Meet the Cast and Characters of Netflix's 'Survivors'

Netflix’s latest crime thriller mystery takes us to the seaside Tasmanian town of Evelyn Bay, where the residents are still grappling with unresolved trauma from three deaths that occurred during a storm 15 years ago. Based on the mystery novel by Australian author Jane Harper, the series follows a young couple who return to the enclave and must confront their past when another young woman turns up dead on the beach.

Given its setting and source material, the series comes from Netflix’s Australian arm and features a stable of homegrown talent from Australia, New Zealand, and the surrounding areas. While many of the cast members of The Survivors have primarily worked in their native productions, you may recognize some actors from roles on shows like Rings of Power, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Bridgerton. Read on to learn more about the cast and the twisty characters they inhabit on the Netflix series.

Charlie Vickers as Kieran Elliott

Kieran is one half of the show’s central couple who returns to his hometown of Evelyn Bay 15 years after two people drowned and a young girl went missing—a trauma that is reignited when another young body washes ashore. Many in town, including Kieran’s mother, blame him for the first fatal accident and are wary of his return to town.

Charlie Vickers, 32, is an Australian actor best known for playing Sauron in Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. In 2023, he also starred in the Australian miniseries The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, based on the novel by Holly Ringland.

Yerin Ha as Mia Chang

Mia is Kieran’s partner and the mother of his child. The young couple is “visited by ghosts of their past when they return to their childhood hometown,” according to Tudum.

Yerin Ha, 27, starred in the Paramount+ series Halo and the HBO Dune prequel series Dune: Prophecy. In 2024, she was cast in Bridgerton as Benedict Bridgerton’s love interest, Sophie Baek; theirs will be the central love story in the forthcoming fourth season.

Shannon Berry as Bronte Laidler

Bronte is a photographer in town to do a project about the accidents in Evelyn Bay. When Bronte’s dead body washes ashore halfway through the first episode, it sets the small community’s grief and trauma aflame once again.

Shannon Berry, 25, got her start on the Syfy series Hunters. She then starred in the Australian television series Offspring before appearing on two seasons of the Prime Video series The Wilds. Following that, she had a supporting role in the Susanna Fogel film Winner, based on the true story of Reality Winner, a whistleblower who leaked an intelligence report about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Robyn Malcolm as Verity Elliott

Verity is Kieran’s mother, described by Tudum as “emotionally distant.” She still blames Kieran for the death of her other son, Finn, in the incident over a decade ago.

Robyn Malcolm, 60, is an actress from New Zealand who has primarily appeared in Australian and New Zealand television and film industries. She is best known for her role as Cheryl West on the comedy crime drama Outrageous Fortune. Malcolm has also appeared on shows like Shortland Street, Rake, and Upper Middle Bogan.

Damien Garvey as Brian Elliott

Brian is Kieran’s ailing father with memory issues, whom the young couple have primarily come back to town to see.

Damien Garvey, 65, is an Australian actor and former musician in the indie rock band Neighbourhood Unit. While he has primarily acted in his home country, Garvey has appeared in Hollywood titles like Ash vs Evil Dead, The Leftovers, and Nine Perfect Strangers. In Australia, he is known for his roles on McLeod’s Daughters, Rake, Terra Nova, and Underbelly: The Golden Mile.

Martin Sacks as Julian Gilroy

Julian is an Evelyn Bay resident and owner of the local bar who holds a grudge against Kieran for the death of his son Toby in the storm 15 years ago.

Martin Sacks, 65, was a series regular on the long-running Australian cop drama Blue Heelers, on which he appeared from 1994 to 2005. Since then, he has primarily appeared in Australian shows like Offspring, Rake, and Wentworth.

Julian Weeks as Liam Gilroy

Liam is Julian’s grandson, who is even more hostile to Kieran, also viewing him as responsible for the death of his father, Toby, 15 years ago.

Julian Weeks, a relative newcomer, has appeared in TV shows like Apple Cider Vinegar, Savage River, Prosper, and Good Cop/Bad Cop. Following The Survivors, he is set to star alongside Tati Gabrielle, Karl Urban and Hiroyuki Sanada in Mortal Combat II.

Thom Green as Sean Gilroy

Sean is Kieran’s childhood friend and the only one of the Gilroy family who doesn’t think Kieran was responsible for Toby’s death in the storm.

Thom Green, 33, began his career on Australian TV shows Home and Away and Dance Academy. He has appeared in Camp, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, and the films Downriver and Of an Age. Earlier this year, he had a supporting role in the Kaitlyn Dever-led Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar.

George Mason as Ash Carter

Mason plays Ash, an old hometown friend of Kieran. After Bronte’s dead body washes ashore, Ash texts his girlfriend Liv that he “fucked up big time,” though it’s not immediately made clear what he’s referring to.

George Mason, 33, first appeared in the film 50 Ways of Saying Fabulous when he was 13-years-old, which encouraged him to pursue acting as a career. He starred in Shortland Street, Top of the Lake, Go Girls, and The Blue Rose in his native New Zealand as well as the Australian soap Home and Away. He had a small role in the Oscar-winning film The Power of the Dog.

Jessica De Gouw as Olivia Birch

Olivia “Liv” is Kieran’s former flame and Ash’s current girlfriend. She finds the dead body of her friend Bronte washed ashore, which brings up grief about the death of her sister Gabby.

Jessica De Gouw, 37, is best known for her roles as The Huntress on the CW series Arrow, Mina Murray on the NBC drama Dracula, and Elizabeth Hawks on the WGN show Underground.

Catherine McClements as Trish Birch

Trish is a resident of Evelyn Bay whose daughter, Gabby, also died in the storm that rocked their community years ago. Bronte’s project was focused on telling Gabby’s story.

Catherine McClements, 59, is known for her roles on Australian TV shows Water Rats, Rush, and Tangle. She also appeared in The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Pieces of Her, and Apple Cider Vinegar.

Miriama Smith as Detective Senior Sergeant Sue Pendlebury

Detective Pendlebury arrives from Hobart to lead the investigation into Bronte’s death.

Miriama Smith, 48, is best known for her roles on The Tribe, Mercy Pea, and Power Rangers Dino Thunder. She also appeared in Xena: Warrior Princess, the popular New Zealand soap Shortland Street, and was a judge on the first season of New Zealand’s Got Talent.

Johnny Carr as Detective Alex Dan

Detective Dan is Pendlebury’s partner, assisting in the investigation.

Johnny Carr, 42, is best known for starring in the Australian dramedy Five Bedrooms and the comedy series Wellmania. He also appeared briefly in the 2021 Marvel movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the miniseries Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You.

Don Hany as George Barlin

Barlin is a famous novelist living in Evelyn Bay who befriends Mia.

Don Hany, 49, is best known for playing Zane Malik (not that one) in the series East West 101, which earned him three Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Award nominations and one Logie Award win for Most Outstanding Actor. He also starred in the series White Collar Blue and appeared alongside some of his The Survivors castmates on shows like Offspring and Rake.