Meet the Cast of 'Zero Day'

A national cyber attack dubbed “Zero Day” kills over 3,000 citizens, unleashing rabid conspiracy theories that push an already divided United States to the brink of chaos. No, this isn’t a recap of the news, which feels like it’s getting bleaker by the day; it’s the premise of Netflix’s latest must-watch political thriller miniseries Zero Day, which hit streaming on February 20.

The trailers have teased a stacked cast, starting with the legendary Robert De Niro as a former President who comes out of retirement to help investigate the attack. Ahead, dive into the details about the actors that join him in the six-episode limited series and the characters they portray across the fictionalized but realistic political landscape. Below, find everything to know about the Zero Day cast.

Robert De Niro as George Mullen

Robert De Niro, 81, leads the Netflix thriller as former President George Mullen—a public official with historic bipartisan support who reemerges into the spotlight to help the government investigate a large-scale cyber attack dubbed “Zero Day.” The only problem is that he seems to be losing his grip on reality, diving deep into conspiracy theories as he races to solve the mystery.

De Niro has been a Hollywood mainstay for over six decades, best known for his ongoing collaboration with director Martin Scorsese in films like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Killers of the Flower Moon, and more. Typically a film actor, De Niro has also starred in classics like Heat, The Godfather Part II, Silver Linings Playbook, and Meet the Parents.

Lizzy Caplan as Alexandra Mullen

Lizzy Caplan, 42, stars as Alexandra Mullen, President Mullens’ daughter and a current congresswoman. Alexandra is often publicly at odds with her father and is named as the head of the Congressional Oversight Committee formed to keep an eye on her father’s investigation.

Caplan broke out in the ’00s hit Mean Girls opposite Lindsay Lohan as the offbeat Janis Ian. Since then, she’s turned her attention to TV, starring in shows like Party Down, Fatal Attraction, Masters of Sex, and Fleishman is in Trouble, the latter two of which earned her Emmy nominations.

Angela Bassett as President Evelyn Mitchell

Angela Bassett, 66, is the current sitting President who enlists former President Mullen to help investigate Zero Day.

Bassett might still be best known for her portrayal of Tina Turner in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It, which earned her a Golden Globe win and an Academy Award nomination. She has also appeared in films like Boyz n the Hood, Malcolm X, Waiting to Exhale, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Bassett has also appeared in multiple films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the Black Panther character Queen Ramonda.

Jesse Plemons as Roger Carlson

Jesse Plemons, 36, is Roger Carlson, President Mullen’s right-hand man. Roger appears to be the President’s confidante but is secretly being extorted by people who may be involved in the cyber attack.

Plemons was part of the ensemble cast and one of the breakout stars of NBC’s beloved ‘00s series Friday Night Lights, opposite Zero Day co-star Connie Britton. Often cited as one of the most successful cast members of that show, Plemons has gone on to star in Breaking Bad and Black Mirror, as well as films like Killers of the Flower Moon, The Master, and Civil War. His performance in The Power of the Dog (which he starred in alongside his wife Kirsten Dunst) earned him an Academy Award nomination, and he also received Emmy nominations for his roles in Fargo season 2 and Love Death.

Connie Britton as Valerie Whitesell

Connie Britton, 57, plays Valerie Whitesell, President Mullen’s former chief of staff. At the request of Mullen’s wife, Valerie rejoins his staff, despite her time in the White House being marked by a major secret scandal.

Like Plemons, Britton starred on Friday Night Lights as Tami Taylor for five seasons, following up with a lead role on Nashville. In the years since, she’s appeared on The White Lotus, American Horror Story, American Crime Story, and Dirty John. Britton’s movie credits include This Is Where I Leave You, Seeking A Friend for the End of the World, and Promising Young Woman.

Joan Allen as Sheila Mullen

Joan Allen, 68, plays President Mullen’s wife. The former First Lady is one of the first to notice his issues with memory, and she enlists Valerie to keep an eye on him during the investigation.

Many might recognize Allen from The Notebook, in which she played Allie’s (Rachel McAdams) overbearing mother. Allen is a decorated actress with a Tony award win for the Broadway show Burn This, and has received multiple Emmy and Academy Awards nominations for shows like The Mists of Avalon and Georgia O'Keeffe and movies like The Crucible, The Contender, and Nixon.

Matthew Modine as Richard Dreyer

Matthew Modine, 65, plays the Speaker of the House and one of Mullen’s political adversaries, Representative Richard Dreyer.

Modine’s career began in the ‘80s, with roles in films like Streamers, Birdy, Vision Quest, and Married to the Mob. More recently, he can be seen in The Dark Knight Rises, Oppenheimer, and Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Dan Stevens as Evan Green

Dan Stevens, 42, is Evan Green, a right-wing talk show host and conspiracy theorist (think Ben Shapiro) who has an agenda to oppose and tarnish President Mullen’s reputation.

Stevens hit the scene as the resident aristocratic heartthrob in the popular period drama Downton Abbey. Since then, he’s chosen a wide range of roles including the Beast in Disney’s live adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, a Russian singer in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, and Sir Lancelot in Night at the Museum. On TV, he’s also starred in Legion and lent his voice to many animated series.

Bill Camp as Jeremy Lasch

Bill Camp, 63, is the CIA Director Jeremy Lasch. His ears perk up when President Mullen mentions the top-secret governmental project “Proteus” on national television.

Camp has appeared in films like Lincoln, Molly’s Game, Vice, and Joker, as well as TV shows like The Outsider, The Queen’s Gambit, and The Leftovers. He received an Emmy nomination for his role in the HBO series The Night Of and a Tony award nomination for his performance in the 2016 Broadway revival of The Crucible.

McKinley Belcher III as Carl Otieno

McKinley Belcher III, 40, portrays Carl Otieno, the lead investigator on President Mullen’s Zero Day Commission and a lawyer at the Department of Justice.

Belcher starred in TV shows like Ozark, Mercy Street, The Passage, We Own This City, and Show Me a Hero. He began his career in theater where he won a Drama Desk Award, an Elliot Norton Award, and an IRNE Award.

Gaby Hoffmann as Monica Kidder

Gaby Hoffmann’s, 43, Monica Kidder is a tech billionaire who can help make or break President Mullen’s investigation.

Hoffmann began her career as a child actress in ‘80s and ‘90s films like Field of Dreams, Uncle Buck, Now and Then, and Sleepless in Seattle. As an adult, she has also found success on TV, with starring roles in Transparent, Girls, and Louie.

Mark Ivanir as Natan

According to Netflix’s Tudum, Mark Ivanir’s, 56, Natan is “an intelligence operative and Mullen confidant from an era when intelligence—and trust—still mattered.”

Ivanir is multilingual and has appeared in both English and non-English productions. American audiences may recognize him from roles on Barry, Mayor of Kingstown, Away, and Homeland.

Clark Gregg as Robert Lyndon

Clark Gregg, 62, is Robert Lyndon, “a corporate raider, provocateur, and billionaire who has mastered the dark arts of political manipulation.” Lyndon’s manipulation extends to Roger, as he aims to pull the strings behind the cyber attack.

Gregg has portrayed Agent Phil Coulson, Nick Fury’s partner, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe across many films and TV shows. Before that, he was a regular on The West Wing and The New Adventures of Old Christine and has appeared in films like 500 Days of Summer, In The Land of Women, and Being the Ricardos.