Imaginative, red-headed, outspoken orphan Anne of Green Gables is back for a second season of Netflix and CBC’s adaptation Anne With an E.
The cast includes acting heavyweights RH Thomson and Geraldine James, but the show is also serving as a springboard for a new generation of talented young actors.
Here are all the characters you need to meet:
Amybeth McNulty – Anne Shirley
Who does she play? Anne Shirley is the heroine of this story – which is great news for her, because she loves telling stories. Despite the childhood she has spent in an orphanage and in abusive foster homes looking after other people’s babies, Anne is a fiercely intelligent and imaginative child with a tendency to talk a lot. When she first turns up at Green Gables to be adopted she thinks she finally has a family to call her own, but there are complications when Anne turns out not to be the boy they were expecting. However, by the end of season 1, Anne has made Green Gables her home – although there looks to be trouble for the farm on the horizon…
Where have I seen her before? Amybeth McNulty, 15, is an Irish Canadian actor who beat 1,800 others to the part of Anne Shirley. She has appeared in Morgan, Agatha Raisin: The Quiche of Death, The Sparticle Mystery and Clean Break. On stage she played Martha in The Sound of Music at London’s Regents Park Theatre.
Geraldine James – Marilla Cuthbert
Who does she play? Marilla Cuthbert a stern and self-restrained woman who has – with some misgivings – given in to her brother Matthew’s plan of adopting a young orphan boy. She has no time for nonsense or flights of fancy, and knows nothing about raising children. But Anne slowly starts to awaken Marilla’s maternal instinct and sense of humour.
Where have I seen her before? British actor Geraldine James has been Bafta nominated four times. She has starred in everything from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to Alice in Wonderland to Calendar Girls. She was nominated for a Tony award for her performance in The Merchant of Venice opposite Dustin Hoffman, and starred alongside Jude Law in Hamlet.
RH Thomson – Matthew Cuthbert
Who does he play? Matthew is an exceptionally shy and reclusive man who speaks very little. In the novel, we find out that he’s completely scared of women and girls. But he wants to adopt, and in season 1 he immediately forms a close bond with chatterbox Anne.
Where have I seen him before? RH Thomson is an award-winning Canadian actor of stage and screen. He actually played Jasper Dale in Road to Avonlea, a sort of 90s TV sequel to Anne of Green Gables based on the other works of LM Montgomery.
Corrine Koslo – Rachel Lynde
Who does she play? Mrs Lynde is the Cuthberts’ closest neighbour and the village gossip. She is a busybody who has to know everyone’s business and has no tact. But she loves her friend Marilla and, underneath it all, is a kind-hearted woman.
Where have I seen her before? She played Lady Rataxes in Babar. She’s also been in Best in Show and Better than Chocolate.
Dalila Bela – Diana Barry
Who does she play? Diana is Anne’s neighbour, loyal friend and “kindred spirit”. She is a sensible girl who is impressed by Anne’s powers of imagination, and the two balance each other perfectly.
Where have I seen her before? Dalila Bela is 15, like Amybeth. She is a Canadian actress who played Agent Olive on children’s show Odd Squad, and she has also played Taylor Pringle in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films.
Aymeric Jett Montaz – Jerry Baynard
Who does he play? Jerry is a young French Canadian farmhand, who is employed by the Cuthberts. You might think Anne would recognise him as another “kindred spirit” as he works to support his family, but actually when she first arrives she is intensely annoyed by his stoic, implacable nature and the fact that he – a boy – does the work Marilla and Matthew don’t think she can do. The two bicker constantly.
Where have I seen him before? Aymeric Jett Montaz, 12, is just starting out as an actor.
Lucas Jade Zumann – Gilbert Blythe
Who does he play? Gilbert Blythe was Anne’s rival at school in season 1. All the girls think he is very handsome and he’s popular with everyone – except Anne. They may get off to a terrible start, but Gilbert actually has a lot of admiration for Anne and everything that makes her different from other people. At the end of season 1 we see him set off to sail the high seas to see the world following his father’s death.
Where have I seen him before? Lucas Jade Zumann has had small roles in Thrill Ride, Chicago Fire, Sinister 2, and Sense8. He played Jamie in 20th Century Women alongside Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig and Annette Bening.
Dalmar Abuzeid – Sebastian/ “Bash”
Who does he play? Sebastian befriends Gilbert on the ship they’re both working on. He’s from Trinidad, and is deeply proud of his heritage – in particular his native home’s spicy cuisine. The character of Sebastian is entirely separate from the books, as Gilbert’s sea voyage is a new plot line specific to Anne with an E.
Where have I seen him before? The Canadian actor has had roles in Ashes, Pompeii, Degrassi: The Next Generation and Mannish Boy.
Cory Grüter-Andrew – Cole
Who does he play? Cole is a sensitive schoolboy who impresses Anne and the other girls with his artistic skills – although the other boys in their class view him as ‘different’.
Where have I seen him before? Cory Grüter-Andrew has previously had small roles in Fargo and The 100.
Anne with an E season 2 launches internationally on Netflix on Friday 6th July
from Radio Times https://ift.tt/2vLi8nY
