor-Joy brings just the right combination of stubborn naivete and curiosity to this brilliantly flawed and exquisite character.
What’s Ahead...
Anya Taylor-Joy first grabbed critics' attention with her performance in Robert Eggers’s 2015 film The Witch. She quickly ascended the Hollywood ladder by appearing in several episodes of Peaky Blinders, holding her own alongside A-list stars in projects like Split and Glass, and playing the titular role in Emma., the Jane Austen adaptation from writer Eleanor Catton. The Emmy nominated actress is keeping busy with 8 upcoming projects. She’s reuniting with Eggers’ in his film The Northman, which is slated for a 2022 release and also stars Ethan Hawke, Nicole Kidman, and Willem Dafoe. Continuing her collaboration with impressive directors, she stars in David O. Russell’s latest project along with Christian Bale and Margot Robbie, and Mark Mylod’s The Menu with Nicholas Hoult and Ralph Fiennes, and Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, which hits theaters October 29th. She’s also set to star in Furiosa, an origin story for the popular character recently portrayed by Charlize Theron. And last but certainly not least, Taylor-Joy will be voicing Princess Peach in the newly announced Super Mario Bros. movie.
Mr. Shaibel (Bill Camp)
Following the death of her mother, a 9-year-old Beth Harmon is sent to the orphanage known as the Methuen Home for Girls. It’s quite the startling adjustment for the shy and stoic young girl, who’s dealing with the sudden death of her mother, the struggles of adolescence, and fitting in with girls that mostly have been living at the orphanage for their entire life. Additionally, she develops an addiction to the daily tranquilizer pills that the staff forces in their diet. It isn’t all hopeless at the orphanage, however, as she meets and forms powerful bonds with two people during her stay.
One of these people is custodian Mr. Shaibel, who she stumbles upon while clapping erasers in the basement. There was an air of mystery about him that intrigued her, especially the activity that seemed to be taking up all of his free time: chess. Beth’s fascination with Mr. Shaibel never waned, even though he was cold toward her at first. She’d sneak out of the required activities for the girls, and head to the basement to watch him play. She musters up the courage to tell him, “I don’t wanna be with the others. I wanna know what that is you’re playing.” Her bold attitude and determination was enough to win over the closed-off Mr. Shaibel, which becomes the most impactful relationship Beth has in the series.
What’s Ahead...
Character actor Bill Camp has wowed audiences of both the stage and screen for decades. He can be seen in hit television series such as The Night Of (which landed him an Emmy nomination), The Outsider, The Looming Tower, and the new Showtime limited series American Rust with Jeff Daniels and Maura Tierney. He plays Mr. Branholme in News of the World with Tom Hanks, completed filming Sound of Freedom with Mira Sorvino, and is currently filming Salem’s Lot, a movie adaptation of the book by Stephen King.
Alma Wheatley (Marielle Heller)
After 6 years at the orphanage, Beth is taken by surprise when she learns that she is going to be adopted. While her adoptive father is less than thrilled (to say the very least) about adopting a child, his wife Alma Wheatley couldn’t be happier. Without hesitation, she welcomes Beth into her life with open arms and a big smile. Her positive outlook and upbeat personality is a stark contrast to that of her husband, who doesn’t give her or Beth any respect. In all 4 of her episodes, Alma yearns for a sense of fulfillment in meaning in her empty life. Fortunately, Beth helps her satisfy these desires when the two venture into the unpredictable world of chess.
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While she got her start acting in her community theater at a young age, Marielle Heller is mostly known for her work as a director. The Sundance hit The Diary of a Teenage Girl, which Heller wrote and directed, landed her the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature along with Best Feature Film in the Berlin International Film Festival in 2015. Since then, she’s directed Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, a film based on beloved television host Fred Rogers.
Jolene (Moses Ingram)
Jolene, a long-time resident of the Methuen Home for Girls, doesn’t let the strict orphanage practices get in the way of who she is. She meets a visibly shaken Beth in line for the “magic pills” that the girls take each day. She’s jaded enough to not let the judgemental staff bother her and or stop her from speaking her mind. Jolene takes the timid Beth under her wing, and the two become unlikely friends and sources of comfort for one another when they need it most.
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What makes Moses Ingram’s already-incredible Emmy nominated performance even more impressive is the fact that this was only her second acting credit. Up next, she stars in Michael Bay’s Ambulance with Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and will play Lady Macduff in Joel Coen’s the highly-anticipated The Tragedy of Macbeth starring Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. Ingram will also star in the upcoming Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen reprising their famous roles from the Star Wars universe.
Benny Watts (Thomas Brodie-Sangster)
Beth first meets the condescending and leather-clad Benny Watts in Cincinnati, but wouldn’t compete against him until years later. When they meet again in Las Vegas, he immediately gets in her head when he recalls her early game with Harry Beltik, and explains that Harry would have beaten her if he noticed the move that was right in front of him. Maybe Beth wasn’t as strong of a player as she thought she was. Her worst fear came true when she indeed lost to Benny in Las Vegas, making her the co-champion and the owner of a much smaller trophy. Along the way, however, Beth and Benny develop a mutual respect for one another and become friends.
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You might be surprised to learn that Thomas Brodie-Sangster is the voice behind Ferb Fletcher in the hit Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb. Since then, he’s appeared in Game of Thrones, Godless, Wolf Hall, and in the Maze Runner movies as Newt. Up next, he can be seen in the series Unsinkable with John Malkovich and Brian Cox, the mini-series Pistol, and the announced fantasy adventure Mouse Guard based on the graphic novel.
Harry Beltik (Harry Melling)
When we first meet Harry, he’s a pretty detestable guy. He purposely shows up late to the highly-anticipated chess match to throw Beth off her game (though he claims he just wanted to get an extra cup of coffee) and continues to obnoxiously yawn throughout the entire game. His unprofessional behavior made his loss even sweeter for Beth, who to everyone’s surprise, beat the chess champ to become one herself in the Kentucky State Championship. This wouldn’t be the last of him for Beth, as he makes a surprising call to her several episodes later, when he offers up his time to help her prepare for her matches against the Soviets.
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Actor (and muggle) Harry Melling grew up on the big screen playing the dastardly Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films. Next, he stars in Please Baby Please with Demi Moore, and joins Ingram in The Tragedy of Macbeth. He’s in pre-production for The Pale Blue Eye, in which he’ll play acclaimed author Edgar Allan Poe alongside Christian Bale.
D. L. Townes (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd)
Beth first meets the charming D. L. Townes in Episode 2, when the two are among the many competing in the Kentucky State Championship. Townes can tell that Beth is new to the competition circuit, and rather than dismiss her and her inexperience, he goes out of his way to educate Beth and share any bits of wisdom he’s accumulated along the way. In addition to being a chess player, he is also a journalist, and reunites with Beth while on assignment covering a tournament that she is competing in. Even when they weren't in each other's lives, Beth and Townes never stopped caring for each other. In fact, it was the time apart that drew them closer together.
What’s Ahead...
Jacob Fortune-Lloyd’s first credit was Wolf Hall, where he played Francis Weston alongside Claire Foy, Mark Rylance, and Damian Lewis. Next up, he can be spotted in a star-studded murder mystery with Sam Rockwell, Saorise Ronan, and Adrien Brody, and the upcoming television series The Power with Leslie Mann and Rob Delaney. He also plays the lead role of music entrepreneur Brian Epstein in Midas Man with Emily Watson.
It’s your move. Go ahead and watch (or rewatch) The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix.