Ozark

There was a reason the series and the Ozark cast were such mainstays on a certain streaming platform. Netflix has had a wild few years, from layoffs of employees to record-breaking television shows, causing a roller coaster for the media company.

But one thing has stood the test of time for the streamer, that much of their content, like Wednesday or Never Have I Ever, is high quality. One television series that has pleased audiences for several seasons and became a critically acclaimed darling during awards season is Ozark.

The Ozark cast’s success stems from its impressive group, led by the multitalented actor and director Jason Bateman.

Initially depicting one family’s journey when they must flee Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, the show eventually transforms into a worthwhile saga about laundering money, hiding secrets, and staving off danger in a new place.

The series ran on Netflix for four seasons, with Rotten Tomatoes currently ranking Ozark overall with a Tomatometer score of 82 percent and an Audience Score of 84 percent.

THE OZARK CAST IS LED BY JASON BATEMAN AND LAURA LINNEY

Jason Bateman – Marty Byrde

Former child actor turned comedic genius and influential director of Ozark, Jason Bateman has had a storied career in front of and behind the camera.

Beaming confident from his famous role in Arrested Development, Bateman chose a different route by joining the Ozark cast in a dramatic role as patriarch Marty Byrde. Marty is a top financial advisor who starts a firm with his partner Bruce but quickly gets in over his head.

Marty agrees to launder money for a Mexican drug cartel through the firm he started with Bruce. When Bruce is murdered for his part in stealing money from the cartel, Marty attempts to save his own life by suggesting he move to the Missouri Ozarks and launder money from there.

He takes his wife, Wendy, and his kids to the Ozarks, and they begin a new life under the threat of constant danger.

Marty’s character is steadfast, calculated, and intelligent, but he gives in to his wife’s demands a lot of the time when she gets into her own criminal activities in the Ozarks. Marty creates the illusion that he is cold, but he is merely cautious in his approach to family and business.

He wants to leave the drug cartel behind and start a new life, but he can’t seem to quit the lifestyle, similar to that of Walter White from Breaking Bad.

Before working on Ozark, Jason Bateman was a staple of comedies on television and film, most notably in works like Teen Wolf Too, Dodgeball, and Arrested Development.

He made his directorial debut with the dark comedy Bad Words in 2011, a skill he carried over to Ozark. His directorial work on Ozark netted the veteran performer the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.

Laura Linney – Wendy Byrde

The matriarch of the Byrde family, Wendy is Marty’s wife and the constant bane of his existence. Wendy is played to perfection by Academy Award-nominated actor Laura Linney, who joined the Ozark cast after costarring in Sully and Nocturnal Animals.

Originally from North Carolina, Wendy is a political campaign public relations expert turned realtor who tends to murder.

Originally outside Marty’s business, Wendy becomes heavily involved with his scheme involving the drug cartel and develops into a significant player. She is ruthless and powerful but unassuming, which gives her a leg up when dealing with outside elements.

In order to protect her family at all costs, Wendy commits her own set of crimes throughout Ozark.

Laura Linney got the acting bug after starring in several Broadway productions, including The Crucible, and The Little Foxes. She joined the ensemble casts of huge movies like Primal Fear, The Truman Show, and Love Actually while accumulating nominations for the Academy Awards in flicks like You Can Count on Me, Kinsey, and The Savages.

Linney starred for several seasons on the Showtime series The Big C before embarking on the journey that led her to Ozark.

Sofia Hublitz – Charlotte Byrde

Sofia Hublitz plays Charlotte Byrde as part of the Ozark cast of characters, as Charlotte is the daughter of Marty and Wendy Byrde. Not wanting to move away from her cushy life in Chicago, Charlotte protests the family’s new life in the Ozarks before eventually taking a job at The Blue Cat.

As a teenager, she catches on to her parents’ business dealings and ends up helping them launder money through Marty’s casino.

Outside of costarring on Ozark as Charlotte Byrde, American actor Sofia Hublitz was once a contestant on MasterChef Junior.

While she didn’t win the top prize on the Gordon Ramsay competition show, Hublitz went on to appear in episodes of Louie and Horace and Pete before starring on Ozark.

Skylar Gaertner – Jonah Byrde

Marty and Wendy’s other child and Charlotte’s younger brother, Jonah Byrde is portrayed by actor Skylar Gaertner in the Ozark cast.

Likewise, in the know about his parents and their work with the Navarro drug cartel, Jonah contributes to the family business by helping his parents launder money as best as a young kid can.

Lonely with few friends, Jonah and Ruth (Julia Garner) develop a bond. The youngest Byrde offspring learns how to shoot a gun and eventually distances himself from his family after learning more secrets.

Skylar Gaertner might best be known for playing Jonah Byrde on Ozark, but the young actor is not a newbie to the television industry. He appeared in several episodes of well-known television dramas throughout his career, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Nurse Jackie, and The Americans.

Tom Pelphrey – Ben Davis

Actor Tom Pelphrey plays Ben Davis on Ozark, taking the cast to new heights by defining Wendy’s underlying sociopathic nature as her ill-fated brother, Ben Davis. Suffering from mental health issues, Ben has a good heart but often doesn’t know where to place it.

His internal problems manifest in outbursts where he divulges valuable information to many of Marty and Wendy’s enemies, making Ben a liability for the family.

Tom Pelphrey starred on the soap opera Guiding Light as Jonathan Randall, which earned the actor two Daytime Emmy Awards. Since the late 2000s,

Pelphrey has jumped from television and movies, appearing in hit projects like The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, Mank, and the recent drama She Said.

THE OZARK CAST HAS A GROUP OF LOCALS

Julia Garner – Ruth Langmore

One of the biggest surprises of Ozark when she joined the cast as Ruth Langmore, Julia Garner has become one of the most talented young stars in television.

Playing the independent, strategic, and poverty-stricken character of Ruth, Julia Garner earned three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. As the most humane of the characters depicted in the series, Collider refers to Ruth as “the heart of Ozark.”

Ruth is initially presented as a low-level thief, but she grows to become instrumental in protecting the Byrdes from her villainous uncles, the FBI, and outside forces. Despite her young age, Ruth’s craftiness leads her to become Marty’s business partner, often seen as the face of his businesses through which he launders money.

She is tough and understated, having a soft demeanor toward her cousins and a merciless tone toward those who dare cross her chosen family.

Julia Garner made a name for herself in the drama series The Americans before moving on to other projects like the true crime show Dirty John. Recently, Garner reached a wide audience by starring as con artist Anna Delvey in the Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna.

Garner can be seen in the prequel to Rosemary’s Baby entitled Apartment 7A.

Trevor Long – Cade Langmore

Ruth’s father and the brother to Russ and Boyd Langmore, Cade is a major player in the criminal activities in the Ozarks before the Byrde family’s arrival.

He is incarcerated for much of his time on Ozark, but actor Trevor Long gives depth to the character as part of a cast of unlikely criminals. Cade has an enormous influence over Ruth and inserts himself into the FBI probe into Marty’s businesses.

Actor Trevor Long began his career acting in movies like Don Juan DeMarco opposite Johnny Depp and Killing Them Softly with Brad Pitt. Outside of television productions like Ozark, Long can be seen in the hit miniseries Dopesick where he plays former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. 

Charlie Tahan – Wyatt Langmore

As Russ Langmore’s eldest son, Wyatt Langmore is played in Ozark by actor Charlie Tahan, who joined the television show’s cast beginning in Season 1.

A recurring character that transitions into a lead role later in the series, Wyatt is Ruth’s cousin, and he initially embarks on a relationship with Charlotte Byrde.

The character ends up being a bit of a loose cannon once he discovers the truth about his father’s death, and his romance with Darlene Snell makes for an unfortunate trajectory for both of them.

One would think that at such a young age, Ozark would be one of the first projects that actor Charlie Tahan worked on. However, the New Jersey native has appeared in several well-known scripted shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Wayward Pines, and Gotham. Tahan can can also be seen alongside Christian Bale in the Netflix film The Pale Blue Eye.

Carson Holmes – Three Langmore

Three Langmore is Russ’s youngest son, Wyatt’s brother, and cousin to Ruth Langmore. A bit of an amateur sleuth who finds out about his father’s crimes despite his family’s attempts to protect him from the truth, Three is mature beyond his years.

One of the more likable members of the Langmore family, Three is not as emotionally unstable as the others and tends to be pleasant to be around.

Recognizable for his recurring role as Three Langmore in Ozark, Carson Holmes has appeared in a number of films during the Netflix series run.

These include Instant Family with Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, as well as The Best of Enemies starring Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell.

Lisa Emery – Darlene Snell

One-half of the local heroin-producing duo, Darlene Snell is portrayed by Lisa Emery in Ozark, having stayed with the cast for much of the series.

Equal parts racist and reckless, Darlene is proud of her work in the region and sacrifices her relationships throughout the show to demonstrate her power and stubborn tendencies.

She makes deals with the Byrdes regarding their casino business but proves emotionally unstable, making her a threat to the family.

Lisa Emery might be associated with the dark role of Darlene Snell on Ozark, but the stage veteran has tried her hand at many other parts throughout her career.

Like many of her costars, she appeared on episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as Louie and Jessica Jones.  

Jordana Spiro – Rachel Garrison

As the owner of the Blue Cat Lodge, Jordana Spiro stars as part of the Ozark cast as Rachel Garrison. Targeted as the first business Marty chooses to launder money through, the Blue Cat Lodge and Rachel are important in Marty starting a new life outside of his Chicago roots. While a kind person who struggles with substance abuse issues, Rachel turns on Marty by helping the FBI spy on him.

For her work in television, actor Jordana Spiro has worn many hats, including starring in her own comedy series entitled My Boys for four seasons.

Since the late 2000s, Spiro has seen success appearing in hit television shows like Harry’s Law and Dexter before moving into recurring roles on The Good Wife and Blindspot.

She completed a stint playing Nurse Mary Lane in the slasher film trilogy Fear Street, based on the popular book of the same name by R.L. Stine.

THE CARTEL AND THE FBI

Esai Morales – Camino “Del” Del Rio

A recurring fixture of Season 1 of Ozark, actor Esai Morales was cast as Del, the lieutenant for the powerful Navarro drug cartel from Mexico. Del kills Marty’s business partner Bruce, which sets the tone for the series when the Byrde family has to relocate to the Ozarks.

Del has an unfortunate run-in with Jacob and Darlene Snell, local heroin producers who establish themselves as the criminal element where the Byrdes choose to reside.

One of the most recognizable faces in the Ozark cast, Esai Morales has played many roles on television and film. His appearances in Bad Boys and NYPD Blue made him famous, but it’s his turn as Bob in 1987’s La Bamba that made him a household name.

Morales was the main antagonist in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One opposite Tom Cruise.

Janet McTeer – Helen Pierce

Jessica Jones alum Janet McTeer joined the Ozark cast in the middle of the series as Helen Pierce, a Chicago-based lawyer representing the Navarro drug cartel.

When Del appears to go missing, Helen takes her rightful place as the face of the cartel in the Ozarks, eventually moving there to oversee Marty and his family’s operations.

Cunning and distrustful, Helen is often at odds with Marty and Wendy, who tend to go behind Helen’s back and attempt to work with the Navarros themselves.

English actor Janet McTeer initially came to the public’s attention when she starred as Nora in the 1997 Broadway play, A Doll’s House, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. She followed that performance up with an Academy Award-nominated turn in the 1999 film Tumbleweeds.

Outside of Ozark and Jessica Jones, McTeer can be seen as part of the ensemble cast of 2022’s The Menu and a supporting role in 2024’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two.

Felix Solis – Omar Navarro

As the head of the Navarro drug cartel, Omar Navarro is seen as the main antagonist of Ozark, and Felix Solis plays the character as part of the ensemble cast.

Omar is heartless, like many of the characters involved in criminal enterprises within the series. However, he is incredibly demented in how he treats his employees, especially if they cross a line with him or his money.

Omar is unique to Ozark, as he is a negotiator to his core, trying to make sure he ties up loose ends by cooperating with several different groups in order to get what he wants.

While dealing with the Byrdes professionally and personally, Omar also relies on information he gives to the FBI to secure his own interests. He is a towering figure in Ozark, as Marty and Wendy frequently try to win his approval and attention throughout the show’s run.

Actor Felix Solis came to the Ozark cast after appearing in other television productions like NYPD Blue, Law & Order, and The Sopranos. He had a recurring spot on the Kevin Bacon series The Following before moving into lead roles in Ten Days in the Valley and the spin-off series The Rookie: Feds.

Jessica Frances Dukes – Maya Miller

Jessica Frances Dukes was added to the Ozark cast in later seasons of the series to embody the character of Maya Miller, an FBI forensic accountant who stumbles upon Marty’s casino business.

She starts investigating the Byrdes while pregnant, but unlike Petty, she is idealistic and caring. She sometimes gets in over her head as she uses ethics to define her investigation.

For actor Jessica Frances Dukes, Ozark has been the job of a lifetime, especially considering she hadn’t co-starred in many projects prior to joining the cast of the Netflix drama.

Before Ozark, Dukes had guest roles on The Good Wife and NCIS: New Orleans, in addition to an arc on Jessica Jones.