Can you imagine what the Tetris cast might have looked like if the original idea to directly adapt the video game had been carried out? The image that comes to my mind is an ensemble of teens dressed in bulky, block-shaped costumes performing a metaphorical coming-of-age tale about what it takes to “fit in” with one another.
Perhaps that sort of idea is more likely to occur in an SNL sketch but, regardless, I am relieved that the Tetris movie — now available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription — is a dramatization of how the titular video game became a “blockbuster” success in America, instead. Let’s take a look at the actors bringing this shocking true story to life, along with a reminder of their most notable previous roles, below — starting with the multi-talented lead.
Taron Egerton (Henk Rogers)
Henk Rogers — the video game designer and entrepreneur who brought Tetris to the States — is only the latest real-life person Taron Egerton has portrayed, after Mad Teddy Smith in 2015’s Legend, the title role of sports biopic Eddie the Eagle the same year, James Keene in AppleTV’s six-episode crime drama, Black Bird, and legendary singer Elton John in 2019’s Rocketman. That Golden Globe-winning role is also one of a few times the British actor has demonstrated his singing talents — the others being when he voiced Johnny in the Sing movies cast. Of course, the role that brought Egerton into the American mainstream was young secret agent Eggsy in the Kingsman movies.
Nikita Efremov (Alexey Pajitnov)
The Russian-born inventor of Tetris, Alexey Pajitnov, is the role that is bringing Nikita Efremov into the American mainstream. The movie marks the feature-length, English-language debut for the theater-trained, Moscow native, whose best known credits from his home country include the TV series Londongrad and the title role of the animated Ivan Tsaverich and the Gray Wolf movies. However, he did have an uncredited appearance on Season 2 of Bones, so there is a chance some Stateside audiences could recognize him from that.
Sofia Lebedeva (No Character Name Provided)
Another Russian native in the Tetris cast is Nikita Efremov’s one-time Londongrad co-star, Sofia Lebedeva, whose English-language debut was actually in AMC’s short-lived TV series crime drama, McMafia, in 2018. Her next English-speaking role was Eleana on the Netflix’s original sequel to Vikings — subtitled Valhalla — and the most recent is her appearances as a housekeeper on the Irish-Canadian dramedy, SisterS.
Roger Allam (Robert Maxwell)
As British media mogul Robert Maxwell, we have British actor Roger Allam, who is also know for his fair share of fact-based dramas, like The Queen and The Iron Lady, as well as period dramas like The Wind That Shakes the Barley and The Woman in Black. He has also done a few comic book adaptations — he played a propagandist radio broadcaster in V for Vendetta and was in Netflix’s The Sandman cast as Azazel — was in the Wachowskis’ Speed Racer movie, acted alongside the Game of Thrones cast for two episodes, and appeared in the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Anthony Boyle (Kevin Maxwell)
As Robert Maxwell’s son, Kevin, we have Anthony Boyle, who also has a Game of Thrones guest spot and a couple of biopics (2016’s The Lost City of Z — which chronicles Major Percival Fawcett’s adventures — and 2019’s Tolkien — which tells the story of the man behind the Lord of the Rings books) under his belt already. He has also starred in several TV series inspired by literature — namely an episode of Phillip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, Amazon’s three-part adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Ordeal By Innocence, Showtime’s Patrick Melrose miniseries, and HBO’s The Plot Against America TV show. Boyle’s breakout role was the 2012 short, Pillow Talk, which he also wrote and directed.
Toby Jones (Robert Stein)
According to Deadline, playing Hungarian games negotiator Robert Stein in Tetris is Anthony Boyle’s Danny Boy co-star, Toby Jones, who is also no stranger to biopics — he played Truman Capote in 2006’s Infamous, for instance — and literary adaptations — the most famous being the Harry Potter movies, in which he leant his voice to the role of Dobby, the House Elf. Just a handful of the British Emmy nominee’s other most notable roles include Arnim Zola in a few installments of the MCU, Claudius Templesmith in the Hunger Games series, and Percy Alleline in Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy. One of Jones’ biggest titles has yet to come out, as he is part of the Indiana Jones 5 cast in an undisclosed role.
Matthew Marsh (Mikhail Gorbachev)
Playing former president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, is Roger Allam’s The Iron Lady co-star, Matthew Marsh, who, like Egerton, once played Elton John, but in the 1985 TV movie, John and Yoko: A Love Story. He would go on to appear in many acclaimed British TV shows — such as the sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf, and Luther, to name a few — and star in movies like Christopher Nolan’s War World II-era hit, Dunkirk, from 2017. Also, the last time he played a Russian character was on the Amazon Prime original series, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, as General Kuznetsov.
Togo Igawa (Hiroshi Yamauchi)
As the legendary former president of Nintendo, Hiroshi Yamauchi, we have Roger Allam’s Speed Racer co-star, Togo Igawa. While born in Japan, the actor stars in U.K.-based titles primarily — such as a few Guy Ritchie movies (Revolver and The Gentlemen), one of the Rowan Atkinson-led Johnny English movies, a couple of episodes of The IT Crowd, and several editions of Thomas the Tank Engine as the voice of Hiro. He also starred in 2005’s adaptation of Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha, the Keanu Reeves-led 47 Ronin in 2013, and is part off the Star Wars universe, having played “Resistance Bridge Officer” in 2017’s The Last Jedi.
See for yourself how the Tetris cast performances and its too-good-to-be-true story fall into place by streaming the movie on Apple TV+ now.
