8.5
20,635 votes
True Detective

True Detective

HBO 2014

An American anthology police detective series utilizing multiple timelines in which investigations seem to unearth personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within or outside the law.
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The Top 10 Actors and Characters of True Detective (Ranked Cast in 2024)

Kelly Reilly

#1 - Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton)

Kelly Reilly (born 18 July 1977) is an English actress. Reilly's performance in After Miss Julie at the Donmar Warehouse made her a star of the London stage and earned her a nomination for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress of 2003. Aged 26, she's the youngest person ever nominated for that award. And, in 2005, she won Best Newcomer Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as Wendy in The Russian Dolls (Les Poupées Russes).

Kelly Reilly plays as Beth Dutton in True Detective.
Kelly Reilly is the top #1 member of the cast and appears in 29 episodes.

Carmen Ejogo

#2 - Carmen Ejogo (Bria Jones, Sarah Day)

While still an adolescent, Carmen Ejogo made her feature film debut in the musical, "Absolute Beginners" (1986). Her big break came when she was cast in the title role of the television movie, "Sally Hemings: An American Scandal" (2000). Since that time she has built an impressive body of work in both feature films and on television.

Carmen Ejogo plays as Bria Jones, Sarah Day in True Detective.
Carmen Ejogo is the top #2 member of the cast and appears in 14 episodes.

Taylor Kitsch

#3 - Taylor Kitsch (Max McLaughlin)

Taylor Kitsch is a Canadian actor and model best known for his portrayal of football player Tim Riggins on the NBC series "Friday Night Lights". He was in many movies including the supernatural film "The Covenant", the X-Men spin-off "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", the Disney film "John Carter", the war film "Lone Survivor" and HBO's lgbt drama "The Normal Heart". In November 2014, he was cast in the second season of HBO's popular anthology crime series "True Detective". 

Taylor Kitsch plays as Max McLaughlin in True Detective.
Taylor Kitsch is the top #3 member of the cast and appears in 8 episodes.

Scoot McNairy

#4 - Scoot McNairy (Tom Purcell)

An actor and producer known for roles in In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007), Herbie Fully Loaded (2005), and Mr. Fix It (2006). He also plays the lead male role in the recently released film Monsters (2010). He is married to fellow actress and co-star of Monsters, Whitney Able.

Scoot McNairy plays as Tom Purcell in True Detective.
Scoot McNairy is the top #4 member of the cast and appears in 8 episodes.

Mahershala Ali

#5 - Mahershala Ali (Wayne Hays)

Mahershalalhashbaz "Mahershala" Ali (born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore; February 16, 1974) is an American actor. Ali began his career as a regular on series such as Crossing Jordan and Threat Matrix before his breakthrough role as Richard Tyler in the science-fiction series The 4400. His first major film release was in the 2008 David Fincher-directed romantic fantasy drama film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. His other notable films include Predators and The Place Beyond the Pines. He played a major role in Free State of Jones, set during and after the American Civil War. Ali is best known for his recent roles as Remy Danton in House of Cards, Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes in Netflix's TV series Luke Cage, Juan in Moonlight, and Boggs in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and its sequel, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.

Mahershala Ali plays as Wayne Hays in True Detective.
Mahershala Ali is the top #5 member of the cast and appears in 8 episodes.

Matthew McConaughey

#6 - Matthew McConaughey (Rust Cohle)

Matthew David McConaughey (born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused (1993). It was in this role that he first conceived the idea of his catch-phrase "Well alright, alright." He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall. McConaughey is best known more recently for his performances as a leading man in the romantic comedies The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Failure to Launch, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Fool's Gold. Description above from the Wikipedia article Matthew McConaughey, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Matthew McConaughey plays as Rust Cohle in True Detective.
Matthew McConaughey is the top #6 member of the cast and appears in 8 episodes.

Vince Vaughn

#7 - Vince Vaughn (Frank Semyon)

An American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before experiencing wider recognition with the 1996 movie, Swingers. He has since appeared in a number of films, mostly comedies, including The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Old School, Starsky & Hutch, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Couples Retreat, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Wedding Crashers.

Vince Vaughn plays as Frank Semyon in True Detective.
Vince Vaughn is the top #7 member of the cast and appears in 8 episodes.

Stephen Dorff

#8 - Stephen Dorff (Roland West)

Stephen Dorff (born July 29, 1973) is an American actor, best known for portraying Stuart Sutcliffe in Backbeat, Johnny Marco in Somewhere, and for his roles in Blade and Cecil B. DeMented.

Stephen Dorff plays as Roland West in True Detective.
Stephen Dorff is the top #8 member of the cast and appears in 8 episodes.

Michael Potts

#9 - Michael Potts (Maynard Gilbough)

Michael Potts is an actor and assistant director.

Michael Potts plays as Maynard Gilbough in True Detective.
Michael Potts is the top #9 member of the cast and appears in 8 episodes.

Rachel McAdams

#10 - Rachel McAdams (Ani Bezzerides)

Canadian actress Rachel McAdams was born on November 17, 1978 in London, Ontario. Rachel’s parents Lance and Sandra encouraged her talent in performing arts at an early age when she started figure skating at 4, and later acting at 12.  Throughout her education Rachel starred in numerous student productions before ultimately earning her BFA in Theater at York University in 2001. Although Rachel’s first major casting was her lead role in the Canadian TV series Slings and Arrows, she is best known for her breakout roles in Mean Girls (2004), and Wedding Crashers (2005). Since then Rachel has starred in a variety of  films such as Red Eye (2005), Family Stone (2005), State of Play (2005), The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009), and Sherlock Holmes (2009). Throughout her career Rachel has received several nominations and awards for her  performances.  In 2005 she received three wins and five nominations at the MTV Movie Awards for her work in The Notebook, and in 2009 won the Female Star of the Year Award from ShoWest.  Rachel has dated a few of her co-stars including Ryan Gosing from The Notebook (who she was once engaged to), and more recently Michael Sheen from Midnight in Paris.

Rachel McAdams plays as Ani Bezzerides in True Detective.
Rachel McAdams is the top #10 member of the cast and appears in 8 episodes.

Last updated: mar 26, 2024

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