Animal Kingdom is an American drama television series developed by Jonathan Lisco. It is based on the 2010 Australian film of the same name by David Michôd. The series centers on Joshua "J" Cody who, after the death of his mother when he was 17 years old, moves in with his estranged relatives, the Codys, who run a criminal family enterprise set in Oceanside, California that is governed by the respected matriarch, Janine "Smurf" Cody.
The Codys partake in numerous criminal activities and pull off various heists to make money. These jobs are undertaken by J's uncles: Barry "Baz" Blackwell, Smurf's adopted son who calls the shots; Andrew "Pope" Cody, the oldest and most dangerous of Smurf's sons; Craig Cody, the tough and fearless middle son; and Deran Cody, the troubled and suspicious youngest son. Associates of the Cody family include Catherine Belen, Baz's girlfriend and mother of their daughter; Nicky Belmont, J's girlfriend and fellow high school student; Lucy, Baz's mistress from Mexico; and Mia Benitez, a young gang member.
A younger Smurf, who is a member of a crew of career criminals while establishing her future criminal enterprise, is also depicted in the years 1977, 1984, 1992 and 1999. Members of her crew include Jake Dunmore, her on-again/off-again boyfriend; Manny, the leader of her crew, and later her children; teenagers Andrew and Baz, and her only daughter, Julia Cody.
Cast Main cast The following is a list of cast members who have been credited as series regulars and appeared in one or more of the series' six seasons. They are listed in the order of their first appearance and follow the order that they were first credited in the series. Several characters are also portrayed by multiple actors due to the occurrence of flashback sequences.
Key = Main cast (actor receives "Starring" credit that season) = Recurring cast (actor appears in three or more episodes that season) = Guest cast (actor appears in only one or two episodes that season)
Actor Character First episode Final episode Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ellen Barkin Janine "Smurf" Cody 1.01 4.12 colspan="4" colspan="2" Rimea Kasprzak 1.05 1.10 colspan="5" Leila George 4.01 6.13 colspan="3" colspan="2" Scott Speedman Barry "Baz" Blackwell 1.01 6.11 colspan="3" colspan="2" Reeve Baker 5.11 – colspan="4" Darren Mann 6.01 6.13 colspan="5" Shawn Hatosy Andrew "Pope" Cody 1.01 6.13 colspan="6" Houston Towe 5.01 5.13 colspan="4" colspan="4" Kevin Csolak 6.01 6.13 colspan="5" Ben Robson Craig Cody 1.01 6.13 colspan="6" Oz Kalvan 6.01 6.12 colspan="5" Jack Michael Doke 6.13 – colspan="5" Jake Weary Deran Cody 1.01 6.13 colspan="6" Cyrus Blomberg 6.01 6.12 colspan="5" Dexter Hobert 6.13 – colspan="5" Finn Cole Joshua "J" Cody 1.01 6.13 colspan="6" Daniella Alonso Catherine Belen 1.01 1.09 colspan="5" Molly Gordon Nicky Belmont 1.01 3.06 colspan="3" colspan="3" Carolina Guerra Lucy 1.02 3.13 colspan="2" colspan="3" Sohvi Rodriguez Mia Trujillo 3.01 4.08 colspan="2" colspan="2" Jack Conley Jake Dunmore 1.07 4.13 colspan="2" Jon Beavers 4.01 5.13 colspan="3" Rigo Sanchez Manny 4.01 5.12 colspan="3"
Supporting cast The following is a list of cast members who have appeared in multiple episodes of one or more of the series' six seasons. Guest appearances have also been included where appropriate. They are listed in the order of their first appearance and follow the order that they were first credited in the series. Several characters are also portrayed by multiple actors due to the occurrence of flashback sequences.
Actor Character First episode Final episode Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 Aamya Deva Keroles Lena Blackwell 1.01 6.03 colspan="3" C. Thomas Howell Lieutenant Commander Paul Belmont 1.01 3.07 colspan="3" Spencer Treat Clark Adrian Dolan 1.02 4.13 colspan="4" colspan="2" Christina Ochoa Renn Randall 1.02 6.12 colspan="6" Ellen Wroe Alexa Anderson 1.02 1.10 colspan="5" Dorian Missick Officer Patrick Fischer 1.03 2.11 colspan="4" Michael Bowen Vin 1.03 6.05 colspan="4" Joseph Julian Soria Marco 1.03 3.11 colspan="2" colspan="3" Alvaro Martinez Carlos 1.03 3.13 colspan="3" colspan="3" Nicki Micheaux Detective Sandra Yates 1.05 1.10 colspan="5" Will Brandt Brandon Randall 1.06 6.07 colspan="4" Ray Baker Isaiah 1.07 1.10 colspan="5" Dennis Cockrum Ray Blackwell 1.08 2.11 colspan="2" colspan="4" Alex Meraz Javier "Javi" Cano 2.01 2.07 colspan="4" Jennifer Landon Amy Wheeler 2.02 6.07 colspan="2" Karina Logue Gia 2.02 6.01 Kristi Lauren 6.01 – colspan="5" Tembi Locke Monica 2.02 2.03 colspan="4" Bernardo Badillo Deek 2.03 2.07 colspan="4" Andy Favreau Mark Liston 2.06 2.08 colspan="4" Amanda Payton Dana 2.08 2.10 colspan="4" Laura San Giacomo Morgan Wilson 2.11 3.12 colspan="2" colspan="3" Jamie Renée Smith 6.02 – colspan="5" Gil Birmingham Detective Pearce 2.13 4.09 colspan="2" colspan="2" Rey Gallegos Pedro "Pete" Trujillo 3.01 5.13 colspan="2" colspan="3" Anthony Fernandez 5.09 – colspan="4" Yuly Mireles Tina Trujillo 3.01 6.10 colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="2" Cynthia Rodriguez Daniella Garcia 3.01 3.07 colspan="2" colspan="3" Tracy Perez Mercedes Alvarez 3.02 3.07 colspan="2" colspan="3" Heart Hayes Kai 3.02 3.10 colspan="2" colspan="3" Matthew Fahey Colby Bennett 3.02 4.06 colspan="2" colspan="2" Phillip Garcia Benito "Ox" Oxcama 3.02 3.09 colspan="2" colspan="3" Damon Williams Clark "Linc" Lincoln 3.03 3.10 colspan="2" colspan="3" Denis Leary Billy 3.04 6.11 colspan="2" Anthony Konechny 5.07 6.06 colspan="4" colspan="2" Dichen Lachman Frankie 3.04 5.13 colspan="2" colspan="3" Eddie Ramos Tupi 3.13 4.08 colspan="2" colspan="2" Grant Harvey Colin 4.01 4.11 colspan="3" colspan="2" Lucca De Oliveira Louis "Lou" Cano 4.01 4.10 colspan="3" colspan="2" David DeSantos Dennis Livengood 4.01 5.11 colspan="3" colspan="2" Kelli Berglund Olivia Dunn 4.01 4.10 colspan="3" colspan="2" Emily Deschanel Angela Kane 4.02 4.13 colspan="3" colspan="2" James Remar Detective Neil Andre 4.02 4.12 colspan="3" colspan="2" Vinny Chhibber Rahul 4.02 4.05 colspan="3" colspan="2" Milauna Jackson Pamela "Pam" Johnson 4.06 5.08 colspan="3" colspan="2" Charlayne Woodard 5.04 5.06 colspan="4" JaCoreyon King Phoenix Johnson 4.07 – colspan="3" colspan="2" Alimi Ballard 5.05 5.06 colspan="4" Lily Rains Jess 4.07 5.09 colspan="3" colspan="2" Chris Mulkey Jed 4.09 4.12 colspan="3" colspan="2" Joseph Morgan 4.09 4.12 colspan="3" colspan="2" Sarah Hunt Laney 4.09 4.13 colspan="3" colspan="2" Matt Bushell Odin 4.09 5.01 colspan="3" colspan="2" Boone Nelson 4.09 – colspan="3" colspan="2" Cody Callahan Tommy 4.11 6.10 colspan="3" colspan="2" Scarlett Abinante Julia Cody 5.01 5.13 colspan="4" Jasper Polish 6.01 6.13 colspan="5" Elliot Knight Officer Chadwick 5.01 5.12 colspan="4" Ronnie Gene Blevins Jeremy 5.01 – colspan="4" Nick Heyman David 5.01 – colspan="4" Nick Stahl Mike 5.01 – colspan="4" Jalen Thomas Brooks Blaise 5.04 5.13 colspan="4" Chelsea Tavares Lark 5.05 6.05 colspan="4" Shakira Barrera Cassandra 5.06 5.08 colspan="4" Jamie McShane Max Cross 5.06 5.11 colspan="4" Trent Garrett Parker Freeman 5.07 5.09 colspan="4" Annie Heise Linda 5.09 5.12 colspan="4" William Russ Tre 6.01 6.03 colspan="5" Stevie Lynn Jones Penny Dean 6.02 6.13 colspan="5" Marcus Brown Vince 6.02 6.10 colspan="5" Hans Christopher Auge 6.02 6.07 colspan="5" Verina Banks Brittany 6.02 6.09 colspan="5" Pierson Fodé Ryan 6.02 6.04 colspan="5" Moran Atias Detective Louise Thompson 6.03 6.09 colspan="5" Eddie Martinez Captain Torrez 6.03 6.04 colspan="5" Alan Trong Eddie Pham 6.03 6.06 colspan="5" Vien Hong Arthur Pham 6.03 6.06 colspan="5" J.D. Walsh Father Kirby 6.03 6.05 colspan="5" Diego Josef Taylor Cline 6.04 6.09 colspan="5" Shannon Walsh Hannah 6.05 6.06 colspan="5" Michael Kostroff David 6.09 6.10 colspan="5" Andrea Grano Celia Delacruz 6.10 6.12 colspan="5"
Main characters Ellen Barkin as Janine "Smurf" Cody, the tough matriarch of the Cody family and J's estranged grandmother who runs a respected criminal enterprise in Oceanside, California. Smurf is very protective of her family and presents a borderline-incestuous love towards them. She is forced to kill her adopted son Baz after he betrays her and she is briefly confined to jail. She is later diagnosed with terminal cancer and plans an elaborate final job, the bunker heist, to die on her own terms and take at least Pope with her. However, after her sons refuse to go through with it, she is shot dead by J, who fulfilled her wish. (seasons 1–4) Rimea Kasprzak as Teenage Janine "Smurf" Cody, a 13-year-old Smurf in 1966 who witnesses her mother, Miriam Cody, get killed during a robbery gone wrong. (guest season 1) Leila George as Young Janine "Smurf" Cody, a 24-year-old (1977), 31-year-old (1984), 39-year-old (1992) and 46-year-old (1999) Smurf who becomes the leader of a crew of ruthless career criminals who would eventually become the matriarch of the Cody family as she develops her criminal skillset while raising a young family. She eventually disbands her crew and moves to Oceanside where she manages various jobs for her teenage children, Julia, Andrew and Baz, while manipulating them into following in her footsteps. In 1999, she formally cuts ties with Julia after she is caught attempting to rob the Cody family estate, also forcing her sons to do the same. (seasons 5–6; recurring season 4) Scott Speedman as Barry "Baz" Blackwell, Smurf's adopted son and J's potential biological father. He is the leader in the Cody family's heists but begins to question how Smurf runs their jobs. He is shown to be neglectful of his long-time girlfriend Catherine and their daughter Lena, often cheating on the former with his recurring fling Lucy. He is later assassinated by Mia Benitez, on Smurf's orders, after he planned to rob Smurf with Lucy and even successfully framed Smurf for the murder of Javi in an attempt to take over leadership. In season 6, flashbacks reveal that Baz abandoned Pope during a bank robbery job, leading to him being incarcerated for three years until his release at the beginning of season 1. Reflecting on these events, Pope hallucinates Baz while in solitary confinement during his imprisonment for Catherine's murder. (seasons 1–3; guest season 6) Reeve Baker as Young Barry "Baz" Blackwell, the 10-year-old son of Linda Blackwell in 1984. (guest season 5) Darren Mann as Teenage Barry "Baz" Blackwell, Smurf's 18-year-old (1992) and 25-year-old (1999) adopted son and the adopted brother of Julia, Andrew, Craig, and Deran who ran away from home and moved into the Cody residence in 1986 at the age of 12. He becomes the shot-caller while on jobs with his adopted siblings and later starts a secret relationship with Julia. After Smurf discovers the relationship, she forces him to move out and he stops seeing Julia. In 1999, he started to pull off higher-risk jobs to make Smurf money. (recurring season 6)