Mike Flanagan has steadily forged his name as a master in modern horror, unleashing a slew of frightening films and TV shows over the past two decades. With films like Oculus, Hush, and Gerald's Game, as well as a slew of spooky TV series, including the scorching hot adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, he's assembled his own sprawling media universe.
Within this growing web of scary stories, Flanagan has not only dropped in Easter eggs for eagle-eyed fans but has also employed a riveting ensemble of recurring players. If you recognize one of the characters in The Fall of the House of Usher's scream face, from the Usher kids to the broader Usher family tree you've probably seen it elsewhere in the Flanagan media universe, also known as the Flanaverse.
So, let's dive into the who's who of this freaky Flanaverse, celebrating its menacing MVPs, vicious veterans, and ruthless rookies.
Carla Gugino
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Verna
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Gerald's Game, The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass
The 52-year-old actress has snagged attention in very different productions over the course of her career, ranging from the girlfriend of Pauly Shore in the meet-the-parents comedy Son-in-Law to the family-friendly espionage thriller Spy Kids to the R-rated superhero movie Watchmen. But she's been on a roll working with Flanagan, playing an array of characters who are sexy, scary, and as savage as they need to be to survive. Gugino gripped the spotlight in Gerald's Game, starring in the Stephen King adaptation as a woman abandoned and handcuffed to a bed, doomed unless she can break free. In that gut-wrenching movie (also on Netflix), Gugino grappled with fear, frustration, and a love that festered. Their collaboration continued with The Haunting of Hill House, in which she played matriarch Olivia Crain among a rich ensemble. But while she's won praise before, Verna is next level. Morphing into different personas and accents across The Fall of the House of Usher, this Flanagan-created role might be the one to earn this sultry star a well-earned Emmy.
Bruce Greenwood
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Roderick Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep
Speaking of Gerald's Game, Bruce Greenwood, the 67-year-old actor known for playing Pike in the rebooted Star Trek movies, co-starred opposite Gugino as the titular tormentor. The Fall of the House of Usher turns the tables on their dynamic from that chill-sparking thriller, as Greenwood goes from threat to threatened. He also had a small role as an AA group leader in Flanagan's bold (and polarizing) sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep. But if it's Greenwood's voice that really rings as familiar to you, perhaps it's because he's Batman. Or at least, he voiced the dark knight in a string of animated movies and TV shows, most recently Batman: Death in the Family.
Mary McDonnell
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Madeline Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: N/A
Shocking! With her snarling line delivery and steely glare, Mary McDonnell fits so sublimely into the Flanaverse that you might well think she's a longtime resident. However, this multiple Oscar nominee (and beloved Battlestar Galactica star) makes her FU debut right here. Horror fans might remember her from Scream 4, where she played Sidney's doomed aunt, or Richard Kelly's cult-adored Donnie Darko, in which she plays Donnie's mom. Not bad roles, but Madeline could eat those ladies for lunch and still have room for dessert.
Henry Thomas
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Frederick Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald's Game, The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, and The Midnight Club
For those of us who grew up in the '80s, it's been wild to watch E.T.'s scrappy boy hero grow up to be a leading man who can break our hearts, tickle our funny bones, or shiver our spines. Henry first worked with Flanagan on Ouija: Origin of Evil, a shockingly scary prequel to the totally skippable (and not directed by Flanagan) Ouija. There he played a well-meaning priest, then went on to portray other sorts of fathers in both Gerald's Game and The Haunting of Hill House. Because Thomas's range can go from comforting to creepy, you're never sure quite what to expect when he pops up on screen. As Frederick, he begins as a comically frustrated heir apparent to the Fortunato throne. But as The Fall of the House of Usher swings into its final chapters, Thomas reminds us just how scary he can be.
Kate Siegel
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Camille L'Espanaye
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald's Game, The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass
Siegel could be considered Flanagan's mate and muse, as she married the filmmaker in 2016 and has appeared in nearly everything he's done since. She has a small role in Ouija: Origin of Evil but stepped into the leading lady role in Hush, in which she played a horror author stalked by a masked killer. It was a breakthrough role for Siegel, who co-wrote the script and gave a riveting performance with no spoken dialogue. Since then, Flanagan has given her monologues that hit hard and zingers that could slit throats. Whether she's haunted, horrifying, or hilarious (look, Camille is heinous, but she's got jokes), we can't get enough of Flanagan's scream queen.
Rahul Kohli
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Napoleon Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, and The Midnight Club
Kohli initially caught the eye of horror fans as hot and harried medical examiner Ravi Chakrabarti on the comedic whodunnit series iZombie. He first teamed with Flanagan on The Haunting of Bly Manor, where he played the tantalizing cook Owen Sharma. Next, he took on the role of Sheriff Hassan in Midnight Mass, sparking more crushes as he fought for justice and the powers of light. Next, he played a video game designer in The Midnight Club, which he does again in The Fall of the House of Usher. But "Leo" isn't a good guy. As a bi fuckboi covered in trashy tattoos, fueled by party drugs, and driven by a self-destructive attitude that will be his doom, he's a total cad. And we love him for it.
Samantha Sloyan
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Tamerlane Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Hush, The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and The Midnight Club
You think Sloyan's death scene in The Fall of the House of Usher is brutal? You should her first death in the Flanagan Universe! In Hush, she's killed as her onscreen bestie literally turns her back on her screams for help. She's since gone on to play a zealot in Midnight Mass and the secret-keeping hippie Shasta in The Midnight Club. But between Tamerlane's ruthless ambition and curious kinks, Usher might offer Sloyan's most compelling role yet.
T'Nia Miller
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Victorine Lafourcade
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: The Haunting of Bly Manor
This British actress is best known across the pond for her powerful performances in the thriller sitcom Witless, Russell T. Davies's dramatic mini-series Years and Years, and the dramatic limited series Free Rein. But she first entered the Flanaverse as protective housekeeper Hannah Grose in The Haunting of Bly Manor, in which she engaged in a doomed romance. Can the science-minded Victorine better master affairs of the heart? Or can she only manufacture one?
Zach Gilford
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Young Roderick Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club
Gilford first broke through in the mid-2000s as part of the heralded cast of football-centric dramatic series Friday Night Lights, but the dude's also been popping up in horror movies as of late, like The Purge: Anarchy, Devil's Due, and There's Something Wrong With the Children. Though a relatively new addition to the Flanagan repertoire, Gilford makes a big impression with his all-American affability…which in these stories can be a frightful facade.
Willa Fitzgerald
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Young Madeline Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: N/A
Just like her other half in portraying the mighty and merciless adult Madeline Usher, Fitzgerald is new to the Flanaverse, and now we can't imagine it without her sharp glare and cold derision. For more of Fitzgerald in horror mode, check out the Scream TV series, and keep an eye out for her in the upcoming thriller Strange Darling.
Michael Trucco
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Rufus Griswold
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Hush and Midnight Mass
In Flanagan's latest, Trucco plays a real rat bastard who is utterly loathed by the House of Usher. But in Hush, which was also his Flanaverse debut, the poor guy was just in the wrong place when a relentless slasher was on the loose. Trucco got a promotion in his next Flanagan role, going from slain boyfriend to mayor of a town beset by vampires in Midnight Mass.
Katie Parker
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Annabel Lee Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Absentia, Oculus, The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and The Midnight Club
Parker has been with Flanagan since his feature directorial debut Absentia, which follows a pair of sisters grappling with grief — and a treacherous tunnel. Elsewhere in the Flanaverse, she's played ghosts and haunted women. Named for a famous Poe poem in The Fall of the House of Usher, Parker plays a woman in love, then lost.
Sauriyan Sapkota
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Prospero Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: The Midnight Club
Not only is Sapkota pretty new to the Flanaverse, but he was also discovered by the horror auteur. The young actor with the mischievous gaze made his screen debut in 2022 in The Midnight Club, a drama series based on the Christopher Pike novels of the same name. There, Sapkota played Amesh, who loved video games and cracking wise. In The Fall of the House of Usher, he's moved beyond teen angst to twentysomething debauchery, and with a devil-may-care charm, he invites us all along for the ride.
Matt Biedel
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Bill "BillT" Wilson (Tamerlane's husband)
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club
On top of supporting roles elsewhere in the Flanaverse, Biedel and his onscreen wife Sloyan also co-star in "Love You, Mama," a 2022 horror short Flanagan edited.
Crystal Balint
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Morella Usher (Frederick's wife)
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club
Balint has played a mom in every one of her Flanagan roles so far, playing parent to Leeza in Midnight Mass and foster mother to Ilonka in The Midnight Club.
Ruth Codd
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Juno Usher (Roderick's second wife)
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: The Midnight Club
Like her Midnight Club co-star Sauriyan Sapkota, Codd made her screen debut with the hospice-set series. There she played the sarcastic Anya, an Irish teen with plenty of rage to spare. Here, Codd gets to show her warmer side, playing a sheepish stepmom struggling to find her way into an Usher clan that sees her as nothing more than a "gold digger" and "junkie." But besides her never-say-die attitude, Juno's outrageously funny. Amid a house full of truly terrible people, Codd makes her unlikely trophy wife one to root for.
Kyliegh Curran
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Lenore Usher (daughter of Frederick)
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Doctor Sleep
Speaking of bright spots in the shadows of the Usher house, Lenore Usher is the granddaughter who could do good with the family fortune, if only anyone would give her the chance! Funny enough, Curran has played the resilient ray of light in another Flanagan horror story rich with family conflict and supernatural terror. In Doctor Sleep, she starred opposite Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson as Abra Stone, a young girl whose Shining is cluing her into a group of ruthless, magic-hungry cannibals. If you need an excuse to revisit this twisted sequel, consider Curran's poignant performance at its center as reason enough.
Carl Lumbly
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Auguste Dupin
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Doctor Sleep
Lumbly only appeared in one Flanagan offering ahead of The Fall of the House of Usher, but he had some pretty big shoes to fill. In Doctor Sleep, he took on the role of Dick Hallorann, the head chef at the Overlook Hotel who graciously offered Shining advice to young Danny Torrance despite the considerable risk. American musician Scatman Crothers famously originated the role in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic The Shining, but as he died in 1986, Flanagan needed another actor with crackling charisma to play the role of Dick's ghost. Lumbly not only captured the spirit (pardon the pun) of Crothers's performance but also impressed the helmer to the point that he scored one of the biggest roles in The Fall of the House of Usher. And Lumbly crushes it too!
Mark Hamill
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Arthur Pym
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: N/A
Hamill is undoubtedly best known as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies. But in The Fall of the House of Usher, he seems to tap more into his storied career as a voice actor, hiding his friendly warm tone with a nerve-rattling grumble. This is the guy who has given voice to the Joker, Skeletor, and Chucky the killer doll in the 2019 reboot of Child's Play. And he and Flanagan are poised to reunite with Life of Chuck, a Stephen King adaptation currently under development.
Annabeth Gish
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Eliza Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Before I Wake, The Haunting of Hill House, and Midnight Mass
Gish started out as a child actor in the 1980s, appearing in movies like Mystic Pizza and Wyatt Earp. She entered the Flanaverse in 2016 with Before I Wake, in which she played a social worker who oversees the emerging bond between a foster child (Doctor Sleep's Jacob Tremblay) and his new parents (Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane). Gish resurfaced in the 'verse as caretaker Clara Dudley in The Haunting of Hill House and the town doctor in Midnight Mass.
Robert Longstreet
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Mr. William Longfellow
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, Midnight Mass, and The Midnight Club
Earlier this year, you might have spotted Longstreet as a cult leader in Prime Video's gigantically imaginative fantasy series I'm a Virgo. But Flaniacs will recognize this character actor for several reasons. He played opposite Gish as Mr. Dudley in The Haunting of Hill House, then a drunk in Midnight Mass, and a janitor in The Midnight Club. In Doctor Sleep, he brought a growling menace to Barry the Chunk, a child-eating member of The True Knot.
Lulu Wilson
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Younger Madeline Usher
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Ouija: Origin of Evil, The Haunting of Hill House
Speaking of kids in horror, as a child star Wilson popped up in a slew of scary media, ranging from the exorcism-focused Deliver Us from Evil, the creepy doll tale Annabelle: Creation, and the grisly home invasion thriller Becky. Her work with Flanagan began with Ouija: Origin of Evil, in which she played a young girl who creates a powerful and pernicious bond with a wicked entity. Since then, she's been paired with older actresses, sharing the roles of Shirley Crain and Madeline Usher by portraying these complicated women in their youth.
Molly C. Quinn
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Jenny (Prospero's girlfriend)
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Doctor Sleep
Quinn might be recognized by most as Alexis Castle and Sally Scofield from the 173 episodes of Bones she appeared in over the show's run. She entered the Flanaverse with a small role as Mrs. Grady in Doctor Sleep, but gets in on more ghoulish fun in Usher as a planner and victim of Prospero's party.
Igby Rigney
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Toby (Dammit)
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club
Rigney has grown up onscreen through Flanagan's TV series. In Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club, he played a teen boy surrounded by death. In The Fall of the House of Usher, as one of Camille's full-service assistants, he's a young man who is not under fatal threat. Instead, Toby is just trapped in a toxic throuple relationship with his boss, who degrades him for kicks. Huh. Adulting is overrated.
Aya Furukawa
Role in The Fall of the House of Usher: Tina (aka Beth)
Also appeared in Mike Flanagan's: Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club
Furukawa made the Netflix leap from The Baby-Sitters Club to The Midnight Club, so it's only right that she tackles another literary adaptation that's sure to thrill '90s bookworms who followed the path from Fear Street to Poe. In The Fall of the House of Usher, she leaves the kids' stuff behind, playing the other third of Camille's toxic throuple. Bonus fun fact: Furukawa made her screen debut as a kid in some pretty epic horror. She played a Japanese school girl in The Cabin in the Woods.
How to watch: The Fall of the House of Usher is now streaming on Netflix.
