Since first coming out in 1987, Fatal Attraction has been considered one of the best erotic thrillers, thanks in part to its cast anchored by Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. More than 35 years later, the movie is finally getting the remake treatment in the form of a new show, also called Fatal Attraction, but with a different, yet equally great pair of actors playing lovers in a passionate and volatile affair.
If you started the show, or plan on watching it at some point in the near future, you are probably wondering where you’ve seen the Fatal Attraction cast before. Well, worry not, because we are able to break down all the major characters from the Paramount+ original series and why they all look so familiar, starting with stars Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan.
Joshua Jackson (Dan Gallagher)
Michael Douglas famously played Dan Gallagher in Adrian Lyne’s Fatal Attraction, but the Paramount+ remake series sees Joshua Jackson take on the role of the married deputy district attorney who enters into an extramarital affair with Alex Forrest, a relationship that he couldn't put a stop to even if he wanted.
Jackson is no stranger to the small screen, as the format has been a constant in his career dating back to the early 1990s. Over the years, Jackson has led series like Dawson’s Creek, Fringe, The Affair, Little Fires Everywhere, and most recently, the first season of the Peacock true crime show, Dr. Death. He has also popped up in episodes of When They See Us, Gravity Falls, The Outer Limits, and The Simpsons.
Over on the film side, Jackson has landed major roles in movies like The Mighty Ducks, Cruel Intentions, The Skulls, and Bobby.
Lizzy Caplan (Alex Forrest)
Lizzy Caplain takes on the role of Alex Forrest, a character famously played by Glenn Close in the original version of the story from decades earlier.
Like her co-star, Caplan is a seasoned pro when it comes the realm of TV, having been a part of the Freaks and Geeks cast, leading shows like the first run of Party Down (she didn’t return for the revival series), True Blood, Castle Rock, Inside Job, Fleishman Is In Trouble, and Masters of Sex, which earned her an Emmy nomination in 2014.
Caplan also has a number of film appearances under her belt, with movies like Orange County, Mean Girls, Hot Tub Time Machine, and the first installment in the Cloverfield franchise, to name only a few.
Amanda Peet (Beth Gallagher)
Next up for the Fatal Attraction cast is Amanda Peet, who takes on the role of Dan Gallagher’s wife, Beth. The character was portrayed by Anne Archer in the 1987 version.
Peet is another member of the cast with a great deal of experience on the small screen, with major roles on a list of shows that includes Jack & Jill, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Togetherness, Brockmire, and Dirty John. That’s on top of one-off appearances on shows like Law & Order, Seinfeld, How I Met Your Mother, and The Romanoffs.
Over the years, Peet has also appeared in a few dozen movies, including everything from The Whole Nine Yards to Something’s Gotta Give and Saving Silverman to Syriana. Her most recent big-screen feature was Sleeping with Other People in 2015.
Toby Huss (Mike Gerard)
Toby Huss shows up on Fatal Attraction as Mike Gerard, a longtime friend of Dan Gallagher's who also happens to be the chief of investigations in his District Attorney’s office.
Fans of a certain age will probably recognize Huss from his portrayal of Artie, “The Strongest Man in the World” on the iconic Nickelodeon show The Adventures of Pete & Pete, but if not, there have been plenty of TV shows over the years to feature the actor. Starting with his live-action work, Huss has been on Halt and Catch Fire, GLOW, Dickinson, 30 Rock, The Office, Reno 911!, and Carnivale. His voice-actor work includes Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill (he voiced characters like Cotton Hill and Kahn Sr.), The Cleveland Show, and countless others.
His film appearances include Jerry Maguire, Balls of Fury, The Front Runner, Birds of Paradise, Blonde, and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, in which he played Weird Al’s estranged father.
Brian Goodman (Arthur Tomlinson)
Brian Goodman takes on the role of Arthur Tomlinson, Beth Gallagher’s business partner and best friend on Fatal Attraction.
Throughout his career, Goodman has appeared on shows like 24, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Lie to Me, Rizzoli & Isles, Sons of Anarchy, Revenge, Chance, and multiple others dating back to the early 2000s. During that same stretch of time, Goodman has been in movies like Munich, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Black Butterfly, and The Last Castle.
Alyssa Jirrels (Ellen Gallagher)
Alyssa Jirrels appears in Fatal Attraction as Ellen Gallagher, Dan and Beth’s daughter. The role was played by Ellen Hamilton Latzen in the original movie.
Prior to joining the cast, Jirrels landed roles on shows like Boo, Bitch, the 2020 Saved by the Bell revival, American Housewife, NCIS: Los Angeles, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Mick, and various others
Reno Wilson (Detective Earl Brooker)
Reno Wilson joins the Fatal Attraction cast as Detective Earl Brooker, who's with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Ever since making his professional acting debut on The Cosby Show back in the late 1980s, Wilson has landed steady roles on a number of shows like The Chronicle, Blind Justice, Heist, Friday: The Animated Series, Mike & Molly, and Good Girls. Wilson has also made one-off appearances on shows like Martin, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NYPD Blue, American Dad!, and Scrubs, to name a few. His film appearances include everything from The Great White Hope, Fallen, Crank: High Voltage, Tooken, Bolden, and various installments in the Transformers film franchise.
You can see these actors, as well as other members of the Fatal Attraction cast, in action by watching the show streaming, but only if you have a Paramount+ subscription. If you want to know more about the new and returning shows coming to the streamer, as well as other platforms and channels, make sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule.
