Sweetpea Cast & Character Guide

Starz’s new comedy-drama show, Sweetpea, is a thrilling miniseries that follows Rhiannon Lewis becoming a killer after her life falls apart. The story takes place in South England and features a talented cast predominantly consisting of British actors who nail their roles, creating both a hilarious yet gripping atmosphere. The cast is led by Ella Purnell, who has become a household name following the success of Fallout earlier in 2024. While she played an endearing vault dweller with a heart of gold in her Prime Video series, Ella Purnell’s Sweetpea role is the opposite of her Fallout character.

Her incredible performance suggests that Sweetpea has the potential to be among Ella Purnell’s best TV shows, as is the case for the rest of the cast. The show has a real charm that is helped by how ordinary and realistic most of the characters are, as they convey a casual working-class setting in England that is made more exciting by Rhiannon’s descent into madness. Sweetpea‘s early reviews indicate it may be one of the best-limited shows of 2024, and it wouldn’t be possible without such a well-crafted cast who expertly brings this compelling story to life.

Ella Purnell as Rhiannon Lewis

Date of Birth: September 17, 1996

Actor: Ella Purnell was born in London and has starred in a number of exciting projects since her acting debut over a decade ago. She was part of some big movies like Kick-Ass 2 and Maleficent in her early career, but Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children proved to be Purnell’s breakout role. Since then, she has flexed her drama, action, and comedy skills, both in the live-action and voice-acting worlds, highlighting her incredible range. Purnell’s video game adaptation roles in Arcane and Fallout have arguably been the pinnacle of her career, and Sweetpea looks set to continue this momentum.

Character: Purnell plays Rhiannon Lewis, the protagonist of Sweetpea‘s chaotic story. Although she starts the series as a seemingly quiet and innocent girl, her rage grows as her life spirals out of control, turning her into a killer. Rhiannon is full of stress and anxiety, having been bullied throughout her childhood, and continuing to feel invisible takes its toll on her. Despite maintaining a normal life as a receptionist in a newsroom, her life completely transforms after getting a taste for killing, making her an exciting yet oddly sympathetic central character, even with her obvious flaws.

Nicôle Lecky as Julia

Date of Birth: May 16, 1990

Actor: Born in East London, Nicôle Lecky has appeared in numerous British productions throughout her career. Having featured in popular shows like Casualty, Fresh Meat, and The Bill, Lecky is no stranger to a variety of genres and roles that have helped prepare her for Starz’s Sweetpea. Lecky also led her own miniseries titled Mood, which is her most recognizable part to date, and she even wrote the project, highlighting her creativity and flexibility within the television industry.

Character: Lecky’s character, Julia, is the main source of Rhiannon’s trauma. Having gone to school with Rhiannon when they were kids, Julia was one of the popular girls who often poked fun at and teased the protagonist. Now, Julia has moved on from her days as a school bully and crafted a seemingly perfect life with a stable job and an attractive partner. Even now, she still looks down at Rhainnon and is often patronizingly nice when convenient, but deep down, Julia doesn’t seem to have changed much, making her the easiest-to-hate character in the entire show.

Jonathan Pointing as Craig

Date of Birth: September 1986

Actor: Jon Pointing was born in South London and has gone on to forge a successful career over the past 12 years. Best known for his comedy work, Pointing has been involved in plenty of British sitcoms alongside a few dramas. Pointing’s first major role came in Plebs, where he played one of the central characters, Jason, and his performance led to some more big parts during the following years. He was even nominated for a BAFTA in 2023 for his role in Big Boys, highlighting how exciting of an addition he is to Sweetpea‘s cast.

Character: Jonathan Pointing plays Craig in Sweetpea, a romantic interest for Rhiannon who works at her dad’s business. Although he is seemingly nicer to Rhiannon than some of the other characters who treat her like a ghost, Craig is still guilty of completely overlooking the protagonist. He is charming and friendly, yet comes across as a little self-centered at times, even if it’s unintentional. Pointing’s character is definitely one of the more interesting members of Sweetpea‘s cast, and his relationship with Rhiannon adds plenty of depth to the show.

Calam Lynch as AJ

Date of Birth: November 7, 1994

Actor: Calam Lynch was born in Warwickshire, England, and is one of the most prolific actors in Sweetpea‘s cast, despite his relatively short career. He has been involved in some massive productions, including Dunkirk, Derry Girls, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and most notably, Bridgerton. Lynch was a major part of Bridgerton season 2 as Theo Sharpe, which provided him success in a mainstream show. Being cast in Sweetpea means his resume will only continue to grow, and the 29-year-old appears to have a bright future ahead of him based on his impressive body of work.

Character: Calam Lynch plays AJ, a junior reporter who works for the same newspaper as Rhiannon. Contrary to most other characters in the show, AJ treats Rhiannon surprisingly well and is one of the few characters who actually interacts with her on a basic human level. His family connections allow him to essentially walk into the vacant role at the Gazette, but he doesn’t come across as entitled. Instead, he’s willing to work for his position – even if he’s a little inexperienced – and is easily one of Sweetpea‘s most wholesome characters.

Leah Harvey as Marina

Date of Birth: July 21, 1995

Actor: Like some of their costars, Harvey was born in East London. With a history in theater, Harvey received an acting degree in 2016 and began their professional career shortly after, although they did technically earn their first credit in 2008’s Dustbin Baby. While they have been part of some big projects, such as A Gentleman in Moscow, Fighting with My Family, and Les Misérables, Harvey’s most notable role came in Foundation. They will once again be part of Foundation‘s cast in season 3, and the Sci-fi show continues to be their most lucrative series, which Sweetpea could compete with.

Character: Harvey plays Marina in Sweetpea, a detective who is looking into the murders committed by Rhiannon. Although Marina isn’t the lead investigator, she takes the case more seriously than her boss and appears far more competent, making her the biggest threat to discovering the truth about Rhiannon. A good judge of character and headstrong, Marina seems to be one of the most intelligent characters throughout the entire series and exactly the sort of problem Rhiannon wants to avoid as her lust for blood continues to grow.

Sweetpea’s Supporting Cast & Characters

Jeremy Swift as Norman: Norman runs the Gazette and is Rhiannon’s boss who barely notices her. Seeing her as little more than someone to answer the phone and make him coffee, he comes across as a neglectful superior who Rhiannon resents. Swift’s biggest roles have come as part of Ted Lasso‘s cast, alongside appearing in Downton Abbey.

Dustin Demri-Burns as Jeff: Jeff is one of the lead reporters at the Gazette who has a self-centered attitude, but also possesses great journalistic instincts. Alongside his work in comedy, Demri-Burns appeared in the hit thriller show Slow Horses, while also featuring in the likes of Cardinal Burns and Am I Being Unreasonable?

Alexandra Dowling as Seren: Dowling plays Rhiannon’s distant sister Seren, who lives abroad. Although she returns home briefly for a major event, she doesn’t spend much time with Rhiannon in Sweetpea, and Seren only adds more turbulence to her sister’s life. Dowling’s acting accolades include being a major part of The Musketeers, and she even had one-off appearances in Poirot and Game of Thrones.