With each season of True Detective fans are treated to a new mystery and new characters trying to solve them each go around. That also means new actors. So, as a brand new season launches, just who makes up the True Detective season 4 cast?
Officially dubbed True Detective: Night Country, the latest season of the anthology series takes place in a town called Ennis, Alaska, just as the long winter nights begin. When eight men from a research station vanish without a trace, two detectives must confront their pasts to uncover the dark truths lying underneath the ice.
Ever since Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson headlined the first season of True Detective, the HBO crime drama has been defined in large part by the big names that it attracts to tell its harrowing mysteries. The case is no different with the True Detective season 4 cast, which features an Oscar winner, Oscar nominee and multiple-time Emmy nominee among its players. However, there are also a number of new and emerging stars that help make up the True Detective season 4 cast. Let's get to know them.
Jodie Foster as Liz Danvers
Liz Danvers is one of the lead detectives in Ennis, who takes on the case of the missing scientists. Liz is dedicated to her job, and has taken young officer Peter Prior under her wing. Her personal life is a bit more complicated, raising her teenage stepdaughter alone.
Jodie Foster is one of the best actors of her generation, a two-time Best Actress Oscar winner for The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs, and possibly about to earn another Oscar nomination for her supporting role in Nyad. True Detective is actually the first major TV role since her career began in the 1970s.
What to Watch had the chance to speak with Foster about the new season, where she detailed how The Silence of the Lambs "weirdly" is related to True Detective.
Kali Reis as Evangeline Navarro
A native Alaskan, Evangeline Navarro is another Ennis officer, though she has been demoted to a lower position after she refused to let go of a case. Even now she continues to try and solve it, seeing possible connections with the missing scientists.
Kali Reis is a former professional boxer who has made the switch to acting. Her debut role in indie movie Catch the Fair One earned her rave reviews and nominations from the Gotham and Independent Spirit Awards. Her only other role to date is in a movie called Black Files that played at 2023 film festivals but has not been released to general audiences.
John Hawkes as Hank Prior
Hank Prior is a high-ranking officer in the Ennis police department, but unlike Liz and Evangeline, Hank seems disinterested in his job. Old grudges hiding under his quiet surface could be contributing to that.
Hawkes is a well-known character actor, appearing in movies like The Peanut Butter Falcon, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Everest, Lincoln, The Sessions and Winter's Bone, the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination. On TV, he previously starred in Deadwood, Lost and Eastbound & Down.
Finn Bennett as Peter Prior
Hank's son Peter is also on the police force, but he relies more on Liz as his mentor, doing just about all he can do to help her. He also is a father himself, with a young son at home.
Bennett's most notable roles in his young career have come in TV, where he has appeared in episodes of Top Boy, Liar, Domina and, giving him a previous connection with HBO, The Nevers.
Fiona Shaw as Rose Aguineau
Rose Aguineau is a survivalist, living on the outskirts of town and making due with what she can. However, she also has a past full of secrets that may help in the solving of the missing scientists.
Fans of the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises will know Fiona Shaw well, as she played Aunt Petunia in the Harry Potter movies and recently starred in the Disney Plus original Star War series Andor. She is also a three-time Emmy nominee, with two for her role in Killing Eve and the other for Fleabag.
Christopher Eccleston as Ted Connelly
Ted Connellyis the regional chief of police, meaning he is Liz and the other officers' boss. He is also described as a "political animal" and has a long history with Liz.
Taking on this role is Christopher Eccleston who is best known as the ninth Doctor in Doctor Who (see where he ranks in our best Doctor Whos list). Outside of the Tardis, his credits include 28 Days Later, Thor: The Dark World, The Leftovers and The A Word.
Isabella LaBlanc as Leah
Leah is Liz Danver's stepdaughter, who is no stranger to getting herself into a bit of trouble. With her dad no longer in the picture, it's not the easiest relationship with her and Liz.
Like Finn Bennett, True Detective marks Isabella LaBlanc's biggest role to date. Her previous credits include Long Slow Exhale and the Paramount Plus original movie Pet Sematary: Bloodlines.
Others in the True Detective season 4 cast
In addition to the series regulars listed above, True Detective season 4 has a cast of guest stars that include Anna Lambe (Three Pines), Aka Niviâna, June Thiele (Adhara), Diane Benson and Joel D. Montgrand (Altered Carbon).
True Detective season 4 premieres on HBO and Max on January 14 in the US, and on January 15 on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
