Netflix’s latest political thriller, Zero Day, is one of the most star-studded small-screen ventures released this year, chock-full of A-list actors. Setting aside the narrative, which is intriguing enough to keep the viewers hooked anyway, the sheer star power is bound to make you binge the whole series in one go irrespective of whether you like political thrillers or not. Zero Day focuses on the aftermath of a cyberterrorism incident, which leads to the creation of a special commission with the power to negate people’s right to freedom. Abuse of such power to suppress opposing voices raises concerns about the rise of fascistic tendencies, a fear that manifests itself when the truth is finally revealed about the attack being orchestrated by the very elected officials entrusted to serve the people themselves. Needless to say, a gripping narrative such as this needs backing up with strong acting, and the big names associated with all the major and even minor roles of Zero Day did justice to their characters.
George Mullen, played by Robert De Niro
It would be ludicrous to have to introduce the acting legend Robert De Niro, whose performances in movies like Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, The Godfather Part II, and The Deer Hunter, among a myriad of iconic movies, have rightly accorded him the title of one of the greatest ever to grace the screen. De Niro’s The Irishman, directed by his frequent collaborator, celebrated director Martin Scorsese, was one of Netflix’s most significant original movies, and the series in discussion, Zero Day, holds similar importance. In the series, De Niro portrays George Mullen, a former United States president whose impeccable tenure in the Oval Office is a testament to his grit, goodwill, and dedication to serving his country. A Vietnam War vet, Mullen’s astute sense of social awareness led him to practice law to build a career as a prosecutor when his good friend, John Flanagan, breathed his last as a victim of institutionalized racism. As far as average heads of state are considered, Mullen displays a solid moral compass and a strong sense of judgment, and his methodical, calculative ways of approaching every situation are visible from all the past case files stacked in his house, which he scrutinizes time and again. It’s Mullen’s integrity that makes him the perfect choice to wield the power granted by the commission.
However, the traditional, old school politician has emotional baggage of his own which is deep seated in the recesses of his psyche. Mullen’s family life is in tatters from the beginning; he regrets not being present for his late son, Nick, when he needed him. The trauma of losing his son has left a scar in the mind of the former president, which he has no way of getting over, and during the neurological Proteus attack, the latent memories of the incident torment him the most. Despite adhering to a moral code, Mullen shows no aversion to taking extreme measures, as shown in the way he directly threatens Erik Hayes and later uses the commission’s powers to detain and torture Evan Green. It is initially assumed that the neurological attack might have been messing with his brain to prompt him to take drastic measures, but as Mullen successfully passes a psych test, it is proven that his desperation to get results had led him to go down that path. By the end, it is either Mullen’s personal ethics or perhaps another attack by Proteus that results in him revealing the truth behind the perpetrators of the Zero Day attack—and in the process, he loses any chance of winning his family back.
Although there is a chance that, in the future, Mullen will own up to his role in the life of Valerie, his former chief of staff with whom he fathered a daughter, Lily.
Alexandra Mullen Played By Lizzy Caplan
Actor Lizzy Caplan has been a popular face on the small screen for a long time, having starred in series like Freaks and Geeks, Related, Smallville, True Blood, Masters of Sex, and Castle Rock, to name a few. In the series, she plays the role of Congresswoman Alexandra Mullen, daughter of former President George Mullen. Alex’s staunch liberal perspective as a new-generation politician makes her directly clash with her father time and again, who she believes upholds the old-school status quo, serving the top 1%. She sees the system as decrepit and is easily swayed by the radical thought proposed by the cunning Richard Dreyer of wrecking it through the terror attack to rebuild it anew. Ironically enough, in doing so, Alex and the conspirators end up hurting the downtrodden the most, whom she claims to be serving in the first place. On the other hand, her father acknowledges the vulnerabilities and shortcomings of the system and tries to improve it from within. Given how gullible Alex is, she is nowhere near as good a politician as her father. Unknowingly, Alex herself is the reason behind the death of her lover, Roger Carlson.
Roger Carlson Played By Jesse Plemons
Jesse Plemons is such a solid actor that any project he works on automatically draws viewers. After rising to prominence by playing the psychopathic Todd Alquist in Breaking Bad, he has starred in significant roles in movies like Judas and the Black Messiah, Game Night, The Irishman, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Power of the Dog, etc. In the series, he portrayed the role of Roger Carlson, former aide to George Mullen and a disgraced intelligence operative with a chip on his shoulder. Amid a plethora of grey characters, Roger is especially intriguing, a complex figure as he is shown to find himself in a moral dilemma, either remaining loyal to George or committing to his darker side, which drove him to take several murky decisions. Roger shares a good relationship with George and his family, which makes it impossible for him to betray their trust even when his life and career are on the line.
Sheila Mullen Played By Joan Allen
Veteran actor Joan Allen has a prolific career on Broadway and has received immense acclaim for her silver screen roles in movies like The Contender, Nixon, The Crucible to name a few. In the series, she plays George’s ex-wife, Sheila Mullen, a soon-to-be federal judge who knows her husband’s shortcomings and, despite that, acts protective and caring towards him. Despite knowing about his affair with Valerie, Sheila prioritizes George’s well-being, as she entrusts Valerie with his protection. In a memorable sequence from the series, Sheila defends George after being summoned for a hearing by Dreyer, which further showcases that falling out of love with her husband has not changed Sheila as a person, who still cares for him. Sheila cares for George’s reputation, to protect which she is prepared to compromise—and expects the same from him as she asks George to not let Alex’s role in the conspiracy become public. Motherly love or not, Sheila’s willingness to cover up something so troubling makes her a morally compromised character like everyone else in the series.
Valerie Whitesell Played By Connie Britton
Actor Connie Britton rose to prominence with her role as Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights, and since then she has acted in several significant small screen ventures like American Horror Story, American Crime Story, Dirty John, The White Lotus, etc. In the series, she plays the role of George’s former Chief of Staff, Valerie Whitesell, and despite retiring from her job to retreat to her family life, she returns to assist George, adhering to Sheila’s request. Despite having somewhat limited screen time, Connie Britton’s measured, nuanced performance as Valerie leaves quite a mark in the context of the narrative.
President Evelyn Mitchell Played By Angela Bassett
Renowned actor Angela Bassett has starred in multiple acclaimed movies like Boyz n the Hood, Malcolm X, and Music of the Heart—and in recent years, her portrayal of Wakandan Queen Ramonda in the MCU’s Black Panther franchise received praise from fans and critics alike. In Zero Day, she plays the role of President Evelyn Mitchell, a politician as concerned about the security of the nation as she is about returning in her second term in the Oval Office. President Mitchell’s repartee with former President Mullen is especially enjoyable, and Angela Bassett shines in every scene her character appears in on screen.
Evan Green Played By Dan Stevens
Actor Dan Stevens gained acclaim for his lead role as David Haller in FX’s Marvel series, Legion, and has since starred in movies like Beauty and the Beast, The Man Who Invented Christmas, etc. In the series, he plays the role of sensationalist political podcaster Evan Green, who pretends to be an ally of the common man while actually being a selfish jerk who comes from wealth.
Richard Dreyer Played By Matthew Modine
A dependable veteran actor, Matthew Modine played key roles in movies like Full Metal Jacket, Streamers, Vision Quest, The Dark Knight Rises, and Oppenheimer, to name a few. His role as a manipulative, shrewd, power-hungry politician, Richard Dreyer, is one of the highlights of the series.
Miscellaneous Characters
Aside from the main players of the series, the supporting cast is also composed of several heavyweight actors, who did a tremendous job with the brief screen time they were given. Actor Clark Gregg portrayed the role of Robert Lyndon, the shady hedge fund guy who orchestrated the Zero Day event and the murder of Roger Carlson. Actor Gabby Hoffman played Monica Kidder, a Silicon Valley CEO who is a co-conspirator of the cyberattack. Actor Bill Camp played the role of CIA Director Lasch, who is hinted to share a terse relationship with George Mullen but shares a common goal of ensuring the security of the nation.
