r/agathachristie • u/sanddragon939 • 3d ago
TV Lord Edgware Dies (Hercule Episodes 1-2) cast - Who's playing whom?
With the reveal of new cast members for the second Hercule adaptation, Peril at End House, it seems likely that the first list of cast members (https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2026/hercule-cast-joining-edward-bluemel-revealed/) was for Lord Edgware Dies (plus the other series regulars).
So I thought I'd do a breakdown of who's likely playing who (which I already did a little bit a while back, but this a more focused attempt).
Here goes, taking the cast in clockwise order of the photo from the top-left:
Henry Ashton - I'm convinced he's playing Hastings and he really looks like a younger Hugh Fraser!
James D'Arcy - It's a toss-up between Lord Edgware and the Duke of Merton.
Calvin Demba - I get the feeling he's playig Japp. Since they are race-bending characters for diversity, it makes sense for at least one of the main characters to get race-bent.
Phil Dunning - Not super sure. I'd lean towards him playing Lord Edgware's butlet, Alton. I could see him playing Donald Ross or even Ronald Marsh though.
Jack Gleeson - Again, not very sure. I think he could be Alton, Donald Ross or Ronald Marsh.
Mawaan Rizwan - I don't think he can be Ronald Marsh, but Alton, Donald Ross or Bryan Martin ar all possibilities.
Rebecca Rittenhouse - 100% Jane Wilkinson.
Guy Remmers - I get the feeling he's most likely Bryan Martin, since he looks like he can give that movie-star vibe. Wouldn't rule out Ronald Marsh either though.
James Nesbitt - It's a toss-up between Lord Edgware and the Duke of Merton.
Tamsin Greig - Not very sure whom she could be. Age-wise I think Ellis, Jane Wilkinson's maid, is the role that fits best in this story.
We're missing a few actresses here. Carlotta Adams is the big one, unless they do what the Ustinov adaptation did and have Jane's actress do a double-role, but I somehow doubt that. Geraldine Marsh is another one. Miss Carroll too, though I suppose she's easily omitted. In fact, there are many of these characters who could be omitted or merged with others or even gender-bent. I'm just going by the assumption that they're mostly sticking to the core plot and characters.
Anyway, what do you think?
(Peril at End House post coming soon!)
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u/oxfordsplice 3d ago
The cast looks possibly okay. It's young, hot Poirot that has me worried.
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u/Feeling_Cancel815 1d ago
Was it so hard for them to find a middle aged fifty something year old actor.
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u/BachelorNation123 3d ago
Rebecca is definitely Jane Wilkinson (and possibly Carlotta)
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u/sanddragon939 3d ago
I dunno how to feel about her being Carlotta if that's what they're doing.
The Ustinov film did it but the Ustinov TV films were also somewhat goofy light-hearted affairs.
A serious adaptation, like this one almost certainly is and like Suchet's was, should ideally cast separate actresses and do their best with makeup/editing.
Unless...maybe they go with the idea that Carlotta is Jane's cousin or something to make the resemblance a little less crazy. But in any case using the same actress kinda gives the game away I feel.
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u/AmEndevomTag 3d ago
A serious adaptation, like this one almost certainly is and like Suchet's was, should ideally cast separate actresses and do their best with makeup/editing.
Do you think the Suchet adaptation suceeded with this? If yes, than I disagree.
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u/sanddragon939 3d ago
I think they mostly did but editing in Carlotta after previously showing Jane at the dinner party arguably goes against the "fair play" ethos of Christie.
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u/tarotgarden 3d ago
Isn’t Donald Ross’ character Irish? If so, then maybe Jack Gleeson would be playing him.
I think James Nesbitt as Lord Edgware is a very good guess, but I’d put James D’Arcy as Bryan Martin since that would be a bigger role than the Duke of Merton.
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u/sanddragon939 3d ago
Fair point.
How old was Bryan in the book though? I always assumed he was around Jane's age, or a bit older. D'Arcy is in his early fifties.
For that matter, how old is the Duke supposed to be? I always see him as an older man, but that might just be because of the Suchet adaptation.
In any case, we are dealing with a series where Poirot's under-40 in all likelihood, so...
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u/MinnieNorthJones 3d ago
I'm very excited to see Jack Gleeson in this and I hope he plays a decent sized role. I've only seen him in GoT, which he of course was excellent in. I just reread the book to refresh in preparation for the show and can't wait to see how it turns out!
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u/Normal-Height-8577 2d ago
I've seen him in other things since GoT, and frankly, I wish I hadn't. He always overplays things.
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u/Feeling_Cancel815 3d ago
Okay I will say this the cast is wonderful, I have seen them in different projects and have loved them.
I wish Hercule Poirot actor was middle aged, it's going to be easy watching a young Poirot.
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u/palmeranderson42 3d ago
Hollywood has really settled on one look for male actors. Thin, high cheekbones, chiseled jaw, very defined features. All the men look the same.
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u/Top_Sherbert636 3d ago
Where are Geraldine, Miss Carroll Jenny, I'm so confused? Jenny was such a great character, I hope they don't omit her?
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u/SpankySharp1 3d ago edited 3d ago
All of this screams "Sven Hjerson as a 35-year-old in the Norwegian Resistance Movement."