‘Bird Box’ Cast: Who’s Who in Netflix’s New Horror Flick

By Joe Reid @joereid

Published Dec. 20, 2018, 5:00 p.m. ET

collage of cast of netflix's bird box — Photos: NETFLIX ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps

Sandra Bullock in 'Bird Box' — **Sandra Bullock**
**Who she plays in *Bird Box*:** Malorie, a hard-edged pregnant woman and artist whose cynicism and lack of a maternal instinct come from a hard upbringing.
**Where you've seen her before:** Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock? America's Sweetheart Sandra Bullock? You know her! Whether it's as the unlikely bus driver in *Speed*, the fraudulent fiancée in *While You Were Sleeping*, the sister-witch in *Practical Magic*, or the football-minded mama bear in *The Blind Side*, you know who she is. *Bird Box* makes for a rare horror/thriller in her career.
Photo: Netflix

Sarah Paulson in 'Bird Box' — **Sarah Paulson**
**Who she plays in *Bird Box*:** Jessica, Malorie's comparably better-adjusted sister.
**Where you've seen her before:** After toiling as one of the most under-appreciated character actresses for years, Sarah Paulson got everybody's attention via the *American Horror Story* franchise as well as playing Marcia Clark on *The People vs. O.J. Simpson* (for which she won an Emmy). Movie-wise, Paulson and Bullock co-starred together just this summer in *Ocean's Eight*.
Photo: Netflix

John Malkovich in 'Bird Box' — **John Malkovich**
**Who he plays in *Bird Box*:** Douglas, the loudest and meanest of the people who Malorie takes shelter with after the incidents begin.
**Where you've seen him before:** Not every actor gets to play himself in a movie with his name in the title, but *Being John Malkovich* checked off both those boxes for its title star. He's also familiar for his Oscar-nominated roles in *In the Line of Fire* and *Places in the Heart*, as well as playing Teddy KGB in *Rounders*.
Photo: Netflix

Trevante Rhodes in 'Bird Box' — **Trevante Rhodes**
**Who he plays in *Bird Box*:** Tom, a level-headed younger man whose quiet strength soon becomes invaluable to Malorie.
**Where you've seen him before:** As one of three actors who played the lead character in *Moonlight*, you probably remember Rhodes from that. He was last seen clutching his heart during *Moonlight*'s dramatic Oscar triumph, those he's since been in movies like *The Predator* and *Burning Sands*.
Photo: Netflix

LilRel Howery in 'Bird Box — **LilRel Howery**
**Who he plays in *Bird Box*:** Charlie, a grocery store clerk and aspiribg novelist who has some theories on what's happening out in the world, based on ancient mythology.
**Where you've seen him before:** Well he's currently starring on *Rel* on Fox, and before that, he and Tiffany Haddish were NBC's best-kept secret as supporting players on *The Carmichael Show*, but you really probably know him from playing true TSA hero Rod in *Get Out*.
Photo: Netflix

Danielle MacDonald in 'Bird Box — **Danielle Macdonald**
**Who she plays in *Bird Box*:** Olympia, a young pregnant woman in need of shelter.
**Where you've seen her before:** The 27-year-old actress had a breakthrough in 2017 with *Patti Cake$*, where she played an aspiring teen hip-hop queen. This year, Netflix subscribers could watch her as the lead in *Dumplin'*, playing daughter to Jennifer Aniston.
Photo: Netflix

Machine Gun Kelly in 'Bird Box' — **Machine Gun Kelly**
**Who he plays in *Bird Box*:** Felix, a young drug dealer who takes shelter at Greg's home.
**Where you've seen him before:** His real name is Colson Baker, but as Machine Gun Kelly, he's been a professional rapper since 2006. His screen appearances include his feature film debut in *Beyond the Lights*, playing the rap-star bad boyfriend of Gugu Mbatha-Raw's character, and the Dave Franco/Emma Roberts film *Nerve*.
Photo: Netflix

B.D. Wong in 'Bird Box' — **B.D. Wong**
**Who he plays in *Bird Box*:** Greg, whose home becomes a bunker for a small band of survivors.
**Where you've seen him before:** The stage and screen veteran is a Tony Award winner for his role in *M. Butterfly*, but mainstream audiences know him best from either his role on *Law & Order: SVU* or in the *Jurassic Park* movies as Dr. Henry Wu.
Photo: Netflix

**Rosa Salazar**
**Who she plays in *Bird Box*:** Lucy, a cadet at the police academy who takes shelter at Greg's home.
**Where you've seen her before:** Previous to now, Salazar was best known for her roles on NBC's *Parenthood*, the *Maze Runner* films, and the Netflix movie *The Kindergarten Teacher*, but next year, she'll be the (CGI-augmented) lead in the action film *Alita: Battle Angel*.
Photo: Getty

Jacki Weaver on red carpet — **Jacki Weaver**
**Who she plays in *Bird Box*:** Cheryl, an older woman taking shelter at Greg's home.
**Where you've seen her before:** The Australian actress was virtually unknown in the United States until her 2010 breakthrough role playing mother to a family of small-time criminals (including Ben Mendelsohn and Joel Edgerton) in *Animal Kingdom*. She earned an Oscar nomination for that one, and another one for playing Bradley Cooper's crabby-snacks-making mom in *Silver Linings Playbook*.
Photo: Getty

**Tom Hollander**
**Who he plays in *Bird Box*:** Gary, a stranger who comes looking for shelter with new information about what's happening out in the world.
**Where you've seen him before:** The British actor has been in a bajillion films and TV shows, though most notably as the inept member of Parliament in *In the Loop*, the bitchy and suspicious gay in *The Night Manager* (for *Bird Box* director Susanne Bier), and most recently as the band manager for Queen in *Bohemian Rhapsody*.
Photo: Getty

Pruit Taylor Vince — **Pruitt Taylor Vince**
**Who he plays in *Bird Box*:** Rick, a survivor who contracts Malorie by radio.
**Where you've seen him before:** He doesn't show up until very late in *Bird Box*, but when he does, you'll be wracking your brain trying to remember where you've seen him. He's played unhinged bad guys in movies like *Identity* and *The Devil's Candy*, as well as more sympathetic roles, like when he played opposite Liv Tyler in *Heavy*.
Photo: Getty

**Parminder Nagra**
**Who she plays in *Bird Box*:** Dr. Lapham, Malorie's OB-GYN.
**Where you've seen her before:** For an actress playing such a small role in the movie, Nagra is an actress who's had some really memorable and high profile roles. She was a regular on *E.R.* for seven seasons as Dr. Neela Rasgotra, and before that, she co-starred with Keira Knightley in *Bend It Like Bekham*.
Photo: Getty

Where to Stream:

Bird Box

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In Netflix’s horror/thriller Bird Box, Sandra Bullock is unmissable as a hardened woman who finds herself in a post-apocalyptic scenario after some strange and unknowable phenomenon sweeps its way across the globe with terrifying speed: a whispering menace that, once you see it, you’re immediately driven to quick and brutal suicide. And so in this terrifying new world, where no one can risk opening their eyes in the outside world for risk of exposing themselves to this menace, Bullock takes refuge with a band of strangers.

Hollywood loves to make these kinds of movies, because they get to thrown a bunch of talented actors into a blender and watch them bounce off of each other. It’s like a actors’ version of Big Brother. Bird Box boasts an uncommonly talented cast, anchored by the Oscar-winning Bullock. But her supporting cast is packed to the gills with names and faces you’ll definitely recognize.

But how are you supposed to expend precious mental energy wondering where you’ve seen this or that cast member from when you’re busy freaking out about Sandra Bullock and her two kids traversing a dangerous river while blindfolded? That’s what we’re here for.

Stream Bird Box on Netflix