Prodigal Son Cast & Character Guide | Screen Rant
Here’s a quick guide to the Prodigal Son cast and the characters they play. Fox drama Prodigal Son is a police procedural with a Silence Of The Lambs twist – except in this case the criminologist and serial killer are related. Created by Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver, the show follows a brilliant but troubled criminal profiler who is forced to turn to his incarcerated serial killer father for help after a string of grisly deaths suggest a copycat murderer is imitating his crimes.
Despite developing a dedicated fandom (appropriately known as “Prodigies”), the show didn’t enjoy a very long run. As Prodigal Son season 2 was nearing its close, news broke that Fox had opted not to renew the series for a third season with low linear ratings thought to be the driving force behind its cancellation. Producers Warner Bros Television are apparently planning to shop Prodigal Son to other networks in hopes of saving it, but whether that will happen remains to be seen.
The show’s cancellation is a shame as the Prodigal Son cast features some stellar talent. Here’s a who’s who guide to the main cast, plus which characters they play.
Tom Payne – Malcolm Bright
Tom Payne of The Walking Dead fame heads the Prodigal Son cast as Malcolm Bright – a talented but traumatized criminologist who has a unique ability to get inside the minds of murderers thanks to the fact his father is a killer. After he’s fired from the FBI, Bright starts working as a consultant with the NYPD which forces him to reconnect with his estranged father.
Michael Sheen – Dr. Martin Whitly
Masters Of Sex star Michael Sheen plays Martin Whitly – a world-renowned doctor, infamous serial killer and Malcolm’s father. Nicknamed “The Surgeon”, Martin is spending a life sentence in a psychiatric hospital after killing 23 people but worms his way back into his son’s life after a copycat killer starts mimicking his murders.
Lou Diamond Phillips – Gil Arroyo
NYPD lieutenant Gil Arroyo is Malcolm Bright’s long-time mentor, despite being the officer responsible for his father’s arrest. He’s played by Longmire star Lou Diamond Phillips, who was one of the first actors confirmed as a Prodigal Son cast member.
Halston Sage – Ainsley Whitly
Halston Sage plays Malcolm’s younger sister Ainsley Whitly. An ambitious TV journalist, Ainsley was very young when their father committed his crimes and thus comes across as the more well-adjusted of the Whitly siblings – at least on the surface.
Aurora Perrineau – Dani Powell
Powell is a tough, no-nonsense detective with the NYPD who is initially wary of working with the son of a killer but comes to respect Malcolm’s often unconventional approach to solving murders. Dani is played byAurora Perrineau.
Frank Harts – JT Tarmel
Frank Harts plays Powell’s colleague and fellow NYPD detective JT Tarmel. Like Dani, JT is skeptical of working with Malcolm at first but comes to respect him as a co-worker.
Keiko Agena – Dr Edrisa Tanaka
Quirky medical examiner Dr. Tanaka adds much-needed comic relief to Prodigal Son, particularly through her awkward flirting with Malcolm who she has a crush on. She’s played by Keiko Agena who is known for playing Lane Kim in Gilmore Girls.
Bellamy Young – Jessica Whitly
Bellamy Young rounds out the Prodigal Son cast as Malcolm and Ainsley’s mother Jessica Whitly. A wealthy New York socialite hailing from old money, Jessica was ostracized from her high society circle after her husband’s arrest and turned to drink to cope.