The Coming Home in the Dark cast features Daniel Gillies, Erik Thomson and Miriama McDowell. This info article contains minor spoilers and character details for James Ashcroft’s 2021 movie. Check out more streaming guides in Vague Visages’ Know the Cast section.

Coming Home in the Dark follows a Kiwi couple who vacations with their two children. During a stop, they are confronted by two violent men with an axe to grind. When Hoaggie, a teacher, refuses to acknowledge certain truths about himself, he’s taken on a road trip to Hakawai Point and forced to confront the past. Here’s every main performer and character in Coming Home in the Dark, an adaptation of a 1995 short story by Owen Marshall.

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Senior Year’

Coming Home in the Dark Cast: Daniel Gillies as Mandrake

Character Profile: A New Zealand drifter. He encounters a vacationing family and shoots two boys. Mandrake seeks revenge against a former teacher who helped cover up the physical and emotional abuse of teenage students.

Gillies’ Resume: John Jameson in Spider-Man 2 (2004), Elijah Mikaelson in The Vampire Diaries (2010-14), Dr. Joel Goran in Saving Hope (2012-15), Elijah Mikaelson in The Originals (2013-18), Mark Monroe in Virgin River (2019-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Along for the Ride’

Coming Home in the Dark Cast: Erik Thomson as Hoaggie

Character Profile: An academic who vacations with his wife and two sons. When confronted by Mandrake, he admits to witnessing “locker treatments” decades prior at a school in Hakawai Point. Hoaggie, whose real name is Alan, is forced to acknowledge the long-term consequences of his actions.

Thomson’s Resume: Mitch Stevens in All Saints (1999-2003), Richard in Somersault (2004), Simon Mollison in The Black Balloon (2008), Dave Rafter in Packed to the Rafters (2008-13), George Turner in 800 Words (2015-18)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘The Valet’

Coming Home in the Dark Cast: Miriama McDowell as Jill

Character Profile: Hoaggie’s wife. She naturally defends her husband but doesn’t know about his secrets from the past. Jill tries to escape from a moving vehicle.

McDowell’s Resume: Hibiscus in Naming Number Two (2006), Jessica Wilmot in This Is Not My Life (2010), Elizabeth Partridge in Find Me a Maori Bride (2015-17), Bunny in The Great Maiden’s Blush (2016), Renee O’Kane in Head High (2020-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘The Perfect Family’

Coming Home in the Dark Cast: Matthias Luafutu as Tubs

Character Profile: Mandrake’s friend. He suffered abuse from teachers in Hakawai Point. Tubs makes a couple shocking decisions that theoretically allow him to move on from the past.

Luafutu’s Resume: Red in Shopping (2013), Afa Sorrenson in Harry (2013), Thick Built Yakuza in Ghost in the Shell (2017), Udai Taxim in Cowboy Bebop (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘A Perfect Pairing’

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The Coming Home in the Dark cast also includes Billy Paratene (feature debut), Frankie Paratene (feature debut), Desray Armstrong (feature debut), Alan Palmer (feature debut) and Bailey Cowan (feature debut).

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor.