Channel 4’s latest drama is The Undeclared War, a thriller set in the near future, and sees the UK face a series of cyber-attacks in the run-up to a general election.
Created by the same team behind Wolf Hall, the series stars Mark Rylance (who played Thomas Cromwell in the Hilary Mantel adaptation), Simon Pegg, Adrian Lester and newcomer Hannah Khalique-Brown.
Khalique-Brown plays the lead role Saara Parvin, who finds herself on work experience at GCHQ when a cyberattack hits, grinding the UK’s infrastructure to a halt.
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast and characters in The Undeclared War.
Hannah Khalique-Brown plays Saara Parvin
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Who is Saara Parvin? A genius 21-year-old hacker who joins the GCHQ Malware Department as part of a work experience placement, but soon finds herself at the heart of the team’s defence against a cyberattack.
Where have I seen Hannah Khalique-Brown before? The newcomer previously played Anita Chandola on Doctors, and played Bonnie in Muse.
Simon Pegg plays Daniel ‘Danny’ Patrick
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Who is Daniel Patrick? Head of Operations at GCHQ.
Where have I seen Simon Pegg before? The actor, comedian and screenwriter is perhaps best known for starring in Shaun of the Dead, Spaced, The World’s End, Hot Fuzz, the Mission Impossible film franchise, and as Scotty in the rebooted Star Trek film franchise. He also more recently reprised his role as Hugh Campbell in The Boys.
Adrian Lester plays Andrew Makinde
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Who is Andrew Makinde? Prime Minister Rt Hon Andrew Makinde, Britain’s first black Conservative prime minster. At the start of the season, he’s attempting to win a general election.
Where have I seen Adrian Lester before? He became a household name in Britain for his role as conman Mickey Stone in long-running series Hustle, and more recently played David Aston in Life. He’s also starred in the likes of Riviera, Doomsday, and The Day After Tomorrow.
Mark Rylance plays John Yeabsley
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Who is John Yeabsley? A former GCHQ employee who’s coaxed out of retirement following a cyberattack.
Where have I seen Mark Rylance before? The Oscar-winning actor is known for Bridge of Spies, Ready Player One, The BFG (in the title role), Dunkirk, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and for playing Thomas Cromwell in the TV series Wolf Hall, adapted from the Booker-winning historical novels by Hilary Mantel.
Alex Jennings plays David Neal
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Who is David Neal? Danny’s boss at GCHQ, he represents the department at COBRA meetings.
Where have I seen Alex Jennings before? He’s perhaps best known for playing royals, in both the Oscar-winning The Queen (in which he played Prince Charles opposite Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II), and in The Crown, in which he played the Duke of Windsor in the first two seasons.
He’s also starred in the likes of Unforgotten, A Very English Scandal, Gold Digger, Small Axe, The Lady in the Van, and This Is Going to Hurt.
Alfie Friedman plays Gabriel Davies
Who is Gabriel Davies? A genius young hacker, and Saara’s contemporary and professional nemesis.
Where have I seen Alfie Friedman before? This is the newcomer’s first on-screen credit.
Maisie Richardson-Sellers plays Kathy Freeman
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Who is Kathy Freeman? An American cyber-analyst who works for the NSA.
Where have I seen Maisie Richardson-Sellers before? The British actress is best known for starring in The Kissing Booth film franchise, and for her work on the series DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, as well as The CW series The Originals.
German Segal plays Vadim Trusov
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Who is Vadim Trusov? A young Russian hacker.
Where have I seen German Segal before? The Russian actor is known for roles in the likes of The Red Ghost, The young and the strong survive ,and Vodovorot.
Joss Porter plays Phil
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Who is Phil? An employee at GCHQ who works alongside Saara.
Where have I seen Joss Porter before? Another Wolf Hall alumnus, he played Richard Cromwell (the nephew of Thomas Cromwell, played by Mark Rylance) in the BBC adaptation. He’s also starred in projects including Humans, Doc Martin, and Wars.
The Undeclared War will start at 9pm on 30th June 2022 on Channel 4. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Drama hub for the latest news.
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