The cast of Netflix's The Bubble portrays a group of actors and filmmakers making the fictional Cliff Beasts 6, with a few celebrity cameos featured.
WARNING: Spoilers ahead for The Bubble.
Netflix’s The Bubble recruits a cast of comedy, action, and long-time Hollywood actors to portray the meta films' characters, which also includes celebrity cameos by major franchise stars. Directed by Judd Apatow, The Bubble brings back frequent Apatow collaborators while also featuring a cast of franchise veterans. As The Bubble follows the movie-within-a-movie trope, audiences have to keep track of the real-life actors, which characters they play, which characters their characters play, and all of the major cameos in-between.
Following Netflix’s comedic meta-commentary on the response to COVID, politics, and climate change with Don’t Look Up, the streaming service recruited The King of Staten Island’s Judd Apatow to helm a comedy mocking franchises, the hierarchies of filmmaking, and the new set challenges presented for film production amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. After Netflix originally released a trailer for Cliff Beasts 6, confusing viewers as to what happened to the prior five installments, it was revealed that the mock trailer was for the fictional film that The Bubble’s characters would be making in the 2022 comedy.
Just as The Bubble’s real-life cast had to follow strict COVID protocols in making Netflix’s 2022 film, the movie-within-a-movie’s cast was bound by the same procedures. As such, it’s not surprising that several characters are only seen in the movie via video chatting, or that some scenes feature only a few of The Bubble’s characters together after needing to quarantine on set. Here’s a breakdown of the cast of Netflix’s The Bubble, their characters, and the exciting celebrity cameos along the way.
Karen Gillan plays Carol Cobb, who plays Cliff Beasts 6's Dr. Lacy. She is ostracized by the cast for not returning for Cliff Beasts 5—a riff on the Jurassic Park franchise. After starring in the failed film Jerusalem Rising, Carol returned to revive her career, only to feel completely trapped in The Bubble’s production. Gillan is best known for her role as Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and for playing The Doctor's beloved companion Amy Pond in Doctor Who.
Sean Knox, played in real life by Keegan-Michael Key, is a frequent star of the Cliff Beasts franchise, who is also a member of a religious cult known as “Harmony Unite.” Sean revealed that he wouldn’t return for Cliff Beasts 6 unless he was allowed to fly a helicopter by himself in the film. Key is best known for starring in Key & Peele, Keanu, Let’s Be Cops, Schmigadoon!, and Netflix’s Friends From College.
Pedro Pascal stars in The Bubble as Dieter, an actor new to the Cliff Beasts franchise who plays a character with an ambiguous accent. Dieter is known for getting high, flirting with those inside the production bubble, and joining in on the TikTok dances with the cast. Pascal is known for starring in The Mandalorian, Narcos, Wonder Woman 1984, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and Game of Thrones.
Lauren is The Bubble’s actress who has appeared in all Cliff Beasts movies as the prominent southern character. Along with spending her time rollerblading and preparing for her lines in Cliff Beasts 6, Lauren is frequently seen fighting or reconciling with her ex-husband, Dustin, who also stars in the franchise. Leslie Mann is well-known for her comedy roles – including those directed by her husband Judd Apatow – in movies like Blockers, 2012's This Is 40, Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and The Other Woman.
Dustin is the leading man of the Cliff Beasts franchise, who calls himself the “guardian of the franchise” after trying to rewrite the new script. Dustin is also the off-and-on love interest and ex-husband of his co-star Lauren, who share a 16-year-old son they recently adopted. The Bubble’s character is played by David Duchovny, who is best known for his roles in The X-Files, Californication, and Red Shoe Diaries.
Iris Apatow plays Krystal Kris, a TikTok star recruited for a new role in Cliff Beasts 6 in order to reach younger audiences. Krystal has never acted before, so she spends most of her time hanging out with the stunt coordinator’s daughter and making TikTok dances. Apatow is the daughter of Mann and director Judd Apatow as well as the younger sister of Euphoria's Maude Apatow, having previously appeared in the TV show Love and her dad’s films Knocked Up, Funny People, and This Is 40.
Fred Armisen's Darren Eigan is Cliff Beast 6’s new director who frequently brags about his past film having won at Sundance. The Bubble’s character is excited to helm the new franchise installment, but finds resistance from the veteran cast members. Armisen is known for his comedy career on Saturday Night Live, Portlandia, Netflix's Big Mouth, and Schmigadoon!
Harry Trevaldwyn as Gunther: Cliff Beast 6’s health officer who is responsible for ensuring COVID-19 protocols on set. Trevaldwyn ‘s only prior acting credit is in Netflix’s The King as Dartmouth.
Peter Serafinowicz as Gavin: The producer of Cliff Beasts 6 who is frequently presented with issues involving the cast’s worries about the film and production bubble. Serafinowicz is well-known for his roles in Guardians of the Galaxy, John Wick: Chapter 2, Spy, and Shaun of the Dead.
Maria Bakalova as Anika: The Bubble’s hotel employee who has a particularly flirtatious relationship with Dieter. Bakalova is best known for her breakout role in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm as Tutar.
Guz Khan as Howie: The London-based actor portraying Jarrar in the Cliff Beasts franchise who decides to quit after the demands of the production bubble. Khan is known for his roles in Our Flag Means Death, the Four Weddings and a Funeral TV show, and Netflix's Army of Thieves.
Nick Kocher as Scott: The EPK guy for Cliff Beasts 6, who frequently bothers the cast while getting behind-the-scenes promotional content. Alongside writing for Saturday Night Live, Kocher has appeared in How I Met Your Mother, Next Time on Lonnie, and The Morning After.
Kate McKinnon as Paula: The studio executive who frequently calls Gavin from lavish vacation spots and refuses to allow him to shut down production of Cliff Beasts 6. McKinnon is best known for her work on Saturday Night Live, 2016’s Ghostbusters, Joe vs. Carol, and Bombshell.
Samson Kayo as Bola: The “wellness specialist” for Cliff Beasts 6, who is responsible for the mental and physical care of the franchise film’s cast. Kayo is known for appearing in TV shows like HBO Max's Our Flag Means Death, Bloods, Timewasters, and Truth Seekers.
Danielle Vitalis as Pippa: The production coordinator for Cliff Beasts 6. Vitalis’ previous films and shows include I May Destroy You, Youngers, and Attack the Block.
Chris Witaske as Chris: Carol’s boyfriend who refuses to travel with her to London because he fears catching COVID-19. Witaske has also been seen in Lady Bird, What Men Want, and the TV show Love.
Vir Das as Ronjon: The employee of the hotel where the Cliff Beasts 6 cast and crew are staying for their “bubble.” Das’ acting credits include roles in Fresh Off the Boat, Whiskey Cavalier, and Mumbai Calling.
Galen Hopper as Carla: The so-called daughter of Cliff Beast 6’s stunt coordinator who befriends Krystal on set. Netflix’s The Bubble is Hopper’s debut acting role.
Raphael Acloque as Zaki: The football player staying in the hotel who has an affair with Carol. Acloque has been seen in Allied as Renoir, Hulu's The Great as Ambassador Sunduk, and The 355 as Abdel.
Ross Lee as Mr. Best: The new head of security for Cliff Beasts 6 who essentially traps all the cast members on the set. The British comedian previously appeared in Chute! and The Prankers.
Rob Delaney as Marti: The agent of Carol who convinces her to take the Cliff Beasts 6 role after her film Jerusalem Rising bombed. Delaney is known for his roles in Catastrophe, Deadpool 2, Home Sweet Home Alone, and Bombshell.
John Cena as Steve: The father of Carla and stunt coordinator for Cliff Beasts 6 who must advise the cast on stunts via FaceTime after a COVID scare. Coming to fame for his wrestling career, John Cena is now notable for his comedy and action roles in projects like Peacemaker, The Suicide Squad, Blockers, Trainwreck, and F9.
Daisy Ridley as Kate: The virtual athletic trainer who Dieter fantasizes about while getting high in his room. Best-known for starring as Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Ridley has also been seen in Murder on the Orient Express and Peter Rabbit.
Beck as Himself: The singer makes a cameo as himself performing “Ladies Night” for the cast after production nearly gets shut down, with his video chat being projected onto the building.
John Lithgow as Tom: The studio chairman who Zooms the crew about refusing to shut down production, revealing himself to be calling from a vacation at the beach. Lithgow is known for his accomplished career in projects like the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, Footloose, Dexter, Terms of Endearment, and Apatow’s own This Is 40.
James McAvoy as Himself: The well-known actor appears as himself at the end of The Bubble as he chases down Carol on set, who was attempting to run away from the trap of the Cliff Beasts 6 production. McAvoy is notable for his roles in the X-Men film series, M. Night Shyamalan’s Split, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Atonement.
