Here is a look back at some previous projects of the stars of this Apple TV+ miniseries that is already getting people talking.
Just a few days ago, Apple TV+ released one of the most eagerly awaited projects of the year: The Crowded Room. This psychological thriller miniseries is Akiva Goldsman's brainchild, and has been created based on Daniel Keyes' book The Minds of Billy Milligan, even though it is not a straight adaptation of it. In the series, Tom Holland stars in one of the most challenging leading roles of his career, as Danny Sullivan, a young man from New York City who gets arrested in 1979 for his apparent involvement in a brutal shooting. However, as he undergoes a series of interviews with Detective Rya Goodwin, a number of things from his past that led to the crime come to light, as well as other revelations that even he is unaware of.
The Crowded Room premiered its first three episodes on June 9. This season comprises 10 episodes, with the last one hitting Apple TV+ on July 28. Despite the huge buzz around this production, it seems that the show did not live up to the hype: reviews so far have been quite merciless, pointing out that the story takes too long to develop and is, at many times, very repetitive. Currently, it has barely scored 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, a much lower rate than expected.
Despite all of this, there is one element of the show that has been highlighted by many: the performances of the cast. Joining Holland in this production are some top industry stars who have worked on hugely popular projects over the years. Here's a look back at some of The Crowded Room cast's past performances.
Tom Holland has been involved in film, theater, and television for several years, although the world probably remembers him primarily for his portrayal of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home, among other films in the universe.
Thanks to this performance, Holland became the youngest actor to play a leading role in the MCU, and he also managed to land very important roles in films such as The Devil All the Time and Uncharted, the 2022 film based on the popular video game. However, prior to his involvement in the MCU Tom was also featured in some very important projects. Among them, the disaster drama film The Impossible, in which he made his film acting debut alongside Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, The Lost City of Z, and Edge of Winter.
Amanda Seyfried joins Holland in The Crowded Room as Rya Goodwin, lead investigator on the case. This actress has been in the entertainment industry for years, and has participated in productions of all kinds, from blockbusters to indie films, excelling in each and every one of her roles. While Seyfriend has been involved in TV projects since 1999, she made her film debut in the 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls, which became a cult classic that audiences still love to this day. She went on to star in adult-oriented productions, such as the drama Nine Lives and the popular 2008 musical comedy Mamma Mia! Among the best-known films of her career are Dear John, Jennifer's Body, and Les Misérables.
In addition to a successful film career, Seyfried's portfolio also features some TV productions that launched her to fame, such as Big Love, the HBO drama in which she co-starred with Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny, and Ginnifer Goodwin. Last year, she landed her first starring role on TV in the miniseries The Dropout, based on the story of Elizabeth Holmes and her company Theranos, which earned Seyfried great acclaim.
Sasha Lane made her acting debut just a few years ago, in the 2016 road drama film American Honey, a hugely acclaimed production that earned her widespread acclaim. After landing this role, she went on to score movies and short films of all kinds, most notably The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Hearts Beat Loud, and How to Blow Up a Pipeline, a 2022 film in which she also served as executive producer.
A few years after making her feature film debut, Lane made a cameo in the 2020 anthology series Amazing Stories, and a year later she joined the MCU to play Hunter C-20 in Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston. In 2022, she starred alongside Alison Oliver, Joe Alwyn, and Jemima Kirke in the TV series Conversations with Friends, inspired by Sally Rooney's novel of the same name. In The Crowded Room, Lane plays Ariana.
Will Chase is an actor, filmmaker and singer who has been excelling in the industry for several years, and is known, above all things, for his work on stage in several Broadway plays that earned him many accolades. After some years working on stage plays, the actor made his film debut in the 2000 crime thriller Shaft, directed by John Singleton and starring Samuel L. Jackson.
After that, he mostly devoted himself to working in television, landing small roles in shows like One Life to Live, Smash, and The Good Wife, until he landed what is, so far, his best-known TV role: Luke Wheeler in the ABC series Nashville. In 2018, Chase joined the cast of American Crime Story's second season as Detective Paul Scrimshaw. In the new Apple TV+ series, Will plays Marlin, the main character's stepfather.
Lior Raz was cast to play Yitzak Safdie. The actor and screenwriter has been involved in several films and TV shows since his debut in 2000, but without a doubt, his most important project so far is the Israeli show Fauda, created with Avi Issacharoff drawing on their experiences in the Israel Defense Forces. Apart from creating this production, Raz leads the cast over four seasons as Doron Kabillio.
Among his most relevant TV projects is also the 2021 Netflix series Hit & Run, also starring himself. Raz holds a few film credits in his portfolio as well, most notably Operation Finale and 6 Underground.
Actress and singer Emmy Rossum plays Candy, the main character's mother, although in real life she is only 10 years older than Holland. Just like her fellow cast mate, Rossum started in the industry at a very young age, excelling in many projects before she came of age. One of the most prominent roles of her career was in the 2004 disaster film The Day After Tomorrow, and that same year she would gain even wider recognition for her co-starring part in the film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera.
In addition to her film roles, Rossum also excelled in television, where she achieved her most memorable role to date: Fiona Gallagher in the Showtime television series Shameless, for which she received several nominations and awards. Over the years, Rossum also launched herself into directing and producing. One of her most recent projects is Nancy Oliver's miniseries Angelyne, in which she stars and serves as executive producer.
Emma Laird joined the industry quite recently, after several years working as a model. However, although her acting career is just kicking off, her skills already hold great promise. In 2021, Laird joined the cast of the TV series Mayor of Kingstown, starring Jeremy Renner. This production, which premiered its second season last January, also features Dianne Wiest, Hugh Dillon, and Taylor Handley. Among the actress' upcoming projects is Kenneth Branagh's thriller film A Haunting in Venice, which is due for release this September. In The Crowded Room, Laird plays Annabelle.
The actor who plays Matty Dunn in The Crowded Room spent the first years of his career focusing on theatrical productions, and only made it to theaters in 2000, as part of Amy Heckerling's teen rom-com Loser. Since then, Thomas Sadoski has appeared in several popular films, such as John Wick and its 2017 sequel, The Mimic, and Stalking the Bogeyman. He also knew how to stand out on TV, making cameos in shows such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Ugly Betty. His most important roles on TV so far were in the shows The Newsroom and Life in Pieces.
Christopher Abbott is another one of the actors in this cast who has been able to stand out in film, TV and theater, and as time went by he became known for his involvement in several indie films. After his film debut in the 2011 movie Martha Marcy May Marlene, he went on to land roles in productions such as James White, A Most Violent Year, and Sanctuary, the 2022 thriller film he stars in alongside Margaret Qualley.
However, although Abbott spent most of his time in film, one of the best-known roles of his career arrived through a TV project, the HBO series Girls. In it, he starred as Charlie Dattolo from 2012 to 2016. Another popular project in his career is The Sinner, a show in which he co-starred alongside Bill Pullman, Jessica Biel, Dohn Norwood, and Abby Miller.
Rounding out this list is Jason Isaacs, who stars as Jack Lamb. And, to be honest, Isaacs is a very well-known face in the industry, as over the years he has been involved in a number of productions for all audiences. He is probably best known worldwide for his two most popular roles: Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series and Captain Hook in the 2003 film Peter Pan.
However, his career in both film and television is quite extensive, featuring films such as The Patriot, Armageddon, and Abduction, among many, many others. His TV projects brought him almost as much acclaim as his films, as he has excelled in shows such as Brotherhood, Case Histories, and Star Trek: Discovery.