After the Brannock family moves into their dream home in the idyllic suburb of Westfield, New Jersey, their fantasy descends into a nightmare when they begin to receive threatening letters from the Watcher. As the author’s identity remains a mystery, their correspondence only becomes more terrifying. Surrounded by strange neighbors and suspicious characters, the Brannock family must pinpoint the culprit  before it’s too late.

Anyone could be the Watcher, so here’s a roundup of all the individuals entangled in this web of horror, from the suspects to the investigators. Below, learn more about Westfield’s kooky characters and the actors who portray them.

Meet the family

Bobby Cannavale 

Hoping to retreat from the chaos of New York City, Dean puts all of his money toward the perfect suburban house for his family to move into. As financial pressures  mount and cryptic letters from the Watcher keep arriving, Dean becomes increasingly erratic and obsessive. He’s determined to do whatever it takes to protect his family.

Cannavale recently starred in Blonde alongside Ana de Armas and is known for his roles in Boardwalk Empire, Will & Grace and Vinyl. 

Follow Cannavale on Instagram. 

Naomi Watts 

After moving into her dream home, Nora quickly feels her identity and marriage slipping away. Back in New York City, she was a successful potter. In the suburbs, her family life is falling apart at the seams, and her loved ones are in danger. 

This isn’t the first time Watts has been tormented on-screen. The Oscar-nominated actor portrayed the haunted journalist in The Ring, and has appeared in King Kong, The Impossible and Mulholland Drive.

Follow Watts on Instagram.

Isabel Gravitt 

Sixteen-year-old Ellie isn’t afraid to rebel against her overprotective dad. Whether it’s wearing red lipstick or dating someone her dad disapproves of, she isn’t one to ask for permission. The move has been difficult and lonely for Ellie, and being stuck with her family all the time just might drive her up the wall.

Gravitt can be seen in Little Fires Everywhere and American Housewife.

Follow Gravitt on Instagram.

Luke David Blumm as Carter Brannock (left) in The Watcher. 

Luke David Blumm 

Carter’s a normal 12-year-old boy who loves his pet ferret and the dumbwaiter in their new home. He looks to his dad for guidance when their family is terrorized by the Watcher. 

Blumm has starred in Where the Crawdads Sing, The King of Staten Island and The Walking Dead.

Follow Blumm on Instagram.

Meet the neighbors (and suspects)

Jennifer Coolidge 

Looking to buy or sell your home? Just call Karen Calhoun from Darren Dunn Realty. As the Brannock family’s real estate agent and Nora’s friend, the larger-than-life character is easy to fall in love with — but there’s more than meets the eye. Nora will soon learn that Karen has other intentions up her pink sleeves.

Having recently won the 2022 Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series for The White Lotus, Coolidge is also known for her roles (and iconic one-liners) in Legally Blonde, 2 Broke Girls and A Cinderella Story. 

Follow Coolidge on Instagram and Twitter.

Mia Farrow as Pearl Winslow (right) in The Watcher. 

Mia Farrow 

As the creepy older neighbor and president of the local preservation society, Pearl has an unhealthy obsession with the history of the Brannocks’ new home. Looking after her brother Jasper has also helped Pearl become very good at keeping an eye on her neighbors at all times. 

With a career spanning more than six decades, Farrow has starred in classic films including Rosemary’s Baby, The Great Gatsby and Death on the Nile.

Follow Farrow on Instagram and Twitter.

Terry Kinney as Jasper Winslow (right) in The Watcher.

Terry Kinney 

He’s a man of few words, but Jasper finds joy in playing in the Brannocks’ old dumbwaiter — that is, until the family no longer lets him into their home. You’ll find him chopping wood or standing outside the Brannock residence keeping a watchful eye.

Kinney has appeared in the shows Inventing Anna and Billions, and is best known for his role in Oz.

Follow Kinney on Twitter.

Margo Martindale as Mo (right) in The Watcher. 

Margo Martindale 

Mo is as sweet as any neighbor can be, but you don’t want to get on her bad side. Odd and over the top, she doesn’t respect property lines and always has her binoculars close by. You just might see her in your yard harvesting some wild arugula.

Emmy winner Martindale is known for her roles in Justified, Bojack Horseman, Dexter and even The Hannah Montana Movie.

Follow Martindale on Instagram and Twitter.

Richard Kind as Mitch (left) in The Watcher. 

Richard Kind 

Mitch is Mo’s husband and does whatever she says. You’ll never see him without his wife by his side — which means he always has a hand in her neighborhood shenanigans.

Actor and comedian Kind has starred in Mad About You, Curb Your Enthusiasm and A Serious Man, and has also lent his voice to animated projects like Big Mouth, Inside Out  and A Bug’s Life.

Follow Kind on Instagram and Twitter.

Henry Hunter Hall 

The young security specialist is hired to help the Brannocks feel more at ease after they receive letters from the Watcher. Installing cameras isn’t the only thing he’s busy doing, however. The 19-year-old strikes up a secret relationship with Ellie, but he won’t let Dean's uninviting demeanor scare him away.

Hall can be seen in Hunters, Harriet and When They See Us.

Follow Hall on Instagram.

Joe Mantello 

John introduces himself to Dean as a building inspector, but he actually has a mysterious connection with the house waiting to be revealed. He also sits on the local preservation society with Pearl and Jasper, which means you never know what he’s plotting. 

Mantello, an actor and director, has won two Tony Awards: best direction of a play for Take Me Out in 2003 and best direction of a musical for Assassins in 2005. His stage credits include Angels In America: Millennium Approaches, Angels In America: Peristroika and Wicked. He’s also appeared on screen in The Normal Heart and Boys in the Band.

Meet the investigators

Noma Dumezweni as Theodora Birch (left) in The Watcher. 

Noma Dumezweni 

After receiving a fatal cancer diagnosis, Theodora dedicates all of her time to being a private investigator for the Brannock family. She’s a hard-hitting sleuth, but also easy to warm up to. As the Watcher’s letters get more threatening toward the Brannocks, Dean and Nora learn to confide in Theodora as a friend.

Dumezweni will be starring in the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, but in the meantime, you can watch her in The Undoing, Mary Poppins Returns and Made for Love.

Follow Dumezweni on Instagram and Twitter.

Christopher McDonald 

Detective Chamberlain is the police officer assigned to the Brannocks’ case. Over time, Dean and Nora become distrustful of the detective due to his eerie knowledge about their past and unwillingness to cooperate.

McDonald is known for his roles in Happy Gilmore, Thelma & Louise and American Crime Story.

Follow McDonald on Twitter.

The Watcher premieres on Oct. 13.

The Watcher TrailerThe Brannocks face a nightmare after moving into a new house.