The real-life scandal surrounding Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is the inspiration for new streaming series The Dropout, which stars Amanda Seyfried as the disgraced former CEO.
The health tech company made headlines around the world in 2015, when it emerged that their revolutionary blood-testing technology didn’t actually work as they claimed it did.
At the start of this year, Holmes was found guilty on four counts of defrauding investors and now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, which is a stunning fall from grace for the one-time billionaire.
For Seyfried, The Dropout represents an opportunity to get back on the awards circuit after earning an Oscar nomination for her performance in 2020 biopic Mank.
She is joined by an impressive ensemble cast which co-stars Lost alum Naveen Andrews and includes supporting roles for Stephen Fry (It’s A Sin), Dylan Minnette (Scream) and Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird).
Read on for everything you need to know about The Dropout cast, including side-by-side comparisons with the real people they are portraying.
The Dropout cast: Actors vs real-life counterparts
Amanda Seyfried plays Elizabeth Holmes
!["Amanda]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/amanda-seyfried-elizabeth-holmes-comparison-ae3bc65.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"amanda-seyfried-elizabeth-holmes-comparison\"")
Who is Elizabeth Holmes? Elizabeth Holmes was the founder and CEO of now-defunct health technology company Theranos. She dropped out of California’s prestigious Stanford University to pursue development of a revolutionary device that could theoretically run dozens of health tests on a single drop of blood. A nice idea in concept, but one that was fundamentally unworkable with today’s technology. Nevertheless, she continued securing investment from some of the world’s richest people under false pretences, until a whistle-blower exposed that her company was not what it appeared to be.
Where have I seen Amanda Seyfried before? Seyfried first rose to fame in the cast of hit teen comedy Mean Girls, where she played the dim-witted Karen Smith. She followed that up with a main role on HBO drama Big Love, before returning to the big screen in 2008 for musical phenomenon Mamma Mia!, where she starred opposite Hollywood royalty Meryl Streep. Most recently, she earned acclaim for her performance in David Fincher’s Mank, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Naveen Andrews plays Sunny Balwani
!["Naveen]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/02/naveen-andrews-sunny-balwani-f983973.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"naveen-andrews-sunny-balwani\"")
Who is Sunny Balwani? Sunny Balwani served as COO at Theranos for several years, working closely with Holmes during that time. What investors didn’t know is that they also had a romantic relationship outside of work, which came to an end around the same time as the company’s very public implosion. Balwani is due to stand trial on fraud charges later this year.
Where have I seen Naveen Andrews before? Andrews will be a familiar face to fans of science fiction, owing to his past roles on mystery drama Lost and Netflix’s Sense8. He also earned acclaim for his role in 1996 awards contender The English Patient.
Laurie Metcalf plays Dr Phyllis Gardner
!["Laurie]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/02/laurie-metcalf-phyllis-gardner-25e80bc.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"laurie-metcalf-phyllis-gardner\"")
Who is Dr Phyllis Gardner? Dr Gardner is a Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, who crossed paths with Holmes during her brief time studying there and became an early sceptic of her scientific know-how. The aspiring inventor booked a meeting with Dr Gardner to pitch her first big idea – a patch that would detect infections in the human body and administer antibiotics as required – which the esteemed medical expert quickly dismissed as impossible. She was right.
Where have I seen Laurie Metcalf before? Metcalf has appeared in a number of popular American television shows, including Roseanne and its recent sequel The Conners, Desperate Housewives and The Big Bang Theory. On the big screen, she is known for roles in Uncle Buck, Scream 2, Lady Bird and the Toy Story franchise, where she provides the voice of Andy’s mother, Mrs Davis.
Stephen Fry plays Dr Ian Gibbons
!["Stephen]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/stephen-fry-ian-gibbons-the-dropout-fb89087.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"stephen-fry-ian-gibbons-the-dropout\"")
Who is Dr Ian Gibbons? Dr Ian Gibbons was a biochemist who served as chief scientist at Theranos for a number of years, endeavouring to get the ambitious machine envisioned by Holmes up and running. His mental health began to take a turn for the worse when he was fired by Theranos, before being rehired in a reduced role, and later being subpoenaed to testify in a patent lawsuit against the company. He died of liver failure in 2013, days after attempting to take his own life.
Where have I seen Stephen Fry before? Fry rose to prominence through his comedy work, appearing in the cast of classic BBC sitcom Blackadder and later forming a double act with Hugh Laurie. On the big screen, his most notable projects include Gosford Park, V for Vendetta and The Hobbit trilogy. Most recently, he played a fictional politician in Russell T Davies’ acclaimed AIDS drama It’s A Sin.
Kate Burton plays Rochelle Gibbons
!["Kate]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/kate-burton-rochelle-gibbons-f3e3a32.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"kate-burton-rochelle-gibbons\"")
Who is Rochelle Gibbons? Rochelle Gibbons was married to Dr Ian Gibbons for almost 40 years and blames Theranos for his tragic death.
Where have I seen Kate Burton before? Burton is best known for her roles in US dramas Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, both of which were created by Shonda Rhimes. Most recently, she collaborated with the prolific television producer once more for Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna, another dramatisation of a true fraud story.
Sam Waterston plays George Shultz
!["Sam]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/sam-waterston-george-shultz-ff37daa.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"sam-waterston-george-shultz\"")
Who is George Shultz? George Shultz is the former United States Secretary of State, who served under President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, and a very wealthy businessman. He is approached by Elizabeth Holmes in 2011 and soon becomes one of the strongest advocates for Theranos, but his grandson fears he is being taken advantage of.
Where have I seen Sam Waterston before? Waterston has been acting since the 1960s and has a long list of credits to his name. His recent projects include police procedural Law & Order, HBO drama The Newsroom and Netflix comedy Grace & Frankie.
Dylan Minnette plays Tyler Shultz
!["Dylan]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/02/dylan-minnette-tyler-shultz-ec2360e.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"dylan-minnette-tyler-shultz\"")
Who is Tyler Shultz? Tyler Shultz is grandson to George, who gets him an internship at Theranos shortly after his graduation from Stanford University. While he is initially thrilled to be working for a lauded pioneer like Elizabeth Holmes, he soon realises things aren’t as they should be within her company. However, speaking out won’t be easy with the looming threat of devastating legal action and his own family smitten with the CEO – even hosting her 30th birthday party.
Where have I seen Dylan Minnette before? Minnette will be familiar to avid Netflix bingers as Clay Jensen on the hard-hitting teen drama 13 Reasons Why. He is also known for Denis Villeneuve drama Prisoners and a number of horror flicks, including Let Me In, Goosebumps, Don’t Breathe and 2022’s Scream reboot.
Anne Archer plays Charlotte Shultz
!["Anne]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/anne-archer-charlotte-shultz-b2315ba.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"anne-archer-charlotte-shultz\"")
Who is Charlotte Shultz? Charlotte Shultz was George’s second wife, with the pair being married in 1997. Previously, she was a wealthy socialite and philanthropist.
Where have I seen Anne Archer before? Archer is probably best known for her acclaimed performance in 1987 thriller Fatal Attraction, which earned her nominations at the Academy Awards and the BAFTAs, among others. She is also known for playing Barbara Reynolds in hit US comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Camryn Mi-Young Kim plays Erika Cheung
!["Camryn]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/erika-cheung-dropout-b0d738a.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"erika-cheung-dropout\"")
Who is Erika Cheung? Erika is another Theranos employee hired fresh out of university, who became another key figure in exposing the company’s irresponsible practices. The stakes were particularly high for her, as she came from an underprivileged background and so could not rely on family wealth if the legal team came after her.
Where have I seen Camryn Mi-Young Kim before? This is the debut television role for Mi-Young Kim.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays John Carreyrou
!["Ebon]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/ebon-moss-bachrach-john-carreyrou-c2b9597.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"ebon-moss-bachrach-john-carreyrou\"")
Who is John Carreyrou? John is an investigative reporter for the Wall Street Journal, who receives a tip-off about the dodgy procedures going on at Theranos and pursues the dangerous story.
What else has Ebon Moss-Bachrach been in? Moss-Bachrach is best known for his roles in HBO comedy-drama Girls, action-packed Marvel series The Punisher and creepy horror-thriller NOS4A2.
William H. Macy plays Richard Fuisz
!["William]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/william-h-macy-dropout-ce49001.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"william-h-macy-dropout\"")
Who is Richard Fuisz? Richard Fuisz is an inventor and entrepreneur who was a neighbour of the Holmes family during Elizabeth’s childhood and later became locked in a legal dispute with her company, Theranos.
Where have I seen William H. Macy before? Macy is best known for starring in the American version of comedy-drama Shameless, which ran for an impressive 11 seasons on US broadcaster Showtime. Previously, he had appeared in medical drama ER. On the big screen, he is known for awards contenders Fargo and Room (starring Captain Marvel‘s Brie Larson), as well as blockbuster Jurassic Park III.
Utkarsh Ambudkar plays Rakesh Madhava
!["Utkarsh]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/utkarsh-ambudkar-dropout-c8ed729.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"utkarsh-ambudkar-dropout\"")
Who is Rakesh Madhava? Rakesh was one of the first employees to be hired by Theranos and learned the hard way that their technology was far from what it was said to be.
Where have I seen Utkarsh Ambudkar before? Ambudkar had a banner year in 2021, bagging a lead role in the US adaptation of Ghosts alongside appearances in hit movies Free Guy and Tick, Tick… BOOM!. His earlier work includes Pitch Perfect and The Mindy Project.
James Hiroyuki Liao plays Edmond Ku
!["James]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/james-hiroyuki-liao-a0a97b5.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"james-hiroyuki-liao\"")
Who is Edmond Ku? Edmond is another of the early employees at Theranos, who is put under immense pressure to get their blood-testing technology operational.
Where have I seen James Hiroyuki Liao before? Hiroyuki Liao is known for roles in US dramas Prison Break, Unforgettable and HBO’s Barry. Last year, he appeared in fantasy fare Cowboy Bebop and Snake Eyes, while he also has a motion capture role in Playstation video game Ghosts of Tsushima.
Alan Ruck plays Jay Rosen
!["Alan]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/alan-ruck-dropout-hulu-a0dc4a9.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"alan-ruck-dropout-hulu\"")
Who is Jay Rosen? Jay Rosen is a senior executive at American pharmacy chain Walgreens, who is keen to partner with Theranos on their retail expansion.
Speaking of his character, Ruck told RadioTimes.com: “He wanted to make one big splash before he hung up his spurs and I think that he met this young woman, found out about her and… he just wanted to believe it – I think almost as much as Elizabeth wanted to believe it.
“Because he was going to be a hero [and] he was going to get a hell of a retirement package out of that deal,” continued Ruck. “He just kind of sold out… and it’s a shame because he’s not a dumb guy. He’s a bright fellow, but he disregarded science, which as we know is a mistake.”
Where have I seen Alan Ruck before? Ruck appeared in several iconic movies in the ’80s and ’90s including Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Speed and Twister. More recently, he has acquired a new generation of fans as part of the Succession cast, where he plays Connor Roy.
Nicky Endres plays Ana Arriola
!["Nicky]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/nicky-endres-dropout-569f7d5.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"nicky-endres-dropout\"")
Who is Ana Arriola? Ana is a prolific product designer, who Holmes approaches to transform Theranos products after being impressed by their work at Apple.
Where have I seen Nicky Endres before? Endres has previously appeared in Netflix sitcom One Day At a Time.
Elizabeth Marvel plays Noel Holmes
!["Elizabeth]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/dropout-elizabeth-marvel-adfc2ed.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"dropout-elizabeth-marvel\"")
Who is Noel Holmes? Noel Holmes is Elizabeth’s mother and a supportive figure in her life.
Where have I seen Elizabeth Marvel before? Marvel has appeared in a number of acclaimed television shows, including House of Cards, Homeland, Fargo and Unbelievable. On the big screen, she has a similarly strong track record, with lauded projects including Burn After Reading, True Grit, Lincoln, A Most Violent Year and Netflix drama The Meyerowitz Stories.
LisaGay Hamilton plays Judith Baker
!["LisaGay]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/lisagay-hamilton-1066ba9.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"lisagay-hamilton\"")
Who is Judith Baker? Judith Baker is a senior editor at the Wall Street Journal.
Where have I seen LisaGay Hamilton before? Hamilton is best known for her television roles on legal drama The Practice and political thriller House of Cards. Her film projects include 12 Monkeys, Vice and biopic Lovelace, the last of which also starred Amanda Seyfried.
Michaela Watkins plays Linda Tanner
!["Michaela]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/michaela-watkins-dropout-aec5ca2.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"michaela-watkins-dropout\"")
Who is Linda Tanner? Linda Tanner is an in-house lawyer at Theranos, who embraces the challenge of squashing the company’s detractors. While Tanner is one of the few fictional characters in the show, Watkins told RadioTimes.com her performance was inspired by a moment from HBO’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary The Inventor.
“I think it was one of those things in the bullpen where everybody was celebrating the moment that the FDA approved one aspect of their testing capabilities,” recalled Watkins. “And they were playing Pump Up the Volume and I saw this woman just sort of dancing like she was part of the cult, like drinking the Kool Aid. And I thought that’s who she is: she’s someone who is so excited to be on the winning team.”
Where have I seen Michaela Watkins before? Watkins has worked on several comedic projects, including Saturday Night Live, Casual, Search Party and New Girl, the last of which was created by The Dropout showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether.
The Dropout premieres on Disney Plus on Thursday 3rd March 2022. You can sign up to Disney+ for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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