Netflix’sBlack Mirrorhas always drawn in massive stars, and the season 7 episodePlaythingis no different. ThoughBlack Mirroris an anthology series,Playthingis one of two episodes that directly connects to a previously told story, alongsideBlack Mirrorseason 7, episode 6, “USS Callister: Into Infinity.“Playthingis a sequel to the 2018 standalone movieBlack Mirror: Bandersnatch, and features two actors reprising their roles from the interactive film. LikeBandersnatch, it follows game developers whose grip on reality begins to falter and fade between 1994 and the near-future of London in 2034.
As with all ofBlack Mirror’s high-concept science fiction horror episodes,Playthingneeded an all-star cast to deliver its frightening and thought-provoking story. Luckily,Playthinggot exactly that. From BAFTA and Oscar-winning performers to young and promising new stars in Hollywood,Playthinghas more than enough talent to stand among thebest episodes ofBlack Mirror. It also features a wide variety of familiar faces, so getting to know the cast ofBlack Mirror: Playthingis well worth it.
Peter Capaldi As Older Cameron Walker
Date of Birth: August 05, 2025
Actor: Peter Capaldi was born in Glasgow, Scotland.Capaldi had his breakthrough role in 2005, when he began playing Malcolm Tucker inThe Thick of It. However, Capaldi has become much more widely known in recent years for playing the Twelfth Doctor in the long-running sci-fi showDr. Whofrom 2013 to 2017. Aside from his biggest roles, Capaldi has had a long and storied career in showbusiness. Capaldi has won a huge number of awards, including a BAFTA and an Oscar for directingFranz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life.
Peter Capaldi’s 10 Best Roles, According To IMDb
Peter Capaldi has had a long career in a wide variety of roles, from heroes to villains to those in between. Which are his best, according to IMDb?
World War Z
W.H.O. Doctor
Character: Peter Capaldi plays the Older Cameron Walker inPlaything. In 2034, Cameron had unorthodox views about the limits of the human mind and artificial intelligence. He’s also somehow connected to a murder investigation.
Lewis Gribben As Younger Cameron Walker
Date of Birth: c. 1997
Actor: Lewis Gribben was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and graduated from Queen Margaret University in 2019 (viaQueen Margaret University).Gribben had his breakthrough role in 2022, when he played Danny inSomewhere Boy. Gribben had a few minor parts in notable projects likeT2 Trainspottingprior to 2022, but his career took off at that point. He recently appeared in Apple TV+’s war dramaMasters of the Air, and Gribben has also starred in a movie,The Severed Son. He’s even set to appear in theupcoming seriesBlade Runner 2099alongside Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer (viaBehind the Blind).
Masters of the Air
Sgt. Robert Bixler
Character: Lewis Gribben plays the Younger Cameron Walker inPlaything. In 1994, Cameron developed a video game that focuses on “cute, evolving artificial lifeforms.” He also has a mentor/mentee relationship with the renowned game developer Colin Ritman, and he seeks advice from the older creative.
Date of Birth: 1989
Image via Hulu
Actor: James Nelson-Joyce was born in Orrell Park, Liverpool, England.Nelson-Joyce had his breakthrough in 2017’sLittle Boy Blue, where he played James Yates. Since then, Nelson-Joyce has enjoyed a good amount of success, especially in British TV shows likeThe Responder,Time, and most recently inA Thousand Blows, as well as in movies likeGuy Ritchie’s The Covenant. Nelson-Joyce has also experienced a sharp rise in global popularity recently, thanks to shows likeA Thousand BlowsandBlack Mirror.
A Thousand Blows
Edward “Treacle” Goodson
Character: James Nelson-Joyce plays Detective Chief Inspector Kano inPlaything. Kano is investigating the murder that Cameron Walker is tied up in.
Will Poulter As Colin Ritman
Date of Birth: July 13, 2025
Actor: Will Poulter was born in England, United Kingdom.Poulter’s breakthrough role was inThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, where he played Eustace Scrubb. Just three years later, Poulter starred inWe’re the Millersalongside Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, and Emma Roberts. Since then, Poulter has become a young star of modern Hollywood. He’s starred in action movies likeThe Maze Runner, superhero films likeGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, dramas likeDopesick, comedies likeThe Bear, and horror movies likeMidsommar.
Warfare
Erik
Character: Will Poulter plays Colin Ritman inPlaything. Colin is actually one of just two characters fromBlack Mirror: Bandersnatchwho has returned for the sequel,Plaything. InBandersnatch, Colin was already an experienced game developer working for Tuckersoft when he first met Stefan Butler (Fionn Whitehead). Colin then acted as a mentor to Stefan, offering him LSD to get him out of a creative rut and explaining the idea of branching parallel realities to him. InPlaything, Colin takes a similar approach to Cameron Walker some years after themultiple endings ofBandersnatch.
Plaything Supporting Cast & Character Guide
Asim Chaudhry as Mohan Thakur: Asim Chaudhry plays Mohan Thakur inPlaything. Along with Will Poulter, Chaudhry is the only actor fromBandersnatchreprising the same role inPlaything. Thakur is the CEO of Colin Ritman and Stefan Butler’s game company, Tuckersoft. Chaudhry is known for shows likePeople Just Do Nothing, where he played Chabuddy G, and movies likeClick & Collect, where he played Dev D’Cruz.
Michele Austin as Jen Minter: Michele Austin plays Jen Minter inPlaything. Not much is known about Minter, though she could be a reference to Jeff Minter, a video game designer whom Colin Ritman is based on and who played Jerome F. Davies inBandersnatch(viaHollywood Reporter). Austin is known for movies likeHard TruthsandAnother Yearand for shows likeThe Bill, where she played Yvonne Hemmingway.
Darryl Foster as PC Mo Raiker: Darryl Foster plays PC Mo Raiker inBlack Mirror: Plaything. Raiker is another police officer investigating Cameron Walker. Foster is known for several short films and the miniseriesTrigonometry.
Black Mirror
Cast
Black Mirror is a dystopian anthology series that explores the unsettling and profound impact of modern technology on society. Premiering in 2011, it examines various scenarios where technological advancements intersect with human nature, creating thought-provoking narratives about contemporary and future issues.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is a standalone interactive film within the Black Mirror anthology series, released on June 02, 2025. Set in 1984, it follows a young programmer whose adaptation of a dark fantasy novel into a video game leads him to question reality, offering viewers multiple narrative paths.
