{"id":11685,"date":"2022-03-02T17:33:52","date_gmt":"2022-03-02T16:33:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1591103"},"modified":"2022-03-02T17:33:52","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T16:33:52","slug":"meet-the-cast-of-the-dropout-and-their-real-life-counterparts","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/meet-the-cast-of-the-dropout-and-their-real-life-counterparts\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the cast of The Dropout and their real-life counterparts"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By David Craig\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 02 March 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

The real-life scandal surrounding Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is the inspiration for new streaming series The Dropout<\/a>, which stars Amanda Seyfried as the disgraced former CEO.<\/p>\n

The health tech company made headlines around the world in 2015, when it emerged that their revolutionary blood-testing technology didn\u2019t actually work as they claimed it did.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She is joined by an impressive ensemble cast which co-stars Lost alum Naveen Andrews and includes supporting roles for Stephen Fry (It\u2019s A Sin<\/a>), Dylan Minnette (Scream<\/a>) and Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird).<\/p>\n

Read on for everything you need to know about The Dropout cast, including side-by-side comparisons with the real people they are portraying.<\/p>

The Dropout cast: Actors vs real-life counterparts<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Amanda Seyfried plays Elizabeth Holmes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Amanda\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Amanda Seyfried in The Dropout \/ Elizabeth Holmes at the 2015 Time 100 Gala<\/span><\/figcaption> Taylor Hill\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Elizabeth Holmes?\u00a0<\/strong>Elizabeth Holmes was the founder and CEO of now-defunct health technology company Theranos. She dropped out of California\u2019s 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\u2019s technology. Nevertheless, she continued securing investment from some of the world\u2019s richest people under false pretences, until a whistle-blower exposed that her company was not what it appeared to be.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Amanda Seyfried before?\u00a0<\/strong>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!<\/a>, where she starred opposite Hollywood royalty Meryl Streep. Most recently, she earned acclaim for her performance in David Fincher\u2019s Mank, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.<\/p>\n

Naveen Andrews plays Sunny Balwani<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Naveen\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Naveen Andrews in The Dropout \/ Sunny Balwani in 2019<\/span><\/figcaption> Disney Plus\/Michael Short\/Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Sunny Balwani?\u00a0<\/strong>Sunny Balwani served as COO at Theranos for several years, working closely with Holmes during that time. What investors didn\u2019t know is that they also had a romantic relationship outside of work, which came to an end around the same time as the company\u2019s very public implosion. Balwani is due to stand trial on fraud charges later this year.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Naveen Andrews before?\u00a0<\/strong>Andrews will be a familiar face to fans of science fiction, owing to his past roles on mystery drama Lost<\/a> and Netflix\u2019s Sense8<\/a>. He also earned acclaim for his role in 1996 awards contender The English Patient.<\/p>\n

Laurie Metcalf plays Dr Phyllis Gardner<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Laurie\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Laurie Metcalf in The Dropout \/ Dr Phyllis Gardner in 2019<\/span><\/figcaption> Disney Plus\/Dai Sugano\/MediaNews Group\/The Mercury News via Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Dr Phyllis Gardner? <\/strong>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 \u2013 a patch that would detect infections in the human body and administer antibiotics as required \u2013 which the esteemed medical expert quickly dismissed as impossible. She was right.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Laurie Metcalf before?\u00a0<\/strong>Metcalf has appeared in a number of popular American television shows, including Roseanne and its recent sequel The Conners, Desperate Housewives<\/a> and The Big Bang Theory<\/a>. On the big screen, she is known for roles in Uncle Buck, Scream 2, Lady Bird and the Toy Story<\/a> franchise, where she provides the voice of Andy\u2019s mother, Mrs Davis.<\/p>\n

Stephen Fry plays Dr Ian Gibbons<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Stephen\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Stephen Fry in The Dropout \/ Dr Ian Gibbons<\/span><\/figcaption> Hulu\/CBS News\/YouTube<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Dr Ian Gibbons? <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Stephen Fry before?\u00a0<\/strong>Fry rose to prominence through his comedy work, appearing in the cast of classic BBC sitcom Blackadder<\/a> 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<\/a> trilogy. Most recently, he played a fictional politician in Russell T Davies\u2019 acclaimed AIDS drama It\u2019s A Sin.<\/p>\n

Kate Burton plays Rochelle Gibbons<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Kate\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Kate Burton at The Dropout premiere \/ Rochelle Gibbons on CBS News<\/span><\/figcaption> Jon Kopaloff\/Getty Images\/CBS News<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Rochelle Gibbons?\u00a0<\/strong>Rochelle Gibbons was married to Dr Ian Gibbons for almost 40 years and blames Theranos for his tragic death.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Kate Burton before?\u00a0<\/strong>Burton is best known for her roles in US dramas Grey\u2019s Anatomy<\/a> 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<\/a>, another dramatisation of a true fraud story.<\/p>\n

Sam Waterston plays George Shultz<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Sam\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Sam Waterston in The Dropout \/ George Shultz in 2011<\/span><\/figcaption> Disney Plus\/Eric Thayer\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is George Shultz?\u00a0<\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Sam Waterston before?\u00a0<\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

Dylan Minnette plays Tyler Shultz<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Dylan\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Dylan Minnette at The Dropout premiere \/ Tyler Shultz in 2019<\/span><\/figcaption> Amy Sussman\/Getty Images\/Jeff Kravitz\/FilmMagic for HBO<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Tyler Shultz?\u00a0<\/strong>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\u2019t as they should be within her company. However, speaking out won\u2019t be easy with the looming threat of devastating legal action and his own family smitten with the CEO \u2013 even hosting her 30th birthday party.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Dylan Minnette before?\u00a0<\/strong>Minnette will be familiar to avid Netflix<\/a> bingers as Clay Jensen on the hard-hitting teen drama 13 Reasons Why<\/a>. He is also known for Denis Villeneuve drama Prisoners and a number of horror flicks, including Let Me In, Goosebumps, Don\u2019t Breathe and 2022\u2019s Scream reboot.<\/p>\n

Anne Archer plays Charlotte Shultz<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Anne\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Anne Archer in 2012 \/ Charlotte Shultz in 2018<\/span><\/figcaption> Todd Oren\/Getty Images\/Scott Strazzante\/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images for NWHM\/<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Charlotte Shultz?\u00a0<\/strong>Charlotte Shultz was George\u2019s second wife, with the pair being married in 1997. Previously, she was a wealthy socialite and philanthropist.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Anne Archer before?\u00a0<\/strong>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\u2019s Always Sunny in Philadelphia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Camryn Mi-Young Kim plays Erika Cheung<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Camryn\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Camryn Mi-Young Kim in The Dropout \/ Erika Cheung in 2019<\/span><\/figcaption> Hulu\/Jeff Kravitz\/FilmMagic for HBO<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Erika Cheung?\u00a0<\/strong>Erika is another Theranos employee hired fresh out of university, who became another key figure in exposing the company\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Camryn Mi-Young Kim before?\u00a0<\/strong>This is the debut television role for Mi-Young Kim.<\/p>\n

Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays John Carreyrou<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Ebon\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Ebon Moss-Bachrach in 2019 \/ John Carreyrou in 2018<\/span><\/figcaption> Paul Butterfield\/Getty Images\/Michael Loccisano\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is John Carreyrou?\u00a0<\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

What else has Ebon Moss-Bachrach been in?\u00a0<\/strong>Moss-Bachrach is best known for his roles in HBO comedy-drama Girls, action-packed Marvel series The Punisher<\/a> and creepy horror-thriller NOS4A2.<\/p>\n

William H. Macy plays Richard Fuisz<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""William\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Hulu\/YouTube<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

Who is Richard Fuisz?\u00a0<\/strong>Richard Fuisz is an inventor and entrepreneur who was a neighbour of the Holmes family during Elizabeth\u2019s childhood and later became locked in a legal dispute with her company, Theranos.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen William H. Macy before?\u00a0<\/strong>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<\/a> and Room (starring Captain Marvel<\/a>\u2018s Brie Larson), as well as blockbuster Jurassic Park III.<\/p>\n

Utkarsh Ambudkar plays Rakesh Madhava<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Utkarsh\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Hulu\/YouTube<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

Who is Rakesh Madhava?\u00a0<\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Utkarsh Ambudkar before?\u00a0<\/strong>Ambudkar had a banner year in 2021, bagging a lead role in the US adaptation of Ghosts<\/a> alongside appearances in hit movies Free Guy<\/a> and Tick, Tick\u2026 BOOM!<\/a>. His earlier work includes Pitch Perfect and The Mindy Project.<\/p>\n

James Hiroyuki Liao plays Edmond Ku<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""James\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Hulu\/YouTube<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

Who is Edmond Ku?\u00a0<\/strong>Edmond is another of the early employees at Theranos, who is put under immense pressure to get their blood-testing technology operational.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen James Hiroyuki Liao before?\u00a0<\/strong>Hiroyuki Liao is known for roles in US dramas Prison Break, Unforgettable and HBO\u2019s Barry. Last year, he appeared in fantasy fare Cowboy Bebop<\/a> and Snake Eyes<\/a>, while he also has a motion capture role in Playstation video game Ghosts of Tsushima.<\/p>\n

Alan Ruck plays Jay Rosen<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Alan\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Hulu\/YouTube<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

Who is Jay Rosen?\u00a0<\/strong>Jay Rosen is a senior executive at American pharmacy chain Walgreens, who is keen to partner with Theranos on their retail expansion.<\/p>\n

Speaking of his character, Ruck told RadioTimes.com<\/a>: \u201cHe 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\u2026 he just wanted to believe it \u2013 I think almost as much as Elizabeth wanted to believe it. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he was going to be a hero [and] he was going to get a hell of a retirement package out of that deal,\u201d continued Ruck. \u201c<\/span>He just kind of sold out\u2026 and it\u2019s a shame because he\u2019s not a dumb guy. He\u2019s a bright fellow, but he disregarded science, which as we know is a mistake.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Where have I seen Alan Ruck before?\u00a0<\/strong>Ruck appeared in several iconic movies in the \u201980s and \u201990s including Ferris Bueller\u2019s Day Off, Speed and Twister. More recently, he has acquired a new generation of fans as part of the Succession cast<\/a>, where he plays Connor Roy.<\/p>\n

Nicky Endres plays Ana Arriola\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Nicky\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Hulu\/YouTube<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

Who is Ana Arriola?\u00a0<\/strong>Ana is a prolific product designer, who Holmes approaches to transform Theranos products after being impressed by their work at Apple.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Nicky Endres before? <\/strong>Endres has previously appeared in Netflix sitcom One Day At a Time.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Marvel plays Noel Holmes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Elizabeth\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Jon Kopaloff\/Getty Images<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

Who is Noel Holmes?\u00a0<\/strong>Noel Holmes is Elizabeth\u2019s mother and a supportive figure in her life.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen Elizabeth Marvel before?\u00a0<\/strong>Marvel has appeared in a number of acclaimed television shows, including House of Cards, Homeland<\/a>, Fargo and Unbelievable<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n

LisaGay Hamilton plays Judith Baker<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""LisaGay\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
LisaGay Hamilton attends the world premiere of Vice (2018)<\/span><\/figcaption> Presley Ann\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Judith Baker?\u00a0<\/strong>Judith Baker is a senior editor at the Wall Street Journal.<\/p>\n

Where have I seen LisaGay Hamilton before?\u00a0<\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

Michaela Watkins plays Linda Tanner<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""Michaela\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Michaela Watkins attends The Dropout premiere<\/span><\/figcaption> Amy Sussman\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Who is Linda Tanner?\u00a0<\/strong>Linda Tanner is an in-house lawyer at Theranos, who embraces the challenge of squashing the company\u2019s detractors. While Tanner is one of the few fictional characters in the show, Watkins told RadioTimes.com<\/strong> her performance was inspired by a moment from HBO\u2019s Elizabeth Holmes documentary The Inventor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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,\u201d recalled Watkins. \u201cAnd 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. <\/span>And I thought that\u2019s who she is: she\u2019s someone who is so excited to be on the winning team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Where have I seen Michaela Watkins before?\u00a0<\/strong>Watkins has worked on several comedic projects, including Saturday Night Live, Casual, Search Party<\/a> and New Girl<\/a>, the last of which was created by The Dropout showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether.<\/p>\n

The Dropout premieres on Disney Plus on Thursday 3rd March 2022.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>You can\u00a0sign up to Disney+ for \u00a37.99 a month or \u00a379.90 a year<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>now.\u00a0Check out more of our<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Drama<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>coverage or visit our<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>TV Guide<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>to see what\u2019s on tonight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now \u2013\u00a0subscribe now<\/a>\u00a0to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the\u00a0Radio Times podcast<\/a>\u00a0with Jane Garvey.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n

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By David Craig Published: Wednesday, 02 March 2022 at 12:00 am 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By David Craig Published: Wednesday, 02 March 2022 at 12:00 am 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…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/11685"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}