Wondering Why Everyone's Watching Waco? The Stellar Cast Is One Reason

Known for critically acclaimed films such as Nocturnal Animals and Revolutionary Road, Michael Shannon portrays FBI agent Gary Noesner, who led the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit and was assigned to defuse the standoff at Ruby Ridge. The series is partially based on Noesner’s book, Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator. Shannon recently starred in Knives Out as Harlan Thrombey’s son.

Friday Night Lights alumnus Taylor Kitsch portrays David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians. He last appeared in a leading role in 2019’s 21 Bridges.

Castle Rock star Rory Culkin is in one of the lead roles in Waco, playing David Thibodeau, a young musician who befriends Koresh and ends up living at the Mount Carmel commune for over a year. The series is based in part on Thibodeau’s memoir.

Andrea Riseborough plays Judy Schneider, a woman living on the Waco commune with her husband Steve. The prolific English actress is known for her roles in The Long Walk to Finchley and Birdman. Recently, she also led the Black Mirror episode “Crocodile.”

Boardwalk Empire‘s Paul Sparks portrays Steve Schneider, a comparative religion graduate who served as Koresh’s right-hand man. Sparks recently starred in season two of Castle Rock as Ace Merrill.

Boardwalk Empire star Glenn Fleshler plays Tony Prince, Noesner’s boss. Fleshler has appeared in shows such as Billions and True Detective, as well as 2019’s Joker.

John Leguizamo is Jacob Vazquez, an undercover ATF agent who poses as a rancher to see what Koresh is doing. He portrayed Luigi in 1993’s Super Mario Bros. and has since been in a number of films, including John Wick and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. He recently portrayed Raymond’s father on Ava DuVernay‘s When They See Us.

Supergirl‘s very own Kara takes on a very different role in Waco as David Koresh’s first wife Rachel. Besides Supergirl, Melissa Benoist is also known for playing Marley on Glee and Carole King in the Beautiful musical.

Ozark actress Julia Garner plays Michele Jones, Rachel Jones’ younger sister and Koresh’s wife who legally weds to Thibodeau. Besides her role on Ozark, Garner recently starred in The Assistant and is set to play Anna Delvey in Shonda Rhimes’s Inventing Anna.

Shea Whigham brings to life Mitch Decker, Noesner’s colleague in the FBI who managed the situation at Ruby Ridge. Like Fleshler and Sparks, he also appeared in Boardwalk Empire. He’s set to appear in Mission Impossible: 7 and HBO’s Perry Mason.