Chernobyl (TV) Cast
The cast of Chernobyl. Updated on August 17, 2025.
89 actors
Jared Harris
as Valery Legasov (5 episodes)

Jared Harris portrays Valery Legasov, a prominent Soviet nuclear physicist and the main protagonist of the series. Legasov is appointed to lead the investigation into the Chernobyl disaster and becomes instrumental in understanding the severity of the situation.

Stellan Skarsgård
as Boris Shcherbina (5 episodes)

Stellan Skarsgård plays the character of Boris Shcherbina, a high-ranking Soviet government official. Shcherbina is assigned to oversee the handling of the Chernobyl crisis and is initially skeptical about the severity of the disaster.

Emily Watson
as Ulana Khomyuk (5 episodes)

Emily Watson portrays Ulana Khomyuk, a nuclear physicist from Belarus. Khomyuk investigates the causes behind the Chernobyl disaster and tirelessly works to uncover the truth and expose those responsible.

Paul Ritter
as Anatoly Dyatlov (5 episodes)

Paul Ritter plays the character of Anatoly Dyatlov, the deputy chief engineer of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Dyatlov's misguided decisions and ignorance contribute to the disaster, and he becomes a central figure in the investigation.

Jessie Buckley
as Lyudmilla Ignatenko (5 episodes)

Jessie Buckley portrays Lyudmilla Ignatenko, the wife of firefighter Vasily Ignatenko. Lyudmilla witnesses the immediate aftermath of the Chernobyl explosion and endures the tragic consequences of the radiation exposure.

Adam Nagaitis
as Vasily Ignatenko (5 episodes)

Adam Nagaitis plays the character of Vasily Ignatenko, a firefighter who responds to the initial fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Ignatenko experiences severe radiation exposure and suffers the devastating effects of the disaster.

Sam Troughton
as Alexandr Akimov (5 episodes)

Sam Troughton portrays Alexandr Akimov, the shift supervisor on duty at the time of the explosion. Akimov grapples with the immediate aftermath of the disaster and the subsequent attempts to mitigate its effects.

Robert Emms
as Leonid Toptunov (5 episodes)

Robert Emms plays the character of Leonid Toptunov, a young and inexperienced operator at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Toptunov's actions prior to the explosion contribute to the disaster and its catastrophic consequences.

Con O'Neill
as Viktor Bryukhanov (5 episodes)
Adrian Rawlins
as Nikolai Fomin (5 episodes)
Alan Williams
as KGB Chairman Charkov (5 episodes)
David Dencik
as Mikhail Gorbachev (5 episodes)
Mark Lewis Jones
as General Pikalov (5 episodes)
Ralph Ineson
as General Tarakanov (5 episodes)
Barry Keoghan
as Pavel (5 episodes)
Alex Ferns
as Glukhov (5 episodes)
Fares Fares
as Bacho (5 episodes)
Michael McElhatton
as Prosecutor Andrei Stepashin (5 episodes)
Sam Strike
as Misha (1 episode)
Sammy Hayman
as Titenok (1 episode)
Matas Dirgincius
as Vladimir Tishchura (1 episode)
Caolan Byrne
as Day Shift Worker (1 episode)
Stephen Bisland
as Night Shift Worker (1 episode)
Alex Blake
as Petrovich (1 episode)
Matthew Needham
as Dmitri (1 episode)
Rosie Sheehy
as Nurse Pripyat (1 episode)
Tomas Žaibus
as Soldier (Hospital) (1 episode)
Ron Cook
as Old Maternity Doctor (2 episodes)
Peter Guinness
as Major Burov (1 episode)
Laurence Spellman
as Commission Heli Pilot (1 episode)
Alison Pargeter
as BCP HQ Aide Female (1 episode)
Victor McGuire
as Garanin (1 episode)
Sakalas Uždavinys
as Ilya Ivanovich Chulkov (1 episode)
Aidas Jurgaitis
as Soldier (Shelter) (1 episode)
Aiste S. Gram
as Bartender in Polyissa Hotel (1 episode)
Daniel Crossley
as Stasiuk (1 episode)
Lucy Russell
as Marina Gruzinskaya (1 episode)
Donald Sumpter
as Zharkov (2 episodes)
Diarmaid Murtagh
as Zukauskas (1 episode)
Natasha Radski
as Russian News Reader (1 episode)
Yitzchak Averbuch
as General (1 episode)
Joe Tucker
as Plant Employee (1 episode)
Caoilfhionn Dunne
as Yenina (1 episode)
Philip Barantini
as Bezpalov (2 episodes)
Oscar Dyekjær Giese
as Baranov (2 episodes)
Baltasar Breki Samper
as Ananenko (2 episodes)
Pandora Colin
as Dr. Vetrova (1 episode)
Gerard Kearns
as Pravik (2 episodes)
Povilas Jatkevičius
as Kibenok (2 episodes)
Rachel Atkins
as Niyazova (1 episode)
Darius Petkevičius
as Local Husband (2 episodes)
James Cosmo
as Miner (1 episode)
Arnas Danusas
as Soldier (Miner's Bus) (1 episode)
Michael Colgan
as Mikhail Shadov (1 episode)
James Kermack
as Miner (1 episode)
Karolis Vilkas
as Miner (1 episode)
June Watson
as Old Woman Babushka (1 episode)
Amanda Drew
as Kremlin Aide Female (2 episodes)
Josef Altin
as Soldier (1 episode)
Sergejus Ivanovas
as Survey Soldier (1 episode)
Alexej Manvelov
as Garo (1 episode)
Josef Davies
as Janek (1 episode)
Velta Žygurė
as Elderly Librarian (1 episode)
Paulius Cizinauskas
as KGB Agent Library (1 episode)
Mark Bagnall
as Jughashvili (Robot Operator) (1 episode)
Ian Pirie
as Site Officer Masha (1 episode)
Andrew Sheridan
as Biorobot (1 episode)
Lukas Malinauskas
as Biorobot Soldier (1 episode)
Marius Karolis Gotbergas
as Biorobot Soldier (1 episode)
Michael Socha
as Mikhail (3 episodes)
Jamie Sives
as Sitnikov (2 episodes)
Douggie McMeekin
as Yuvchenko (2 episodes)
Simonas Dovidauskas
as KGB Driver (1 episode)
Hilton McRae
as Judge Milan Kadnikov (1 episode)
Kieran O'Brien
as Khodemchuck (1 episode)
Cait Davis
as Local Wife at Bar (2 episodes)
Michael Shaeffer
as Blond Man (2 episodes)
Šarūnas Datenis
as Soldier (Reactor Site) (1 episode)
Karl Davies
as Viktor Proskuryakov (3 episodes)
Adam Lundgren
as Brazhnik (2 episodes)
Billy Postlethwaite
as Boris Stolyarchuk (2 episodes)
Jay Simpson
as Perevozchenko (2 episodes)
Ross Armstrong
as Nikolai Gorbachenko (2 episodes)
Paulius Markevičius
as Aleksandr Kudryavstev (2 episodes)
Joshua Leese
as Kirschenbaum (2 episodes)
Deividas Breive
as Soldier (Mobile Office) (1 episode)
Karolis Kasperavičius
as Viktor Degtaryenko (2 episodes)
Jan Ricica
as Oksana's Kid (3 episodes)
Deividas Breivė
as Soldier (Mobile Office) (1 episode)
For the best insights and data about the TV show Chernobyl, visit our main Chernobyl page.