The Franchise cast & character guide: Who plays whom in the HBO comedy?

The Franchise a comedy-satire / (Image via HBO)
The Franchise a comedy-satire / (Image via HBO)

The Franchise, the newest comedy from the house of HBO, premiered on October 6, 2024, with weekly episodes down the line. This 8-episode satiric comedy revolves around a film crew trying to put together a generic superhero movie.

The Franchise has a lot of big names associated with it and no, the big names are not only the people in front of the camera. The show is created by Veep and The Thick of It creator Armando Iannucci; directed by 1917 and Skyfall director Sam Mendes; and written by Succession fame Jon Brown.

Coming to the actors, Himesh Patel, Jessica Hynes, Aya Cash, and Billy Magnussen are some of the main actors in the show.

Let us now explore who’s who in this HBO comedy series.


The Franchise Main Cast and Characters

1) Himesh Patel as Daniel

Himesh Patel as Daniel in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)
Himesh Patel as Daniel in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)

Himesh Patel plays Daniel in The Franchise, the first AD of the superhero film that the show focuses on. Titled Tecto, Daniel takes more responsibility for the film than the director himself.

He keeps the actors on track and keeps the movie going forward. Despite the ensemble cast that The Franchise has, Himesh comes as close to a lead as the show can have.

Before starring in The Franchise, Himesh Patel featured in Yesterday, Tenet, Don’t Look Up, etc.

2) Billy Magnussen as Adam

Billy Magnussen as Adam in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)
Billy Magnussen as Adam in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)

Billy Magnussen plays Adam, the unstable and eccentric star of the film Tecto. He proves to be the biggest challenge that Patel’s Daniel has to handle to keep the film rolling.

Before The Franchise, Billy Magnussen was featured in No Time To Die, The Many Saints of Newark, Road House, and more such movies.

3) Aya Cash as Anita

Aya Cash as Anita in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)
Aya Cash as Anita in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)

The primary producer of Tecto, Aya Cash plays the role of Anita. She works as a barrier between the cast producing the movie and the studio and is thus beleaguered by both sides. She also has a bit of a history with Daniel. However, given everything, she tries her best to make things work.

Before The Franchise, Aya Cash has starred in popular shows like The Boys and You’re The Worst.

4) Jessica Hynes as Steph

Jessica Hynes as Steph in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)
Jessica Hynes as Steph in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)

Jessica Hynes plays Steph, the script supervisor of Tecto. She has to work side-by-side with the film’s director Eric, who sometimes turns out to be tone-deaf and quirky. Working with him makes her life difficult and she also has to deal with the number of changes that occur during the film’s production.

Before The Franchise, Jessica Hynes worked in Spaced, There She Goes, W1A, etc.

5) Richard E. Grant as Peter

Richard E. Grant as Peter in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)
Richard E. Grant as Peter in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)

Richard E. Grant plays the role of Peter, a seasoned actor who is not very happy about starring in Tecto. He believes that his achievements as an actor should put him in better projects than the kind of film Tecto is.

Before The Franchise, Grant has been seen in films like Logan, Saltburn, Loki, etc.

6) Daniel Brühl as Eric

Daniel Brühl as Eric in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)
Daniel Brühl as Eric in The Franchise / (Image via HBO)

Tecto’s eccentric director is Daniel Brühl’s Eric. He is a liability to both the progress of the film and the reputation of the studio, given his nature when it comes to equality and diversity. He causes significant trouble for the movie’s progress and is a foil to the AD Daniel.

Before The Franchise, Daniel Brühl starred in popular films like Inglourious Basterds, All Quiet On the Western Front, and Captain America: Civil War.


The Franchise Supporting Cast and Characters

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1) Lolly Adefope as Dag

The second AD for Tecto, the film at the center of The Franchise, Adefope’s Dag is generally able to maintain her calm when things around her fall into a state of chaos.

2) Isaac Cole Powell as Bryson

Powell’s Bryson works as the ears and eyes of Shane, the head of the studio behind the production of Tecto. His character is seen to be wearing an earpiece on set to directly convey Shane’s wishes to the team working on the floor.

3) Darren Goldstein as Pat

Goldstein’s Pat is a high-ranking studio executive. However, his rank does not save him from working on the floor to keep an eye on the team so that he can protect the studio’s interest.

The Franchise episode 1 can be watched on HBO.


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Edited by Abhimanyu Sharma