The Waterfront creator Kevin Williamson has one rule: “I always write about what I know.”
The prolific screenwriter’s breakout TV hit, Dawson’s Creek “was me growing up in a small town on the creek in North Carolina,” he tells Tudum. Williamson’s beloved drama The Vampire Diaries was inspired by his childhood passion for Dark Shadows. The Waterfront — with its cast of North Carolina fisherman, small business owners, dysfunctional family members, and villains — is his most personal work yet.
“It’s a little more adult Kevin. It’s me looking back on my life growing up. It’s reflection, it’s nostalgic, it’s a little bit of a memory piece,” he explains. “But it’s also set in today’s world, it’s current, and it’s a story about a broken family trying to fix themselves and not really knowing how.”
The brash Buckleys are that central broken family. At the head of the table is Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany), a man with a dangerous past who is willing to do anything to protect his failing fishery in the fictional town of Havenport. Then there’s Harlan’s wife Belle (Maria Bello), daughter Bree (Melissa Benoist), and son Cane (Jake Weary), along with their various love interests, exes, and children. The Buckleys are used to ruling Havenport, and they’re ready to wade into the deep end to maintain their empire — even if that means collaborating with unsavory figures like the mysterious Grady (Topher Grace).
“To sit back, watch it, see all these performances come together, and see this wonderful cast bring it all to life has been great,” Williamson says. “I love the cast.”
As the family crime drama (premiering June 19) takes to the turbulent seas, here’s your complete guide to The Waterfront cast. Just watch your back … a storm’s coming.
The Buckleys
About the Character
Is Harlan a hero? A villain? Those who know him best would say he’s something much more complicated — and interesting.
“Harlan is very imperfect. He has a lot of flaws, but he also has a lot of good qualities,” McCallany tells Tudum. “At the end of the day, he really loves his family and is willing to do almost anything to keep them safe and to keep his little family empire going.”
But the actor admits some may still find Harlan “morally ambiguous.” He loves his whiskey and he’s been known to veer into illegal territory to build his business. Harlan has also suffered two heart attacks, resulting in him taking a step away from the family business. However, certain developments have him re-thinking that decision.
Series creator Williamson explains that finding the perfect actor to portray Harlan — who is inspired by his father — was tricky … until he met McCallany. “I had my dad in my head. I was like, ‘How do you cast Superman?’ ” he says. “What I found in Holt was his connection to the character. He’s a bit of a mystery box. You’re either going to get rugged and tough and hardcore or you’re going to get vulnerable and emotional and honest. I love those qualities.”
Watch them on Netflix
About the Character
Belle is a complex woman who is running the fishery in questionable ways. But her ultimate goal is to save her family. As desperation and foolish decision-making mount, something has to change in the way the Buckleys do business.
Williamson describes Belle as “a survivor,” saying, “I love her tenacity. When everyone else has been knocked down, she’ll still be standing. I think that’s what you need at the core of your family.”
Belle’s unstoppable nature reminds Williamson of his own mother. “A lot of families have that strong matriarch at the center that keeps everything floating,” he says. “Mine kept everything going. I got to school and graduated college because of the fire she lit under my butt.”
Previously In
Bello was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in the limited series BEEF. She also received Golden Globe nominations for her roles in A History of Violence and The Cooler.
Watch them on Netflix
About the Character
Bree is the intelligent and hot-tempered Buckley daughter. She formerly oversaw the fishery’s finances, but her demons continue to threaten her bright future (and have put her on the outs at work). After losing custody of her son Diller (Brady Hepner), she struggles to keep a relationship with him while maintaining her sobriety.
Like her dad, Bree can be “flawed,” Benoist tells Tudum. “She’s reactive. She doesn’t always necessarily think everything through,” she continues. “She’s impulsive, but she’s incredibly loyal. She has so much love to give and she’s so desperate to be loved and to belong.”
Previously In
Benoist donned the iconic cape to play the titular Kryptonian in Supergirl. She also lent her voice to Masters of the Universe: Revolution and starred in The Girls on the Bus.
Watch them on Netflix
About the Character
Meet the younger Buckley sibling. As co-workers and family, Harlan and Cane have a complicated relationship. Still, Cane never stops trying to impress his dad — and also can’t seem to say no to him. Emotions always run high between the Buckley men.
“Cane is raw. He wears his heart on his sleeve,” Weary tells Tudum. “He’s complicated. But he’s also so sweet and charismatic.”
Cane’s charms come in handy at the fishery, where he finds himself at the center of the business. He likes the money it brings him, even if it’s a Band-Aid for the life he got … Instead of the one he wanted.
Previously In
Weary co-starred in crime drama Animal Kingdom. He also appeared in The Walking Dead: Dead City and Trigger Warning. The actor says The Waterfront gave him the opportunity to explore something totally new.
“I’m so used to playing more introverted or brooding characters who are a little more inward,” he says. “Cane is someone that is pretty outspoken and admits his flaws.”
Watch them on Netflix
Danielle Campbell
as Peyton
About the Character
A proper Southern woman and former debutante, Peyton is built to sparkle. She’s Cane’s wife and the mother of their 8-year-old daughter. Peyton loves her husband and understands his complex relationship with his dad.
“Peyton is who I want to be when I grow up,” Campbell tells Tudum with a laugh. “She’s fantastic in a crisis. She knows so much more than she lets on.” The actor explains that Peyton is “clocking” everything happening around her — but “she’s storing it and ready to use it at a later date.”
Previously In
Campbell previously worked with The Waterfront creator Williamson on anthology thriller Tell Me a Story. She also starred in The Originals, a spin-off of Williamson’s The Vampire Diaries. “I’m so honored by the trust that he’s put in me to play such different characters — especially since he gives women such a powerful voice,” Campbell says.
About the Character
- Brady is Bree’s son, who now lives with her ex-husband. Diller is a resentful teenager, a product of having a mother with severe substance abuse issues. Although Bree is looking to mend their relationship, Diller treats her with hostility. Instead, he turns to his grandfather Harlan, whom he idolizes.
Previously In
Hepner appeared in Oscar darling The Holdovers.
The locals
About the Character
A newly employed bartender for the Buckleys, Shawn is intrigued by the family. Yet, he carries a secret that could upend them forever.
“He is audacious,” Silva tells Tudum proudly of his character. “Shawn is a man of action. He has this big heart — but he does not back down.”
Previously In
Silva starred in first responder drama 9-1-1: Lone Star.
Humberly Gonzalez
as Jenna
About the Character
Jenna is a journalist who leaves the big city behind to tend to her ailing father. Returning to her hometown, she’s confronted with past relationships, including her high school sweetheart, Cane. Does this married man still hold a flame for his ex?
“There’s a lot of old emotional wounds that are resurfacing for Jenna,” González explains to Tudum. “She’s a good person who finds herself in really tricky scenarios. She’s lonely. What happens when you run into the person you really thought was going to be your person?”
Previously In
Gonzalez has appeared in all three seasons of Ginny & Georgia as high schooler Sophie Sanchez. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity of being on Ginny & Georgia for the last five years,” Gonzalez says. “It feels like a graduation to be doing The Waterfront. I was ready for something new to sink my teeth into and show my depth as an actor.”
Watch them on Netflix
About the Character
Wes is a local business man who would love to collaborate with the Buckleys. But is that all he wants?
Previously In
Annable co-starred in family drama Brothers & Sisters. You can also find him in What/If.
Watch them on Netflix
The baddie
About the Character
This wealthy newcomer to Havenport is ready to shake things up for the Buckleys. “There’s nothing Grady won’t do,” Grace warns Tudum. “But on top of it, he’s also very polished and very well-educated.”
Williamson wrote Grady with Grace in mind. “I was hoping that he would say yes when he read the scripts. And he did!” the creator says. “Nothing pleases me more than to take a lovable, funny actor and turn them into a psychopath.”
Unbeknownst to Williamson, Grace had been a fan of his work since Scream thrilled audiences in 1996. So the actor was delighted to play Grady. “It’s always more fun to play the bad guy anyway,” Grace says. “And Grady is just such a delicious, interesting bad guy.”
Watch them on Netflix
The law
Michael Gaston
as Sheriff Porter
About the Character
Havenport’s top law man has a long history with Harlan. “They grew up together,” Williamson explains. Although these two were friends, they also had major differences. “Harlan grew up on the big house on the beach. Porter has always had a chip on his shoulder about not having enough.”
Previously In
You can find Gaston in Irreplaceable You. He also appeared in The Leftovers, Daredevil: Born Again, and Bridge of Spies.
Watch them on Netflix
Gerardo Celasco
as DEA Agent Sanchez
About the Character
When a freak incident draws DEA attention to Havenport, Agent Sanchez blows into town like a hurricane.
Previously In
Celasco charmed the doctors of Pulse as police officer Cam Fuentes. He also co-starred in Devil in Ohio.
Watch them on Netflix
Additional reporting by Chancellor Agard.
Fool Me Once, Mindhunter, and Other Twisted Crime Dramas to Stream Now
