The Lady in the Lake cast features Natalie Portman, Moses Ingram and Y’lan Noel. This info article contains minor spoilers and character details for Alma Har’el’s 2024 Apple TV+ miniseries. Check out more streaming guides in Vague Visages’ Know the Cast category.

Lady in the Lake is set in 1960s Baltimore. After the murder of an 11-year-girl, a Jewish woman named Maddie investigates the crime. The narrative follows the main protagonist as she gets mixed up with gangsters, cops and underworld figures after the killing of Black bartender. Here’s every actor and character in Lady in the Lake, an adaptation of Laura Lippman’s 2019 novel.

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Presumed Innocent’

Lady in the Lake Cast: Natalie Portman as Maddie Schwartz

Character Profile: A Jewish woman from Baltimore (Pikesville). She is a former journalist who feels tired of being a housewife. Maddie separates from her husband while investigating two murders.

Portman’s Resume: Queen Amidala/Padmé in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Alice in Closer(2004), Evey in V for Vendetta (2005), Nina Sayers/The Swan Queen in Black Swan (2010), Jane Foster in the MCU (2011-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Land of Women’

Lady in the Lake Cast: Moses Ingram as Cleo Johnson

Character Profile: The narrator. She is a murder victim who dies after pushing a political agenda for Baltimore’s Black residents. Cleo works as a bartender for a powerful underworld figure before her death.

Ingram’s Resume: Jolene in The Queen’s Gambit (2020), Audre Robinson in The Same Storm (2021), Lady Macduff in The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021), Amy Sharp in Ambulance (2022), Reva Sevander in Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

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

Lady in the Lake Cast: Y’lan Noel as Ferdie Platt

Character Profile: A Baltimore police officer. He secretly hooks up with Maddie. Ferdie theorizes about “lesbian sex crime” after spotting Portman’s protagonist with a young woman near a corpse.

Noel’s Resume: Daniel King in Insecure (2016-18), Dmitri in The First Purge (2018), Aubrey in The Weekend (2018), Young Isaac Jefferson in The Photograph (2020), James in A Lot of Nothing (2022)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Dark Matter’

Lady in the Lake Cast: Brett Gelman as Milton

Character Profile: Maddie’s husband. He is a Jewish lawyer. Milton worries about Maddie’s motivations as she investigates the murder of a young girl.

Gelman’s Resume: Hal in The Other Guys (2010), Martin in Fleabag (2016-19), Isaac in Lemon (2017), Murray Bauman in Stranger Things (2017-), Magic Myc in Inside Job (2021-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Franklin’

Lady in the Lake Cast: Byron Bowers as Slappy

Character Profile: Cleo’s husband. He is a comedian who hangs out at bars for material. Slappy gets mixed up with Cleo’s gangster boss.

Bowers’ Resume: Meldrick in The Chi (2018), Percy in Honey Boy (2019), Maurice in No Sudden Move (2021), Nelson in 10-Year-Old Tom (2021), Terry in Kimi (2022)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Sugar’

Lady in the Lake Cast: Noah Jupe as Seth Schwartz

Character Profile: Maddie and Milton’s son. He is a brooding young man who tries to deal with his parents’ broken relationship.

Jupe’s Resume: Marcus Abbott in A Quiet Place (2018), Otis (12) in Honey Boy (2019), Peter Miles in Ford v Ferrari (2019), Henry Fraser in The Undoing (2020), Temple Franklin in Franklin (2024)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Palm Royale’

Lady in the Lake Cast: Josiah Cross as Reggie Robinson

Character Profile: Cleo’s colleague. He is a hustler who colludes with a Baltimore cop.

Cross’ Resume: TD in King Richard (2021), Terry 17 Years Old in A Thousand and One (2023), Lt. Richard D. Macon in Masters of the Air (2024)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Manhunt’

Lady in the Lake Cast: Mikey Madison as Judith Weinstein

Character Profile: The daughter of a Baltimore jeweler. She is a stoner and a fan of the writer Anaïs Nin. Judith befriends Maddie when she separates from her husband.

Madison’s Resume: Max in Better Things (2016-), Alexandra Floyd in Monster (2018), Sadie in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), Candi the Barista in The Addams Family (2019), Amber Freeman in Scream (2022)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Constellation’

Lady in the Lake Cast: Pruitt Taylor Vince as Bob Bauer

Character Profile: A Baltimore journalist. He visits Maddie after receiving a tip about a possible lesbian sex crime.

Vince’s Resume: Det. Deimos in Angel Heart (1987), Lester Cowens in Mississippi Burning (1988), Malcolm Rivers in Identity (2003), Father Hennessy in Constantine (2005), Finn in True Blood (2013)

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

The Lady in the Lake cast also includes:

• Wood Harris as Shell Gordon
• Tyrik Johnson as Teddy
• Samir Royal as Lionel Johnson
• Dylan Arnold as Stephan Zawadzkie
• Jennifer Mogbock as Dora Carter
• Bianca Belle as Tessie Durst
• Charlie Hofheimer as Wallace White
• Veralyn Jones as Merva
• Angela Robinson as Myrtle Summer
• Roby Attal as Morrie
• David Corenswet as Allan Durst
• Ronnie Gene Blevins as Officer Bosco
• Selema Masekela as Cedrick
• Mindy Goldberg as Tattie Morgenstern
• Bear Jackson as Isaiah Towns
• Benjamin Sheeler as Old Charlie
• Michael Franklin as Hubby

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