The Blacklist is a hugely popular drama series with a cast of recognizable actors featured throughout its many seasons on the air. The show follows an FBI profiler named Elizabeth Keen whose life is completely thrown upside down when a notorious criminal named Raymond Reddington turns himself in after several years of evading capture, demanding only to speak with her. From there, the pair develop a complicated relationship that pushes the boundaries of crime and justice. While The Blacklist season 10 will be the last, the series has seen plenty of shocking moments for these central characters over the years.
The Blacklist released its first season in 2013 and quickly became one of network television's most popular and widely watched crime dramas of the following decade. There are countless characters who appear throughout the show, ranging from the main cast to episodic appearances for single stories, and each actor brings something fresh and unique to their role that really allows The Blacklist to shine above most of the competition in the genre. The cast has changed a lot over its 10 seasons, but many of the main players remain the same.
James Spader As Raymond "Red" Reddington
Raymond Reddington is both the protagonist and the main villain of The Blacklist, spending his time working alongside the police department to bring down other crime lords. The character is played throughout the series by James Spader, who is otherwise best known for voicing the titular villain in Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron. The actor previously starred in the 2002 film Secretary and many movies throughout the '80s and '90s, including Stargate, Less Than Zero, and Sex, Lies, and Videotape. On television, he starred as Alan Shore in just over 100 episodes of Boston Legal, while on The Office he filled the role of Dunder Mifflin’s hated temporary manager Robert California.
Megan Boone As Elizabeth Keen
Elizabeth Keen is Raymond Reddington’s liaison with the police and the only person that he’s willing to communicate with at the institution. Despite her initial hesitancies to work with a known criminal, the pair make a sharp team that’s responsible for bringing down countless other crime lords. The character is played in the Blacklist cast by Megan Boone, whose other TV roles include Miss Lucy in The Underground Railroad, Candice in Blue Bloods, and Junior DDA Lauren Stanton on Law & Order: Los Angeles. The actress also played Allie in the movie Sex and the City 2 and directed her own short film, Eggshells for Soil.
Diego Klattenhoff As Donald Ressler
Donald Ressler is another FBI Agent that appears in The Blacklist, often helping Elizabeth Keen on her missions to bring down other criminals on the institution’s blacklist. He’s an integral part of the task force, bringing dedication and hard work to every case. The character is portrayed by actor Diego Klattenhoff, whose most famous roles were in sci-fi blockbusters Pacific Rim and After Earth as Yancy Becket and a veteran ranger, respectively. Prior to joining the cast of The Blacklist, he also played the role of Shane Oman in the classic teen comedy Mean Girls — a role very different from Agent Ressler.
Ryan Eggold As Tom Keen
Not only is Tom Keen the husband of The Blacklist’s protagonist, Elizabeth Keen, but he’s also a covert operative who is risking his life for the safety of his country. He appears throughout the show’s first five seasons, and trouble is rarely far behind. Tom is played in the Blacklist cast by Ryan Eggold, the actor best known for playing protagonist Max Goodwin in the long-running medical drama New Amsterdam. Eggold was also featured in Spike Lee’s social thriller BlacKkKlansman, where he played the role of Walter Breachway.
Harry Lennix As Harold Cooper
Harold Cooper is the assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism unit, who uses Raymond Reddington’s information to hunt down criminals deemed the biggest threats to national security. Though he’s not happy to be using an international crime lord as his source, he’s willing to go to extremes to succeed in his job. Cooper is played by Harry Lennix, who previously appeared as General Swanwick in both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — the character who would later become Martian Manhunter. The actor’s other popular roles include Joe Adams in Ray, Detective Bell in State of Play, and Agent Bossy on Law & Order: Los Angeles.
Amir Arison As Aram Mojtabai
While Amir Arison started out as a recurring member of The Blacklist’s cast, his character quickly found a much more important position in the story, and he was promoted to a series regular. He plays Aram Mojtabai, a member of the FBI task force who is notoriously talented with technology and cyberattacks. While Mojtabai is Arison’s most successful role to date, he has also appeared as Avie Tevanian in The Dropout, Abelmalek in Ramy, and Joe Escandarian in a single episode of American Horror Story.
Mozhan Marnò As Samar Navabi
Although Samar Navabi left The Blacklist after season 6, she was a hugely important member of Cooper’s FBI task force up to that point. She served as Cooper’s liaison with Mossad, bringing plenty of experience and unique insights to his team. The character was played in the Blacklist cast by actress Mozhan Marnò, who is most famous for playing Ayla Sayyad in Netflix’s political thriller House of Cards. Marnò’s other popular roles include Atti in A Girl Walks Home At Night and Gail in Pam & Tommy — both of which are completely different from her character in The Blacklist.
Hisham Tawfiq As Dembe Zuma
Dembe Zuma is another character who began as a recurring member of The Blacklist’s cast but quickly found a more permanent place in the show once audiences really started to love his presence. He’s Raymond Reddington’s bodyguard and closest confidant, but their relationship strains under the weight of his FBI cooperation. The character is played in The Blacklist's cast by Hisham Tawfiq, whom audiences may recognize as Imam Khalid from the acclaimed religious drama Jinn. Otherwise, Tawfiq’s other credits include The Author from About The People, an African Dictator in 30 Rock, and Lawrence from Skate Kitchen.
The Blacklist Supporting Cast & Characters
Laura Sohn as Alina Park - Another member of the FBI task force, Alina Park joined The Blacklist in season 7, moving from Anchorage. She’s played by Laura Sohn, who previously starred as Bobbi on NCIS: New Orleans, and a law student named Nguyen in Netflix’s legal drama Worth.
Susan Blommaert as Mr. Kaplan - Reddington’s personal cleaner and close friend, feared for her collaborations with the crime lord. The character is played by Susan Blommaert, who prior to joining the cast of The Blacklist played Missy Dandridge in Pet Sematary and Phyllis Paddock on The X Files.
Deirdre Lovejoy as Cynthia Panabaker - A United States senator who is in charge of the legal aspect of Cooper’s unique task force. This often raises problems for Reddington’s illegal involvement. Cynthia Panabaker is played by Deirdre Lovejoy, who is known for playing Charlotte Tuck in Raising Dion and Rhonda Pearlman in The Wire.
Teddy Coluca as Teddy Brimley - Reddington’s interrogator, who famously uses extreme methods to make his victims suffer before spilling everything. Teddy Brimley is played by Teddy Coluca, who also appeared in 30 Rock as a stage manager before adopting the role of Lester in Only Murders in the Building and Manny in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Jonathan Holtzman as Chuck - Reddington’s personal hitman, whom he employs to take out anybody that he considers a threat. The killer is played by Jonathan Holtzman in later seasons of the show. Before joining the cast of The Blacklist, he had a brief appearance as a mugger in Netflix’s similar crime thriller Jessica Jones.