![Jessica Jones 2015 NYCC panel 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Jessica_Jones_2015_NYCC_panel_1.jpg)
''
Jessica Jones
Jessica Campbell Jones Cage is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appeared in ''Alias'' #1 (November 2001) ...
'' is an American
streaming television
Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as TV shows, as streaming media delivered over the Internet. Streaming television stands in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air aer ...
series created for
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
by
Melissa Rosenberg
Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of A ...
, based on the
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
character
of the same name. It is set in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
(MCU), sharing continuity with
the films of the franchise, and is the second in a
series of shows that will lead up to a
Defenders
Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to:
*Defense (military)
*Defense (sports)
**Defender (association football)
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary
* ''The Defender'' (1994 f ...
crossover miniseries. The series stars
Krysten Ritter
Krysten Alyce Ritter (born December 16, 1981) is an American actress and model. She came to prominence when she appeared as Jane Margolis in the AMC drama series '' Breaking Bad'' (2009–2010) and its spinoff film '' El Camino'' (2019). She the ...
as Jessica Jones, with
Rachael Taylor
Rachael May Taylor (born 11 July 1984) is an Australian actress and model. Her first lead role was in the Australian series ''headLand'' (2005–2006). She then made the transition to Hollywood, appearing in films including ''Man-Thing'' (2005 ...
,
Eka Darville
Eka Darville (born 11 April 1989) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Scott Truman in ''Power Rangers RPM,'' Pip in ''Mr. Pip'', Malcolm Ducasse in ''Jessica Jones'' and Diego in '' The Originals''.
Biography Early life ...
, and
Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss (born August 21, 1967) is a Canadian actress. After early roles on television, she rose to international prominence for her role of Trinity in ''The Matrix'' series (1999–present). She has starred in '' Memento'' (2000) for w ...
also starring. They were joined by
Mike Colter
Mike Randal Colter (born August 26, 1976) is an American actor best known for his role as Luke Cage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in the streaming television series ''Luke Cage'' (2016–2018), '' The Defenders'' (2017), and ''Jess ...
,
Wil Traval
William Traval is an Australian actor, known for his work as Dr. Jack Quade on the Australian hospital drama '' All Saints'' (2004–2008), and as Will Simpson on the Netflix superhero drama series ''Jessica Jones'' (2015–2018).
Early life
...
,
Erin Moriarty, and
David Tennant
David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show '' Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...
for the
first season,
J.R. Ramirez
J. R. Ramirez is a Cuban-American actor. He is best known for his series regular role of Detective Jared Vasquez on the NBC/Netflix series ''Manifest''. Prior, he was a series regular as Julio on the Starz series ''Power'' and as Oscar Arocho on ...
,
Terry Chen
Terry Chen (born February 3, 1975) is a Canadian film and television actor.
Early life
Chen was born in Edmonton, Alberta, to Taiwanese and Chinese parents originating from Taiwan (father) and mainland China (mother). After primary and secondary ...
,
Leah Gibson
Leah Diane Gibson (born January 3, 1985) is a Canadian film and television actress.
Early life
Leah Gibson was born in Victoria, British Columbia. She has a twin sister named Erin. She began dancing at the age of four, which led to training and ...
and
for the
second season, and
Benjamin Walker,
Sarita Choudhury
Sarita Catherine Louise Choudhury (born 18 August 1966) is a British actress, known for her role as Mina in the Mira Nair-directed feature film ''Mississippi Masala'' (1991). Choudhury has played roles in American and international films and tel ...
,
Jeremy Bobb
Jeremy Bobb (born May 13, 1981) is an American actor who has appeared on stage, television and in feature films. He had a recurring role in CBS's 2013 drama ''Hostages'' as White House Chief of Staff Quintin Creasy and co-starred as Herman Barro ...
and Tiffany Mack for the
third season. In addition to original characters, several characters from other Marvel Cinematic Universe television series and/or based on various Marvel properties also appear throughout the series.
Overview
Main characters
Jessica Jones
![Krysten Ritter (36184656415) (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Krysten_Ritter_%2836184656415%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Jessica Jones (portrayed by
Krysten Ritter
Krysten Alyce Ritter (born December 16, 1981) is an American actress and model. She came to prominence when she appeared as Jane Margolis in the AMC drama series '' Breaking Bad'' (2009–2010) and its spinoff film '' El Camino'' (2019). She the ...
) is a former superhero with the abilities of superhuman strength and flight, suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on ...
who opens her own detective agency,
''Alias Investigations''.
By November 2014, Ritter,
Alexandra Daddario
Alexandra Anna Daddario (born March 16, 1986) is an American actress who had her breakthrough portraying Annabeth Chase in the ''Percy Jackson'' film series (2010–2013). In 2021, she starred in the first season of the HBO series ''The White ...
,
Teresa Palmer
Teresa Mary Palmer (born 26 February 1986) is an Australian actress. She began her career with roles in '' Bedtime Stories'' (2008), ''The Sorcerer's Apprentice'' (2010), '' Take Me Home Tonight'' (2011), and ''I Am Number Four'' (2011). She re ...
,
Jessica De Gouw
Jessica Elise De Gouw (born 15 February 1988) is an Australian actress. She is known for her role as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress in the television series '' Arrow'', as Mina Murray in the NBC TV series '' Dracula'', and as Elizabeth Hawkes ...
and
Marin Ireland
Marin Yvonne Ireland is an American actress. Known for her work in theatre and independent films, ''The New York Times'' deemed Ireland "one of the great drama queens of the New York stage". Her accolades include a Theatre World Award and nomina ...
were being tested for the role of Jessica Jones,
with Ritter having been auditioning since October and on the top of executive producer and showrunner
Melissa Rosenberg
Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of A ...
's list for playing Jones, even when Rosenberg was earlier developing the series for
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
.
The next month, Ritter was cast in the role. Ritter and Palmer had been the final candidates, with both auditioning opposite Mike Colter to test chemistry.
Ritter stated that she read through ''
Alias
Alias may refer to:
* Pseudonym
* Pen name
* Nickname
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Alias'' (2013 film), a 2013 Canadian documentary film
* ''Alias'' (TV series), an American action thriller series 2001–2006
* ''Alias the ...
'' in preparation for the role and expressed delight in working with Rosenberg.
On adapting the character from the comics,
Jeph Loeb
Joseph "Jeph" Loeb III () is an American film and television writer, producer and comic book writer. Loeb was a producer/writer on the TV series '' Smallville'' and ''Lost'', writer for the films ''Commando'' and ''Teen Wolf'', and a writer and ...
stated, "''Jessica Jones''
based on a much more adult comic. The source material came that way. She has real problems with a number of things that she abuses! And we’re not shying away from that. There’s no tidying her up."
Ritter called playing the character the "biggest acting challenge" in her career and praised the character development.
She explained that when she was playing the character, she took "a lot from the comics because she’s so well-drawn. We have some lines that are pulled from the comics, but then the script—she’s as developed for television as she is in the comics".
Ritter put on of muscle for the role and trained for two months before filming began.
Elizabeth Cappuccino portrayed a young Jessica.
Series costume designer Stephanie Maslansky was assisted on the first episode by Jenn Rogien, who crafted Jessica Jones' leather jacket, faded jeans, and boots costume. On Jessica's costume, Maslansky said she "considers her clothing to be an armor and a shield and something that helps her maintain a distance from other people and privacy. It keeps her from having to deal with the rest of humanity in a certain sort of way." At least 10 versions of Jessica's jacket were made, which started as an
Acne Studios
Acne Studios is a multidisciplinary luxury fashion house based in Stockholm, Sweden that specializes in men's and women's ready-to-wear fashion, footwear, accessories and denim. When founded in 1996, the label derived its name from the creative co ...
leather motorcycle jacket that had any "bells and whistles and any additional superfluous design details" removed, while 20 pairs of jeans were used, with both being aged and distressed.
Ritter described the character by saying that "she goes about things in a very odd way, she’s very rough around the edges, and dry and sarcastic and a total asshole sometimes. But I think at her core she’s a good person."
Comparing the character to
Matt Murdock
Daredevil is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Daredevil was created by Literary editor, writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby. The c ...
in ''
Marvel's Daredevil
''Marvel's Daredevil'' is an American television series created by Drew Goddard for the streaming service Netflix, based on the Marvel Comics character Daredevil. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), acknowledging the continuity of ...
'', Rosenberg said, "They’re very different kinds of characters. Jessica is about paying rent and getting the next client. She’s dealing with a fairly dark past. She’s trying to get through the day. She’s not really trying to save the city. She’s trying to save her apartment. At her core, she does share something with Matt Murdock, and he’s a little more aware of it, that she wants to do something good. She wants to contribute to the world. But, there are a lot of personality issues for her that can get in the way. ... Matt Murdock has been studying martial arts. He has extraordinary fighting skills. Jessica Jones is a brawler. She gets drunk, she gets pissed off and boom, you’re down. She doesn’t wear a costume. She doesn’t have a mask. She’s just who she is. She’s an extremely blunt, direct person, and that applies to the action, as well."
Ritter was nominated for the
6th Critics' Choice Television Awards
The 21st Critics' Choice Awards were presented on January 17, 2016 at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport, honoring the finest achievements of filmmaking and television programming in 2015. The ceremony was simulcast on A&E, Lifetime a ...
'
Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Jones.
Luke Cage
![Mike Colter by Gage Skidmore](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Mike_Colter_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg)
Luke Cage (portrayed by
Mike Colter
Mike Randal Colter (born August 26, 1976) is an American actor best known for his role as Luke Cage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in the streaming television series ''Luke Cage'' (2016–2018), '' The Defenders'' (2017), and ''Jess ...
) is a man with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, with a mysterious past that Jones encounters in the course of an investigation and who changes her life immensely.
In November 2014,
Lance Gross
Lance Darnell Kwaku Gross (born July 8, 1981) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Calvin Payne on the TBS sitcom '' Tyler Perry's House of Payne'' and OWN sitcom '' Tyler Perry's The Paynes''., as well as appearing in other Ty ...
, Colter, and
Cleo Anthony were in contention for the role of Luke Cage, which was envisioned as a recurring role in the series before headlining ''
Marvel's Luke Cage
''Marvel's Luke Cage'' is an American television series created by Cheo Hodari Coker for the streaming service Netflix, based on the Marvel Comics character Luke Cage. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), acknowledging the continuit ...
''.
Colter was confirmed in the role the next month,
having signed on for the series, and others, without reading any scripts,
and being drawn to the series because of its opportunity to have character exploration, which he felt was lacking in the
MCU films.
He put on of muscle for the role.
Rosenberg noted that because Cage has his own series to explore who he is, she represents him as "a man of few words" rather than trying to say anything about who he is in particular.
Colter was pleased and surprised that the audience "got" the character, as Luke "was a man of few words and a lot of subtext," which "was refreshing because we were going for this character in a way that said little but spoke volumes because of their past history together. I felt people got the subtleties." When Loeb described the character to Colter, he said "that Luke doesn't have to try hard at anything. It just happens." This helped Colter form the character, along with using his opposite personal experience of having to work hard for everything. Colter also credited Rosenberg and
S. J. Clarkson
S. J. Clarkson is a British television and film director.
Career
Clarkson's credits include the series '' Doctors'', ''Casualty'', '' EastEnders'', ''Footballers' Wives'', and ''Life on Mars'', as well as the American series ''Heroes'', '' House' ...
with helping him "get on the right track" with the character in the early episodes.
Maslansky felt that Cage was also someone "who wears his clothing like an armor," with his wardrobe consisting of T-shirts, jeans, leather jackets or an army jacket.
Colter described the character as "a neighborhood hero, very much linked to New York and Jessica Jones.
eis a darker, grittier, more tangible character than
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
or
Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...
. He likes to keep things close to his chest, operate on the hush-hush. He has these abilities but he’s not sure how and when to use them."
Loeb said the character "is important to the show, and he is certainly important to the story of Jessica Jones and who she is. It would not be ''Jessica Jones'' unless you at least understood how Luke affected her life and where she is." He also added that the series sees Luke Cage "not quite in the middle, but in the early part of the middle" of his story, and that ''Luke Cage'' allows Marvel to "tell a great deal of story that happens before, and a great deal of story that happens afterwards."
Trish Walker / Hellcat
![Rachael Taylor 2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Rachael_Taylor_2011.jpg)
Patricia "Trish" Walker (portrayed by
Rachael Taylor
Rachael May Taylor (born 11 July 1984) is an Australian actress and model. Her first lead role was in the Australian series ''headLand'' (2005–2006). She then made the transition to Hollywood, appearing in films including ''Man-Thing'' (2005 ...
) is a former model and child star known as "Patsy" who is Jones' adoptive sister and best friend and now works as a radio host. Trish is depicted as the main
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
of the
third season of ''Jessica Jones'' as the
vigilante
Vigilantism () is the act of preventing, investigating and punishing perceived offenses and crimes without Right, legal authority.
A vigilante (from Spanish, Italian and Portuguese “vigilante”, which means "sentinel" or "watcher") is a pers ...
serial killer
A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A
*
*
*
* with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...
"Hellcat".
Taylor was cast in January 2015.
The role of Jones' best friend was intended for the character of
Carol Danvers
Carol Susan Jane Danvers is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan, Danvers first appeared as an officer in the United States Air Force and a colleague of the ...
when Rosenberg was developing the series at ABC,
but was changed to Walker due to the changing nature of the MCU and that Danvers would appear in
her own film. Rosenberg ultimately found this to be "much more appropriate...it was better that
essica'sbest friend was not someone with powers. It actually ends up being a really great mirror for her."
Speaking about the character, Loeb said, "what’s most important is the relationship between her and Jessica, and how these two women who are, in some ways, sisters, in terms of their friendship, could be that different, and yet believe in the same kinds of things. That question of, what is it to be a hero and the responsibilities that you have when you have abilities, is something that brings them together, but also continually pushes them apart. I think we’re very lucky to have Melissa as a writer because she really grasps the insight of what it is to have a friendship with a woman, and the way that two women can actually be competitive and friendly, and love each other and hate each other, and have a history with each other."
Taylor added that Jessica "was the first person to not care about the exterior parts of Patsy Walker or Trish Walker. She was the first person to see her for who she really was".
Catherine Blades portrayed a young Trish.
To prepare for the role, Taylor "looked into a bunch of child stars" and determined "that the main source of
heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
damage comes from feeling that they’re loved for what they do and not who they are. The maternal/paternal or familial love or any kind of love is dependent on them being successful, making money, being sparkly, being famous, whatever the thing is." On the multiple alias Trish wields in the series, Taylor said, "Trish has a number of them. I think there is a part of her that is alpha that actually, if she had the kind of abilities that Jessica had, she would probably be President of the United States in that world or the equivalent. She would take it as far as she could because she has that in her."
Will Simpson
![Wil Traval October 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Wil_Traval_October_2015.jpg)
Will Simpson (portrayed by
Wil Traval
William Traval is an Australian actor, known for his work as Dr. Jack Quade on the Australian hospital drama '' All Saints'' (2004–2008), and as Will Simpson on the Netflix superhero drama series ''Jessica Jones'' (2015–2018).
Early life
...
) is an
NYPD
The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
sergeant who is very serious about his job.
He was later killed by Alisa Jones.
Traval joined the cast in February 2015.
He felt that Simpson sees everything in "black and white" and that "justice can be served easily," an opposite to Jessica, who "deals in a world of gray" that causes the two to have friction between them.
Traval described the character as "reinvented" and "reshaped" for the series from the one in the comics, where the character is known as Frank Simpson, as the comic character was "a little bit too hard to handle.
was just a psychotic crazy guy."
Hope Shlottman
![Jessica Jones 2015 NYCC panel 2 - Erin Moriarty (edited)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Jessica_Jones_2015_NYCC_panel_2_-_Erin_Moriarty_%28edited%29.jpg)
Hope Shlottman (portrayed by
Erin Moriarty) is a student-athlete attending
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
who is a client of Alias Investigations, upon her parents hiring Jessica to find their missing daughter. Later made to murder her parents by Kilgrave, proving her innocence becomes Jessica's objective for much of the first season; during this time, Hope discovers that she was impregnated by Kilgrave during her time as his slave, whereupon she has the fetus aborted. Exhausted by the ordeal and feeling that Jessica's drive to help her has caused more lives to be destroyed by Kilgrave, she takes her own life willingly to ensure that Jessica has nothing standing in her way of stopping Kilgrave permanently.
Moriarty joined the cast in February 2015.
She called her character a "polar opposite" to Jessica Jones, describing Hope as "an all-American girl,
nnocent andreally earnest". Over the course of the series, the two form a bond, with Jessica becoming protective of Hope, due to a shared experience they have with Kilgrave.
Malcolm Ducasse
![Eka Darville at the premiere of Mr Pip, Toronto Film Festival 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Eka_Darville_at_the_premiere_of_Mr_Pip%2C_Toronto_Film_Festival_2012.jpg)
Malcolm Ducasse (portrayed by
Eka Darville
Eka Darville (born 11 April 1989) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Scott Truman in ''Power Rangers RPM,'' Pip in ''Mr. Pip'', Malcolm Ducasse in ''Jessica Jones'' and Diego in '' The Originals''.
Biography Early life ...
) is Jones' neighbor who struggles with drug addiction, resulting in his personal journey intertwining with hers.
Darville joined the cast in February 2015.
He stated that Malcolm was a new character for the series, though inspired by "seed characters" from the comics. He also felt playing the character with the drug addiction "was pretty intense and dark" and that Malcolm's relationship with Jessica "is like a flip-flop between victim and savior... much more
ibling-likethan anything else."
Jeri Hogarth
![Carrie-Anne Moss May 2016](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Carrie-Anne_Moss_May_2016.jpg)
Jeryn "Jeri" Hogarth (portrayed by
Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss (born August 21, 1967) is a Canadian actress. After early roles on television, she rose to international prominence for her role of Trinity in ''The Matrix'' series (1999–present). She has starred in '' Memento'' (2000) for w ...
) is an attorney and potentially powerful ally to Jones, who hires Jones for cases.
Moss was announced as cast in early February 2015,
with her character revealed in October to be a gender-swapped (changed from male to female) version of the comics character Jeryn Hogarth.
The character was also made a
lesbian
A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
.
Moss signed on to the series after reading the first two scripts, having been pitched the character by Loeb and Rosenberg. Moss described the character by saying that "she’s fierce, she’s strong, she’s powerful, and she likes that power." She worked "a few days every episode", which allowed her to grow the character throughout the series, while not knowing what the character would become as she played each moment, which she noted was how real-life is.
Moss reprised her role in the
second season of ''
Daredevil'' and in ''
Iron Fist''. Comparing those experiences to her much larger role on ''Jessica Jones'', Moss said, "You want to come in and have something powerful. For ''Jessica Jones'', that's where I get to have that experience. With the other shows, I'm having fun."
Kevin Thompson / Kilgrave
![2009 07 31 David Tennant smile 09](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/2009_07_31_David_Tennant_smile_09.jpg)
Kevin "Kilgrave" Thompson (portrayed by
David Tennant
David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show '' Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...
) is a mysterious man from Jones's past who can control minds and whose reappearance shakes up her life.
He was born with a neural disease and experimented on as a young child, which resulted in his acquiring an airborne virus that gave him his powers. He later changed his name to Kilgrave.
Rosenberg stated that Tennant was the choice for the character when the series was originally developed for ABC, but he was unavailable at that time, so the production made sure to "jump on him" when the series moved to Netflix.
To pitch Tennant on this version of the series, Rosenberg and Loeb spoke with him and gave him the scripts for the first two episodes (in which Kilgrave does not appear much) and drafts of some scenes from later in the series, including of the flashback where Kilgrave and Jones first meet.
Tennant was cast in January 2015.
Maslansky, who had originally planned to custom-make Kilgrave's wardrobe, used many suits created by designer
Paul Smith from the previous fashion season for him since Smith "was about purple." On his outfits, Maslansky added the designers "wanted to find a place where we could utilize clothing in shades of purple, but not go so over the top that it would look silly and that he would stop feeling ominous or menacing."
James Freedson-Jackson portrayed a young Kilgrave.
Tennant stated, "Kilgrave is the classic character who is abused and therefore perpetuates abuse. It was just a terrible, horrible cycle."
Loeb called Kilgrave "a terrible man who doesn’t see himself as terrible" and compared him to
Vincent D'Onofrio
Vincent Philip D'Onofrio (; born June 30, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his supporting and leading roles in both film and television. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
His roles include Private Leonar ...
's
Wilson Fisk
The Kingpin (Wilson Grant Fisk) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #50 (cover-dated July 19 ...
in ''Daredevil'', saying, "There are going to be times
atching ''Daredevil''when you’re uncomfortable because you’re not quite rooting for Matt, you’re kind of rooting for Wilson, and it’s the same kind of thing you’re going to find in ''Jessica''. There’s going to be moments where some of the things that she does
repretty questionable. And some of the things that, when you learn about Kilgrave’s character and the way that David Tennant plays that character, it’s really extraordinary."
Tennant noted that at first the idea of mind control seems "quite a rather splashy, kind of comic book idea" but that in reality, "the idea that everyone should bend to your every whim and that no one should ever contradict you, that you can have whatever you want whenever you wanted it....it’s rather aspirational and rather desirable at first glance, but the fact of it is then rather horrifying, because you could never have a genuine human relationship with anyone...that starts touching on what kind of personality that would create, what kind of person that would make you, how that would pollute your worldview."
Oscar Arocho
![JR Ramirez-cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/JR_Ramirez-cropped.jpg)
Oscar Arocho (portrayed by
J. R. Ramirez) is the new
building superintendent
A building superintendent or building supervisor (often shortened to super) is a term used in the United States and Canada to refer to a manager responsible for repair and maintenance in a residential building. They are the first point of contac ...
in Jones' building, and a single father whose son becomes enamored with Jones and her powers.
Ramirez was cast in March 2017, which was revealed that July after the airing of his character's death on ''
Power
Power most often refers to:
* Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work"
** Engine power, the power put out by an engine
** Electric power
* Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events
** Abusive power
Power may a ...
''.
Pryce Cheng
Pryce Cheng (portrayed by
Terry Chen
Terry Chen (born February 3, 1975) is a Canadian film and television actor.
Early life
Chen was born in Edmonton, Alberta, to Taiwanese and Chinese parents originating from Taiwan (father) and mainland China (mother). After primary and secondary ...
) is a rival private investigator.
Inez Green
![Leah Gibson at the 32nd Annual Genie Awards](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Leah_Gibson_at_the_32nd_Annual_Genie_Awards.jpg)
Inez Green (portrayed by
Leah Gibson
Leah Diane Gibson (born January 3, 1985) is a Canadian film and television actress.
Early life
Leah Gibson was born in Victoria, British Columbia. She has a twin sister named Erin. She began dancing at the age of four, which led to training and ...
) is a "street-wise" nurse.
Gibson was cast as Inez by July 2017.
Alisa Jones
![Janet McTeer Berlin 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Janet_McTeer_Berlin_2015.jpg)
Alisa Jones (portrayed by
Miriam Shor
Miriam Shor (born July 25, 1971) is an American actress. She is known for her performance in the rock musical ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch (musical), Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' and in the Hedwig and the Angry Inch (film), 2001 film adaptation of ...
in season one,
in season two) is Jessica's mother who was seemingly killed in a car crash when she was young. It was later revealed that Karl Malus of IGH saved her life and has been going around targeting anyone involved with IGH.
Alisa was later killed by Trish while she was on the ferris wheel with Jessica. Detective Costa gave Jessica the credit of putting her mother out of her misery.
Erik Gelden
![Benjamin Walker WonderCon 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Benjamin_Walker_WonderCon_2012.jpg)
Erik Gelden (portrayed by
Benjamin Walker) is a gambler with empathic super abilities. He blackmailed other individuals with his powers until he crossed paths with Gregory Sallinger. Erik becomes Jessica's newest love interest and ally.
Kith Lyonne
![Sarita Choudhury by David Shankbone](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Sarita_Choudhury_by_David_Shankbone.jpg)
Kith Lyonne (portrayed by
Sarita Choudhury
Sarita Catherine Louise Choudhury (born 18 August 1966) is a British actress, known for her role as Mina in the Mira Nair-directed feature film ''Mississippi Masala'' (1991). Choudhury has played roles in American and international films and tel ...
) is the wife of law professor Peter Lyonne and the former flame of Jeri Hogarth.
Gregory Sallinger
![Jeremy Bobb 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Jeremy_Bobb_2015.jpg)
Gregory Sallinger (portrayed by
Jeremy Bobb
Jeremy Bobb (born May 13, 1981) is an American actor who has appeared on stage, television and in feature films. He had a recurring role in CBS's 2013 drama ''Hostages'' as White House Chief of Staff Quintin Creasy and co-starred as Herman Barro ...
) is a psychotic killer with high intelligence and an unusual obsession with wanting to kill Jessica and other powered beings.
Zaya Okonjo
Zaya Okonjo (portrayed by Tiffany Mack) is an employee of Hogarth's and Malcolm's new girlfriend.
Recurring characters
Introduced in season one
Pam
Pam (portrayed by ) is Jeri Hogarth's assistant and lover.
Abromeit worked with her manager, who is gay, to portray Pam as a lesbian, and created her own backstory for the character. This included childhood trauma and Pam's realization during college that she is attracted to women.
Wendy Ross-Hogarth
Wendy Ross-Hogarth (portrayed by
Robin Weigert
Robin Weigert (born July 7, 1969) is an American television and film actress. She is best known for portraying Calamity Jane on the television series '' Deadwood'' (2004–2006), for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award f ...
) is a doctor and Jeri Hogarth's wife, whom Hogarth is divorcing.
Nicole
Nicole (portrayed by Nichole Yannetty)
["AKA It's Called Whiskey"] is an intern on Trish Walker's talk show.
Ruben
Ruben (portrayed by Kieran Mulcare) is Jones' upstairs neighbor and the twin brother of Robyn. He is later mind-controlled to kill himself by Kilgrave.
Oscar Clemons
Oscar Clemons (portrayed by
Clarke Peters
Peter Clarke (born April 7, 1952), known professionally as Clarke Peters, is an American-British actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his roles as Lester Freamon in the television series ''The Wire'' (2002–2008) and Albert Lambrea ...
) is an NYPD detective at the 15th Precinct. He is later killed by Will Simpson to keep him from getting the police involved in the search for Kilgrave.
Robyn
Robyn (portrayed by
Colby Minifie
Colby Minifie (born January 31, 1992) is an American actress. She began acting at the age of eleven and was a YoungArts scholar; she graduated from the City University of New York
The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the public univ ...
) is Jones' upstairs neighbor and the twin sister of Ruben.
Clair
Clair (portrayed by
Danielle Ferland
Danielle Ferland (born January 31, 1971) is an American actress and singer, best known for originating the role of Little Red Ridinghood in Stephen Sondheim's ''Into the Woods'' on Broadway.
Career
Ferland attended Frank Scott Bunnell High Sch ...
) is a cellist and a victim of Kilgrave who becomes a member of a support group established by Jones.
Emma
Emma (portrayed by Gillian Glasco) is an actress and a victim of Kilgrave who becomes a member of a support group established by Jones.
Jackson
Jackson (portrayed by Ryan Farrell) is a victim of Kilgrave who becomes a member of a support group established by Jones.
Donald
Donald (portrayed by Paul Pryce) is a victim of Kilgrave who becomes a member of a support group established by Jones.
Louise Thompson
Louise Thompson (portrayed by
Lisa Emery
Lisa Emery is an American stage, film, and television actress. Emery is best known for playing Darlene Snell on Netflix series ''Ozark''.
Early life
Emery was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the daughter of an aspiring actress from Charlottesv ...
) is a scientist and Kilgrave's mother. She is later forced to commit suicide by Kilgrave.
Dorothy Walker
Dorothy Walker (portrayed by
Rebecca De Mornay) is Trish Walker's abusive mother and talent agent who becomes Jessica's foster mother when she was young.
She was later killed by Gregory Sallinger.
Albert Thompson
Albert Thompson (portrayed by
Michael Siberry
Michael Siberry (born 1956) is an Australian stage and screen actor.
Life and career
Siberry was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia and began his career in Adel ...
) is a scientist and Kilgrave's father. After Albert tried to amplify his son's powers, Jessica later found him dead.
Introduced in season two
Griffin Sinclair
Griffin Sinclair (portrayed by
Hal Ozsan
Halil Özşan (; born 26 October 1976) is a Turkish Cypriot-origin British-American actor, screenwriter and producer. As an actor, he came to prominence for his role as Todd Carr in ''Dawson's Creek''. He has gone on to appear in various series ...
) is Trish's new boyfriend and a news anchor.
Steven Benowitz
Steven Benowitz (portrayed by
Maury Ginsberg
Maury Ginsberg is an American theater, film and television actor. He is best known for his recurring roles as Steven Benowitz on season 2 of ''Jessica Jones'' and Simon White on season 2 of NBC's '' Manifest''. Ginsberg is a graduate of Bard Co ...
) is one of the lead attorneys of Hogarth Chao & Benowitz.
Char
Char (portrayed by Rachel McKeon) is the professional, trusted assistant of Jeryn Hogarth at Hogarth & Associates.
Vido Arocho
Vido Arocho (portrayed by Kevin Chacon)
is the son of Oscar Arocho who befriends Jessica.
Eddy Costa
Eddy Costa (portrayed by
John Ventimiglia
John Ventimiglia (, ) is an American actor. He portrayed Artie Bucco in the HBO television series ''The Sopranos'' and had a recurring role as Dino Arbogast, an Organized Crime Control Bureau Chief for the NYPD, on the American police procedur ...
) is a detective investigating the deaths of anyone involved with IGH who has crossed paths with Jessica Jones.
Ruth Sunday
Ruth Sunday (portrayed by Lisa Tharps) is Eddie Costa's detective partner. She was killed when Alisa fell out of the window with her.
Karl Malus
Karl Malus (portrayed by
Callum Keith Rennie
Callum Keith Rennie (born 14 September 1960) is a British-born Canadian actor who started his career in Canadian film and television projects, where his portrayal of Stanley Raymond Kowalski on the television series '' Due South'' was his firs ...
)
is a scientist who is one of the leaders of IGH. He was the one who saved the lives of Jessica Jones and Alisa Jones following a car accident and later gave powers to Trish. He committed suicide by blowing up his lab.
Shane Ryback
Shane Ryback (portrayed by Eden Marryshow) is a con artist working with Inez Green.
Introduced in season three
Gillian
Gillian (portrayed by
Aneesh Sheth
Aneesh Sheth (born January 5, 1982) is an Indian-American actress and transgender activist.
Biography
Aneesh Sheth was born in India, but moved to the United States when she was little. Her parents were "very supportive" of theatrical arts and S ...
) is Jessica's newest assistant who is sarcastic and friendly. She is
transgender
A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...
.
Grace
Grace (portrayed by Jessica Francis Dukes) is Trish's co-host on ''Style with Trish''.
Brianna Gelden
Brianna "Berry" Gelden (portrayed by Jamie Neumann) is the sister to Erik Gelden and a prostitute.
Guest characters
The following is a supplementary list of recurring guest stars that appear in lesser roles or make significant
cameo appearances
A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
. The characters are listed, in order of appearance on the show, by the other MCU media or season in which they first appeared.
Introduced in other TV series
*
Brett Mahoney
Detective Brett Mahoney is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a strictly loyal police detective who finds himself involved in the activities of superhumans.
He was portrayed by Royce Johnson ...
(portrayed by
Royce Johnson
Royce J. Johnson is an American actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker best known for his recurring role in the MCU as Sgt. / Detective Sergeant Brett Mahoney in the Netflix series '' Daredevil'', '' Jessica Jones'', and ''The Punisher''.
Early lif ...
; first appears in season one): A sergeant in the NYPD's 15th Precinct.
*
Claire Temple
Claire Temple is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a medical doctor primarily affiliated with the superhero Luke Cage and is one of his early love interests.
Starting in 2015, a versio ...
(portrayed by
Rosario Dawson
Rosario Isabel Dawson (born May 9, 1979) is an American actress. She made her feature-film debut in the 1995 independent drama ''Kids''. Her subsequent film roles include '' He Got Game'' (1998), ''Josie and the Pussycats'' (2001), ''Men in Bl ...
; first appears in season one): A nurse in Hell's Kitchen.
*
Franklin "Foggy" Nelson (portrayed by
Elden Henson
Elden Henson (born Elden Ryan Ratliff, August 30, 1977) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Fulton Reed in '' The Mighty Ducks'' trilogy (1992–1996), Foggy Nelson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) streaming television series ...
; first appears in season two): A lawyer at Hogarth, Chao & Benowitz.
*
Turk Barrett
Turk Barrett is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted in stories featuring Daredevil, in which his inept schemes are played as comic relief.
Barrett was a recurring ...
(portrayed by
Rob Morgan; first appears in season two): A common thug who specializes in guns.
* Thembi Wallace (portrayed by Tijuana Ricks; first appears in season two): A news reporter.
Introduced in season one
* Roy Healy (portrayed by Joseph Ragno): A bartender working for Cage.
* Reva Connors (portrayed by
Parisa Fitz-Henley
Parisa Fitz-Henley (born July 22, 1977) is a Jamaican-born American actress, best known for her role as Reva Connors in ''Jessica Jones'' and ''Luke Cage''. From 2017 to 2018, Fitz-Henley starred in the NBC drama ''Midnight, Texas''.
Early life
...
): Cage's wife, who was killed by Jones under Kilgrave's control
* (portrayed by James Colby): Jessica's father who was killed in a car crash when she was young.
* Phillip Jones (portrayed by Billy McFadden): Jessica's younger brother who was killed in a car crash when she was young. Based on the comic character "Phillip Campbell" who first appeared in ''Alias'' #22 (July 2003).
* Len Sirkes (portrayed by Brett Azar): A loan shark who Jessica and Cage encounter during a case.
Based on the comic character "Lone Shark" who appeared in ''Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular'' #2 (June 2009).
* Miklos Kozlov (portrayed by
Thomas Kopache
Thomas Kopache (born October 17, 1945) is an American actor.
Career
Kopache was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, the son of Dorothy E. ( née Sterling). He is known for his roles as Assistant Secretary of State Bob Slattery in ''The West Wing'' ...
): A doctor and member of IGH who ran the program that gave Simpson his experimental pills.
* Maury Tuttlebaum (portrayed by Daniel Marcus): A morgue attendant at Riverbank Medical Center.
* Samantha Reyes (portrayed by
Michelle Hurd
Michelle Hurd (born December 21, 1966) is an American actress best known for her work in television. She first received recognition for portraying Monique Jeffries in the police procedural series '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (1999–20 ...
): A district attorney.
Stan Lee
Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...
makes a cameo appearance through an on-set photograph, the same one seen in ''Daredevil''.
In ''
Iron Fist'', Lee's character is identified as
NYPD
The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
Captain
Irving Forbush.
Introduced in season two
* Linda Chao (portrayed by
Angel Desai
Angel Desai is an American actress.
Early life and education
Desai was born in Philadelphia, but grew up in Binghamton, New York. Her parents are physicians; her father is Indian and her mother is Filipina. She cultivated an early interest in per ...
): Hogarth and Benowitz's partner at Hogarth, Chao & Benowitz.
* Zakarian (portrayed by Jacqueline Antaramian): Hogarth's doctor.
*
Robert Coleman / Whizzer (portrayed by Jay Klaitz): A subject of IGH who possesses super speed.
* Ian (portrayed by Anthony Grasso): The head of Walker's radio station.
* Maximillian "Max" Tatum (portrayed by
James McCaffrey): A film director with a terrible past with Walker.
*
Maynard Tiboldt (portrayed by Ben Van Bergen): A hypnotherapist hired by Trish to evaluate Jessica.
* Sonia Arocho (portrayed by
Victoria Cartagena
Victoria Luz Cartagena is an American theater, film, and television actress. Cartagena is known for her role as Zoe Lopez in ''The Bedford Diaries'', and for portraying Renee Montoya as series regular in the first season of '' Gotham'' and the t ...
): Oscar's ex-wife who resorts to kidnapping their son Vido.
* (portrayed by
Mat Vairo): A former bartender who briefly dates Jessica, but is killed by her mother.
* Ronald Garcia (portrayed by Alfredo Narciso): The head of the ZCN Broadcasting Center.
* Dale Holiday (portrayed by Brian Hutchinson): A sadistic prison guard and serial killer.
* Torres (portrayed by Myrna Cabello): A doctor that cares for Walker.
Lee once again makes a cameo appearance through an on-set photograph, on an advertisement for the law firm Forbush and Associates.
Introduced in season three
* Cassie Yasdan (portrayed by Rileigh Skye McDonald): A young girl who was taken to Mexico by her father. Jessica returned Cassie to her mother.
* Mitch Yasdan (portrayed by
Greg Abbey
Gregory Abbey, also known under the alias Frank Frankson, is an American voice actor who is known for working with 4Kids Entertainment, DuArt Film and Video, NYAV Post and Central Park Media. He is best known for his roles of List of Yu-Gi-Oh! c ...
): A man who took his daughter Cassie from her mother after not getting custody of her causing an amber alert.
* Cody Willamet (portrayed by Dante Costabile): A sports figure and client of Hogarth's who keeps getting out of trouble.
* Andrew Brandt (portrayed by Matt Weiss): A minor criminal sought after by Trish and Jessica.
* Adrian (portrayed by Blake Morris): Trish's personal trainer.
* Peter Lyonne (portrayed by
John Benjamin Hickey
John Benjamin Hickey (born June 25, 1963) is an American actor with a career in stage, film and television. He won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as Felix Turner in ''The Normal Heart''. ...
): Kith Lyonne's law professor husband who is in an open relationship. He committed suicide in his bathtub while uploading a video that gave a bad name to Hogarth & Associates.
* Sal Blaskowski (portrayed by Barbara Tirrell): A female bookie that Erik owed money to. She was accidentally wounded by a disguised Trish.
* Dwayne Blaskowski (portrayed by Airon Armstrong): Sal's son and enforcer.
* Gor (portrayed by Ivica Marc): Brianna Gelden's pimp.
* Laurent Lyonne (portrayed by
Michael Hsu Rosen
Michael Hsu Rosen is an American actor and dancer best known for his roles as Jayden and Nabil in the Netflix series ''Pretty Smart'' and ''Tiny Pretty Things'', respectively. Rosen also starred in the Broadway revivals of ''Torch Song'' and ''W ...
): Peter and Kith Lyonne's elder son.
* Caspar Marx (portrayed by Curran Connor): A chef and one of Salinger's victims who survived his time with him.
* Ronnie Velasco (portrayed by Mary McCann): The
police chief
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...
of Wappinger Falls who causes trouble for Jessica. When Jessica tipped over the Silva's gazebo and started punching the ground, Ronnie tried to stop her only for Trish to hold her back by threatening to upload her interference. When Jessica was done, Ronnie witnessed the unearthing of a body bag containing Nathan Silva's corpse.
* Ana Silva (portrayed by Mateo Gomez): The mother of Nathan Silva who resides in Wappinger Falls who was reluctant to tell Jessica about Gregory Sallinger's friendship her son. When Jessica unearthed the corpse of Nathan from underneath the Silva family's gazebo, Ana was devastated by her son's death.
* Manuel Silva (portrayed by Leticia Castillo): The father of Nathan Silva who resides in Wappinger Falls who informed Jessica about Gregory Sallinger's friendship his son. When Jessica unearthed the corpse of Nathan from underneath the Silva family's gazebo, Manuela was shocked that his son was killed and buried in his backyard.
* Russell Costa (portrayed by Paco Lozano): Eddy Costa's husband.
* Joby (portrayed by Scott Stangland): A decoy hired by Sallinger.
* Mona Lee (portrayed by Ellen Mah): A worker at GT Agrochemical that was Sallinger's possible target.
* Officer Carl Nussbaumer (portrayed by Larry Mitchell): A corrupt police officer who Erik Gelden threatened to expose.
* Detective Imada (portrayed by Tina Chilip): A detective who suspects that Jones murdered Nussbaumer.
* Detective Defford (portrayed by Anthoula Katsimatides): A detective who suspects that Jones murdered Nussbaumer.
* Jace Montero (portrayed by
Chaske Spencer
Chaske Spencer (pronounced ''Chess-Kay''; born March 9, 1975) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Sam Uley in '' The Twilight Saga'' film series (2009–2012), Teddo in the acclaimed film ''Wild Indian'', and for his r ...
): A property developer who committed arson around the city.
See also
*
''Daredevil'' cast and characters
*
''Luke Cage'' cast and characters
*
''Iron Fist'' cast and characters
*
''The Defenders'' cast and characters
References
;Season 1
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External links
Full cast and crew of ''Jessica Jones'' at IMDb
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jessica Jones characters
Characters
Character or Characters may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
* ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
Lists of American drama television series characters
Lists of action television characters
Marvel Cinematic Universe character lists
Superhero television characters