Who Is Erin Carter? is a gripping, character-driven tale about a suburban family whose teacher mother, Erin, becomes entangled in feuds stemming from her secret-agent past. Exciting, witty, and packed with twists, the show has raised the bar for Netflix-original dramas.
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Reviewing the 10 Main Actors in Who Is Erin Carter?
One of the things that makes Who Is Erin Carter? so entertaining is, undoubtedly, its cast. While two well-chosen female roles offer comedic relief, Evin Ahmad brings unrivalled depth as the title character. Discover the 10 main actors here and everything that stands out about their performances in Who Is Erin Carter?
1) Erin Carter, The Lead Role – Played by Evin Ahmad
Evin Ahmad plays the title role, Erin Carter. Ahmad has starred in other Netflix productions, like The Rain, and was named the Rising Star at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2022.
You can see why in Who Is Erin Carter? Ahmad’s delivery initially feels cold, but it’s soon clear that she’s embodying the hardened exterior of a woman with a troubled past. Ahmad conveys this exquisitely, with a darkened gaze that hints at the layers under Erin’s bravado.
And Ahmad’s mastery of Erin’s softer side is beautiful. When Erin develops motherly love for a neglected child and shares her own story of abandonment with the mother, the lead’s emotion is raw and tear-inducing. Not many actors can alternate between bravado and emotion like Ahmad.
2) Harper, Erin’s Daughter – Played by Indica Watson
Indica Watson plays Erin’s daughter, having acted before in The Missing, Sherlock, and The Midwich Cuckoos. She’s 13 years of age.
Playing a layered character like Harper isn’t easy, and Indica does it brilliantly. Beneath the feisty young lady who hits classmates and talks back is a girl haunted by violent visions from the past. Her creepy drawings could be cliché in a drama like this, but with Indica’s masterful acting—she captures fear and sadness so well—it works.
A standout scene is when Harper runs away and sits on a park bench, followed closely by her mother. Taking on an adultlike maturity, Harper talks of her mother’s distance and concludes, ‘You’re the problem, not me’. Indica assumes this maturity with confidence and poise; great things will come for the child actress.
3) Jordi, Erin’s Partner – Played by Sean Teale
A former Skins actor who also featured in the X-Men spinoff, Sean Teale plays Erin’s husband, Jordi, who has no idea about her double life as an agent-cum-saboteur.
Jordi is one of the less well-written characters in Who Is Erin Carter?, and Teale does his best. It’s unrealistic that Jordi, for such a long time, barely questions Erin’s absences from the family home. A different actor may have had more stage presence than Teale, though—he sometimes comes across as lost and unsure of himself.
Where Teale does shine is in the joint scenes with Harper. The pair squabble and joke together like a real father and daughter, and his paternal performance is convincing.
4) Olivia, Erin’s Colleague – Played by Susannah Fielding
Susannah Fielding pulls a standout performance as Olivia, having starred previously in various sitcoms and dramas. She notably started in theatre, which would explain her knack for emotive facial expressions that we see in Who Is Erin Carter?
Playing the gossipy secretary Olivia, Fielding’s wide-eyed, over-enthusiastic persona is a perfect parody of many a real-life character. She’s annoying yet somewhat endearing and hilarious at the same time—it would be great to see Fielding in more parody roles in the future.
5) Lena, a Criminal from Erin’s Past – Played by Denise Gough
Denise Gough starred in the Star Wars spinoff and featured in various stage productions. She plays Lena in Who Is Erin Carter?; Lena is Harper’s real mother, a criminal heist organiser whom Erin met as an undercover agent.
Gough certainly looks the part in the show, with her tough-woman gestures and exterior. Like Ahmad, Gough masters the art of being hardened and emotional. Her character Lena is a little cliché, however, which brought some over-acting at times.
6) Daniel, a Local Father with Secrets – Played by Douglas Henshall
Douglas Henshall plays Daniel in Who In Erin Carter? He has featured in the historical fantasy Outlander and the crime drama Shetland, among others.
Henshall shines in Who Is Erin Carter?, bringing a commanding presence that immediately suggests there is more to Daniel’s friendly, fatherly exterior than meets the eye. (The piercing blue eyes certainly help with the stage presence.)
With his confident presence, Henshall is perfect for action- and crime-driven dramas, and we’ll likely see more of him in the future.
7) Emilio, a Police Officer and Neighbour – Played by Pep Ambròs
Pep Ambròs plays Erin’s next-door neighbour and local police officer in Who Is Erin Carter? He’s known for roles in The Olive Tree, Matadero, and Contigu.
Compared to the other cast, Ambròs’ performance as Emilio is understated—and it works. He brings a puppy-dog likeability to his corrupt policeman character, which probably explains why Erin continues to help him! It is a shame that this likeable character is killed off.
8) Penelope, Erin’s Snooty Neighbour – Played by Charlotte Vega
Charlotte Vega plays Penelope, Erin’s neighbour and frenemy in the show. Her repertoire includes Warrior Nun, American Assassin, and Wrong Turn.
Vega is a perfect fit for Penelope; she does the fake-friendly, ‘I know better than you’ front so well. She also brings a dash of irony to the role, which—as with Olivia—gives the show a fun, self-aware touch. Seeing Penelope suddenly be nice to Erin and hug her, only to switch back to snarkiness like clockwork, was hilarious, thanks to Vega’s flair.
9) DI Armstrong, Erin’s Agent Mentor – Played by Jamie Bamber
Known for Battlestar Galactica and Law & Order, Jamie Bamber plays DI Armstrong, the mentor from Erin’s past who first offered her the job as an undercover agent.
It’s difficult to rate the quality of acting for such a minor role as Bamber’s; his character is also somewhat underdeveloped and cliché. Bamber does his best, however—the result being a convincingly smarmy puppeteer who thinks he knows what’s best for his mentee.
10) Tommy, the Heist Leader from Erin’s Past – Played by Ian Burfield
Ian Burfield is known for his roles in V for Vendetta and the British shows The Bill and EastEnders. He plays the heist leader, Tommy in Who Is Erin Carter?
Ian is uncannily convincing as Tommy, donning a gangster accent and bulldog attitude. Like Henshall, he commands the room, unsettling Erin with loaded questions when they first meet: ‘Who’s your favourite philosopher?’
Later, Burfield rules the room once more when Tommy suspects an infiltrator. Any performer who can laugh maniacally and be sugar-sweet friendly while swinging heavy chains makes for a more-than-convincing villain.
…To sum up, many casting choices were excellent in Who Is Erin Carter? and the series would not have been the same without them.
Will there be a second season of Who Is Erin Carter? There is no news yet, but fans are hopeful—and Tbreak will keep you updated.
