Part of what makes Lady’s Gambit so engaging, and what made viewers think it was based on a true story, is the performances by the actors. And while some are new, many of them may seem familiar from previous projects.
Anya Taylor-Joy (Beth Harmon)
With a captivating performance as Beth, it’s hard to take your eyes off Taylor-Joy throughout the Lady’s Gambit series, and it’s not just because of the character’s amazing outfits.
The American-Argentine-British actress may seem familiar from her role as Casey Cooke in Split. Fans can also see her in Peaky Blinders and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and she was in The New Mutants.
Bill Camp (Mr. Shaibel)
Camp played the silent but incredibly smart janitor at the orphanage with a love of chess. He secretly taught Beth how to play and served as a kind of mentor to her as a youngster in Lady’s Gambit.
Bill Camp from Lady’s Gambit has had a long and prolific career in Hollywood, probably most recently being recognized for his roles in the films 12 Years a Slave, Vice and Joker, The Night Of and The Outsider.
Marielle Heller (Alma Wheatley)
Heller, who beautifully portrays Beth’s troubled, lonely, and depressed foster mother in Lady’s Gambit is best known for her work behind the camera – she was the director of A Teenage Girl’s Diary and Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Marielle Heller, who played Soul in a Lady’s Gambit, is also known for: And A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, which stars Tom Hanks. While he doesn’t get many credits on camera, Heller proved his talent on screen.
A fun fact about the Lady’s Gambit actress is that she is married to comedian Jorma Taccone, who is a third of The Lonely Island comedy skit company, which also includes Andy Samberg.