In the Heart of the Sea includes an incredible cast led by Chris Hemsworth. Based on In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick, the movie follows a crew whose ship sinks after encountering a giant whale. In the Heart of the Sea received mixed reviews when it premiered in 2015 and has a 42% Rotten Tomatoes score. Despite the divisive response the movie got, the performance of the actors is one of its saving graces.

stars Chris Hemsworth, along with other renowned actors such as Cillian Murphy and Brendan Gleeson.

Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase

Date Of Birth: August 11, 1983

• Active Since: 2002

Actor: Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Chris Hemsworth gained recognition after starring as Kim Hyde in the 2004 soap opera, Home and Away. Although Home and Away was an important part of his career, Hemsworth really hit it big after starring in Thor and then The Avengers movies. While Hemsworth’s filmography includes a lot of franchises, he has starred in standalone movies such as 12 Strong, Bad Times at the El Royale, and Spiderhead.

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Character: Chris Hemsworth takes on the role of Owen Chase, the first mate in In the Heart of the Sea. An experienced sailor, Owen was meant to be the captain of the whaling ship but was sidelined so that George Pollard, a man whose family owned a whale oil company, could instead take his place. Due to his experience, Owen has the respect of the ship's crew and the ability to spot danger.

Benjamin Walker as George Pollard Jr.

Date Of Birth: June 21, 1982

• Active Since: 2004

Actor: Benjamin Walker was born in Cartersville, Georgia, U.S. After making his Broadway debut as Bertram Cates in Inherit the Wind, the actor’s breakthrough role came shortly after. His portrayal of Andrew Jackson in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson catapulted him to fame. The actor has also had roles in The Choice, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Jessica Jones, and The Underground Railroad.

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Character: George Pollard is a proud man who is determined to prove that he is a better sailor than Owen Chase, even though he isn't. Most of the crew on the whaling ship don't respect George in the same way they respect Owen because he doesn't seem to value their lives.

Cillian Murphy as Matthew Joy

Date Of Birth: May 25, 1976

• Active Since: 1996

Actor: Born in Cork, Ireland, Cillian Murphy's breakout role was in the zombie movie, 28 Years Later. While Cillian Murphy is mostly known for movies and TV shows, he is also a stage actor. The award-winning actor has an impressive filmography and movie career that includes roles in Batman Begins, Inception, Peaky Blinders, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer, the last of which granted him an Oscar for Best Actor.

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Character: Matthew Joy is the second mate on the whaling ship. Like Owen Chase, Matthew is an experienced sailor who knows the ins and outs of whale hunting. Together with Owen, he runs a tight ship and ensures that they reach their goal of filling up 2000 barrels of whale oil.

Tom Holland as Young Thomas Nickerson

Date Of Birth: June 1, 1996

• Active Since: 2006

Actor: Born in London, England, Tom Holland became interested in acting at a young age. His breakout role was Lucas in the 2012 movie, The Impossible. The British actor is now most known for his roles as Spider-Man, having played the character in three solo films and three team-up movies. Holland has also starred in The Crowded Room, Uncharted, and will now lead Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.

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Character: Tom Holland takes on the role of a young Thomas Nickerson, a cabin boy who is on his first voyage. While on the whaling ship, Thomas initially has a hard time adjusting, but with the help of Owen Chase, he begins to acquire the skills needed to catch a whale.

Brendan Gleeson as Old Thomas Nickerson

Date Of Birth: March 29, 1955

• Active Since: 1985

Actor: Born in Dublin, Ireland, Brandon Gleeson is known for his roles in movies such as Harry Potter, The Guard, and Calvary. Gleeson gained recognition for his portrayal of Hamish Campbell in the 1995 film, Braveheart. Since then, the Irish actor has featured in several other movies and TV shows, including Mr. Mercedes, Joker: Folie à deux, The Banshees of Inisherin, and State of the Union.

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Character: Brendan Gleeson plays the old Thomas Nickerson in In the Heart of the Sea. Thomas Nickerson is an alcoholic who wants to forget his past. When Herman Melville arrives at the inn Thomas and his wife run, he is reluctant to tell him what happened on the whaling ship he was on during his younger years, but he eventually decides to open up.

Ben Whishaw as Herman Melville

Date Of Birth: October 14, 1980

• Active Since: 1999

Actor: Ben Whishaw was born in Clifton, Bedfordshire, England. The British actor made it big after starring as Jean-Baptiste Grenouille in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. He is best known for his roles in Skyfall, Fargo, Mary Poppins Returns, and The Lobster. Ben Whishaw recently played Sam in Netflix's thriller, Black Doves.

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Character: Herman Melville arrives in Nantucket with the hope that Thomas Nickerson will tell him the story about the ship that was sunk by a giant whale so he could write Moby Dick. While Melville traveled miles to see Thomas and paid him a lot of money to talk about the tragedy, it was Mrs. Nickerson who ended up convincing her husband to talk about the tragic accident.

Michelle Fairley as Mrs. Nickerson

Date Of Birth: July 11, 1963

• Active Since: 1986

Actor: Michelle Fairley has had a long and illustrious career. The actor is mostly recognized for her role as Catherine Stark in Game of Thrones. Michelle Fairley has also appeared in other notable movies and TV shows, such as Small Things Like These alongside Cillian Murphy, Gangs of London, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Philomena.

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Character: Mrs. Nickerson is forced to be in charge of their inn when her husband becomes incapable of doing so due to the trauma that came as a result of the whaling ship sinking. When Herman Melville knocks on their door, Mrs. Nickerson takes it as a sign for her husband to talk about what happened, since he refused to say anything to her. Mrs. Nickerson is strong and resilient and is willing to do whatever it takes to put food on their table.

Gary Beadle as William Bond

Date Of Birth: July 8, 1965

• Active Since: 1980

Actor: Born in Bermondsey, London, England, Gary Beadle is mostly recognized for his role as Paul Trueman in the soap opera, EastEnders. The British actor has appeared in The Interceptor, Silent Witness, and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. He has appeared in Grantchester, The Wheel of Time, and The Gentlemen.

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Character: Gary Beadle takes on the role of William Bond, the captain’s steward in In the Heart of the Sea. Beadle was a hardworking man who ensured that the of the whaling ship crew were well taken care of.

Frank Dillane as Henry Coffin

Date Of Birth: April 21, 1991

• Active Since: 1997

Actor: Frank Dillane began acting at a young age. He is mostly recognized for his roles as Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince and Nick Clark in Fear the Walking Dead. Dillane has also starred in Sense8, The Essex Serpent, and Joan.

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Character: Henry Coffin is George Pollard’s cousin in In the Heart of the Sea. Henry Coffin was called Owen Coffin in the book, but his name was changed in the film to avoid confusing him with Chris Hemsworth's character. Henry was one of the most disliked characters on the ship due to his arrogance and sense of entitlement.

Edward Ashley as Barzillai Ray

Date Of Birth: Unknown

• Active Since: 2012

Actor: Edward Ashley has starred in several movies and TV shows. He is best known for his roles in The Lost City of Z, The Terror, and Masters of the Air. He also has roles in Last Tango in Halifax, The King, and The Worst Man in London.

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Character: Barzillai Ray is one of the crew on George Pollard's ship. Like Thomas Nickerson, he was only a teenager when he decided to go on the whale-hunting voyage.

In the Heart of The Sea ing Cast & Characters

Charlotte Riley as Peggy Chase: Charlotte Riley has been active since 2007 and gained recognition for starring as Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights. The actor is also known for her roles in movies and TV shows such as Peaky Blinders, London Has Fallen, and Edge of Tomorrow.

Donald Sumpter as Paul Mason: Born in Brixworth, Northampton, England, United Kingdom, Donald Sumpter takes on the role of Paul Mason in In the Heart of the Sea. The actor is best known for starring in Game of Thrones, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and Jekyll and Hyde.

Jamie Sives as Isaac Cole: Jamie Sives takes on the role of Isaac Cole in In the Heart of the Sea. The actor is mostly recognized for starring in Valhalla Rising, Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself, and Mean Machine.

Joseph Mawle as Benjamin Lawrence: After making it big in Soundproof, Joseph Mawle went on to star in Game of Thrones as Benjen Stark, Jesus Christ in The ion, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, 1923, and Ripper Street.

Paul Anderson as Caleb Chappel: Born in Kennington, South London, England, Paul Anderson is famous for portraying Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders. He has also had roles in Nightmare Alley, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and The Firm.

Luca Tosi as William Wright: Luca Tosi takes on the role of William Wright in In The Heart of the Sea. In the Heart of the Sea is the only movie in his filmography.

Sam Keeley as Ramsdell: Sam Keeley’s breakout role was on Raw, where he played Philip. The Irish actor has also starred in The Cured, 68 Whiskey, and Kin.