Abigail 2024 Cast & Character Guide (With Secret Details & Reveals) (2024)

The cast of Abigail elevates the movie's unique hybrid of a heist film and a horror movie, with strong performances from the ensemble. Abigail focuses on a group of criminals and killers who find themselves tasked with kidnapping the daughter of a powerful and wealthy man. While they're initially scared of repercussions coming from the hands of her father, the group soon realizes the full extent of the danger they're in when they realize that the young Abigail isn't what she seems.

Abigail is an impressive critical success with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 83%, and despite its lukewarm box office, Abigail's streaming success has given it new life. The gory horror film is a great blend of horror, comedy, and action, all building to one of the bloodiest (and most satisfying) climaxes of the year so far. Bolstering it all is a cast of seasoned pros and younger faces, including horror stars like Melissa Barrera. Abigail is also the final performance for one of its stars, who tragically passed away before the film could be released.

Melissa Barrera

Melissa Barrera is 33 Years Old

Actor: Born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Melissa Barrera attended both the American School Foundation of Monterrey and New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Barrera appeared in several Mexican productions before taking the lead role in the Starz series Vida. After appearing as Vanessa in the Jon M. Chu-directed In the Heights, Barrera reached new levels of fame as Sam Carpenter in Scream and Scream VI.

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Character: Melissa Barrera plays Joey in Abigail. As Barrera explained to Screen Rant during a set visit, Joey's role in the job is to be "the caretaker and the nurse" for the kidnapped Abigail. A former Army Medic, Joey's medical expertise gives her a knowledge base she uses to great effect through the film. Her wartime experience also means "she has some skills with weapons and she's trained in hand-to-hand combat."

Joey is a no-nonsense character who is there to finish the job and be reunited with her son. The character's real name of Ana Lucia Cruz, which Barrera devised with the film's directors, is a sly reference to Lucy Westenra from Dracula.

Dan Stevens

Dan Stevens is 41 Years Old

Actor: Growing up in Wales, Dan Stevens became focused on acting as a teenager in theatrical productions. After proving his mettle on stage and in BBC productions, Dan Stevens' big break came with the role of Matthew Crawley Downtown Abbey. Since then, he's developed an eclectic resume, ranging from dramatic roles to showy musicals to grounded action dramas. Stevens has also proven to be a strong voice actor, appearing in animated fare like Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Love, Death & Robots, The Boy and the Heron, and Solar Opposites.

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Character: Dan Stevens plays Frank in Abigail. Established quickly as the leader of the crew that kidnaps Abigail, Frank is also an "a**hole," according to Stevens. A former cop with a shady past, Frank bristles against the natural leadership shown by Joey in the film. Stevens revealed to Screen Rant during a set visit that the part of Frank was originally written for an older Italian-American, which required changes to his backstory after Stevens joined the project. Stevens took inspiration from I Think You Should Leave when helping define Frank's wardrobe and look.

Alisha Weir

Alisha Weir is 14 Years Old

Actor: Alisha Weir was born in Dublin, Ireland, and quickly followed her sisters in pursuing drama. She has appeared in several stage productions, including versions of Once, Annie, and The Wizard of Oz. Her film debut came with 2018's Don't Leave Home, but Weir rose to global prominence after appearing as Matilda Wormwood in Netflix's film adaptation of Matilda the Musical.

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Character: Alisha Weir plays Abigail in Abigail. Initially portrayed as a regular little girl (albeit with a powerful and wealthy father), Abigail eventually turns out to be a murderous and centuries-old vampire. Abigail is the film's biggest wildcard, as it gives Weir a chance to showcase a wide range of performative emotions and ice-cold villainy. However, the film also slowly explores more of the genuine motivations and elements of the character as she forms an unlikely bond with one of her captors.

Kathryn Newton

Kathryn Newton is 27 Years Old

Actor: Kathryn Newton was born in Orlando, Florida. Newton pursued acting from a young age but rose to prominence as a young actress with the role of Louise Brooks in Gary Unmarried. After moving to Los Angeles, she began appearing in films like Paranormal Activity 4 and shows like Supernatural. She's become an increasingly in-demand actress, with roles in Academy Award-winning fare like Ladybird and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Newton has also taken over the role of Cassie Lang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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Character: Katheryn Newton plays Sammy in Abigail. The crew's tech expert, Sammy is established as turning to crime more for the thrill of it than anything else. The film steadily reveals her affluent background, an element of secrecy that Newton incorporated into her performance. Newton was particularly excited to incorporate her real-life passion for tattoos into the character. Newton explained to Screen Rant during a set visit that she worked with Abigail's directors to use the tattoos to help establish her character.

William Catlett

William Catlett is 41 Years Old

Actor: William Catlett was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and spent years as both an actor and producer on smaller projects. This changed after his starring roles in shows like First and That Guy. His most well-known performance came from the role of Lala in Black Lightning. Since then, he's also appeared in the TV miniseries True Story, the Apple TV+ show Constellation, and films like A Thousand and One.

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Character: William Catlett plays Rickles in Abigail. A former Marine sniper, Catlett described Rickles to Screen Rant as the one who "kind of keeps everything grounded in the film." Whereas the rest of the crew are defined in part by their big personalities, Rickles is a more dependable and straight-shooting character. Rickles also forms a quick bond with fellow veteran Joey, which sets up an interesting dynamic within the group.

Kevin Durand

Kevin Durand is 50 Years Old

Actor: Kevin Durand was born in Ontario, Canada, and has been working steadily since the turn of the century. Many of his roles rely on his tough exterior, but Durand has frequently subverted this overt layer with a keen sense of comedy and charm. After establishing his range with the human/canine hybrid Joshua in Dark Angel, Durand has played heroes and villains across several films and shows. He is perhaps best known for his villainous role as Keamy on Lost and recently starred as Proximo Caesar in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

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Character: Kevin Durand plays Peter in Abigail. The hired muscle for the crew and a former Hockey enforcer, Peter is established as a bit slower on the uptake than his compatriots. As Durand explained to Screen Rant, the actor played this as being the result of a language barrier. "Peter's always like a couple of steps behind partially because there is a bit of a language barrier. I'm playing him like he's from French Canada, which is my normal, regular accent."

Angus Cloud

Angus Cloud Was 25 Years Old When He Passed Away

Actor: Angus Cloud was born in California and attended the School of Production Design — where he was a classmate with future co-star Zendaya. Angus Cloud's first acting role and big break came with the role of Fezco on Euphoria. After this, Cloud took on roles in North Hollywood and films like Freaky Tales. Tragically, Cloud passed away in 2023. Abigail was dedicated to his memory, as the vampire movie was his final film performance.

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Character: Angus Cloud plays Dean in Abigail. Dean is the driver for the crew, serving as their wheelman in the film. Joey describes Dean as the most "unprofessional" of the crew, citing his excellent skills but his dangerous personality.

Giancarlo Esposito

Giancarlo Esposito is 65 Years Old

Actor: Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Giancarlo Esposito has become one of Hollywood's most in-demand character actors. Esposito has been acting since 1979, appearing in minor roles across several iconic shows like Law & Order and Sesame Street. He rose in prominence following his role as Mike Giardello in Homicide: Life on the Street. However, his most iconic performance came in the form of Gus Fring in Breaking Bad, which established him as one of modern Hollywood's most effective villains. He's also frequently lent his voice to animated projects.

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Character: Giancarlo Esposito plays Lambert in Abigail. Lambert is established quickly as an effective criminal mastermind. He's the one who brought the crew together for the kidnapping of Abigail. A former associate of Frank, Lambert has an important role in setting off the chain of events that take up much of Abigail's runtime.

Matthew Goode

Matthew Goode is 46 Years Old

Actor: Matthew Goode was born in Devon, England, and initially appeared in BBC productions and TV films like Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. His big break came playing the romantic lead in the Mandy Moore rom-com Chasing Liberty. He's appeared in a wide range of productions, including Zack Snyder's cinematic adaptation of Watchmen and Downtown Abbey. His most acclaimed work may be his time on The Crown, playing Antony Armstrong-Jones, which earned him an Emmy nomination.

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Character: Matthew Goode plays Kristof Lazar in Abigail. Kristof is absent for much of the film, but the danger he potentially poses to the main characters lingers. As the father of Abigail, the crew initially expects a big payoff for her return. However, the dangerous qualities of the crimelord shift the tone of the film into something more tense. Kristof only appears towards the end of the film. However, Kristof's true origins are left a mystery in Abigail, setting him up as a potential way to expand the film into a series.

The Casting Of Alisha Weir Presents A Potential Sequel Problem

While Abigail might not have been a massive box office success, there are hopes still alive for a sequel as the movie continues to find an audience on streaming. Though most of the cast members from the first movie were killed off, one key Abigail cast member who would be expected to return presents an issue for the potential sequel.

Alisha Weir was the highlight of the first movie, but her age and the necessities of the character make it difficult for her to return for a second installment. As with the established lore of the movie, Abigail is meant to be a child forever as her vampire nature prevents her from aging at all. By the time a sequel is ready to go, Weir will have already aged noticeably and could no longer play a young girl.

There would be the option to recast the role, but given how impressive Weir was, it is likely such a move would be met with considerable backlash. While certain television shows, like Game of Thrones and Stranger Things, have simply had to ignore young actors aging beyond their characters, the whole point of Abigail as a character is that she is a young child. The complication this presents might ensure that Abigail remains a one-off movie with no sequel.

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Abigail

Abigail is a 2024 horror thriller directed byMatt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. The plot follows a group of people who kidnap the daughter of a dangerous crime lord only to discover that the little girl is actually a vicious vampire out for blood. Alisha Weir stars as the titular character alongside Kathryn Newton, Melissa Barrera, and Dan Stevens.

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Director

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin , Tyler Gillett

Writers

Stephen Shields , Guy Busick

Cast

Kathryn Newton , Dan Stevens , Giancarlo Esposito , Kevin Durand , Melissa Barrera , Alisha Weir , Angus Cloud , William Catlett