The Death Of Bunny Munro Cast And Character Guide

Adapted from Nick Cave’s novel of the same name, Sky Atlantic’s miniseries, “The Death of Bunny Munro,” can be considered a modern retelling of Arthur Miller’s tragic masterpiece “Death of a Salesman,” with more emphasis given to dysfunctional parental issues and generational trauma owing to toxic patriarchal values. Like Miller’s classic, themes of moral decadence, doomed aspirations, and infidelity are interlinked and in the backdrop of an unconventional paternal relationship, they imbue a poignant note. The narrative boasts an unexpectedly strong tragic, poetic undertone, which is perfectly captured in the performance of the leads portraying the father-son Bunny duo.

Extremely talented yet underrated English actor Matt Smith started his acting journey with theater performances, having acted in plays like “Murder in the Cathedral,” “The Master and Margarita,” “The History Boys,” etc. Smith gained recognition with his small-screen roles as the Eleventh Doctor in “Doctor Who,” Daemon Targaryen in “The House of the Dragons,” and Prince Philip in “The Crown,” to name a few. Smith’s movie acting credits include “Womb,” “Terminator Genisys,” “Charlie Says,” “Last Night in Soho,” “Morbius,” “Caught Stealing,” etc. In the miniseries, he plays the role of the titular lead, Bunny Munro, a lecherous, feckless cosmetic salesman who finds himself tormented by past sins and guilt. In the vein of his recent roles, Smith channels reckless villainous energy in his portrayal of a complex character like Bunny. Portrayed as an irredeemable, pathetic scumbag, Bunny Munro owes his moral degradation to his father, Bunny Sr., whose abusive, irresponsible parenting altered his son’s course of life forever. Having adopted a misogynist worldview from a young age, which encouraged him to objectify women and liken them to ‘sale targets,’ Bunny’s desire to attain his dream life came at the cost of absolute disregard for morals and ethics. By doing so, Bunny also sold himself as a product to gain customers and seduce them to satiate his carnal desires. Bunny’s utter selfishness and narcissistic demeanor affected his wife, Libby’s, mental health and eventually forced her to take her own life. No matter how much Bunny tried hiding from the truth by keeping himself busy in perverse pleasures, in his heart, he couldn’t forgive himself for how he wronged Libby, as she was the only one who loved him for who he is. The guilt manifests in occasional visions of Libby and the horned serial killer terrorizing Brighton, whom Bunny likens to the devil himself.

The reason why an otherwise reluctant, irresponsible Bunny decides to take Junior under his wing is because he sees his chance for salvation in his son. Bunny wants to be a father whom Junior will consider ‘cool’ or look up to, and his validation will help Bunny to remain hidden from the truth of what a horrid, self-serving, perverted monster he really is. Thanks to Bunny Sr.’s upbringing, Bunny never learned the ideal values one associates with parenting, and saying that he failed Junior as a father would be an understatement of the highest order. Just as Bunny’s guilt and fear of karma start eating him up from inside, the disappointment in Junior’s face continues to break him as well. The series’ portrayal of toxic masculinity and how it affects generations is showcased so well through the Munro family tree. Especially in the way Bunny’s past callousness and devil-may-care attitude are contrasted with his pitiful, validation-seeking cowardice in front of his abusive father—Smith perfectly captured the tone and treatment aimed by the narrative. The redeeming factor in Bunny is highlighted in his final effort to keep his son away from the darkness he unwittingly became a part of at an early age. This, along with Bunny’s guilt-ridden realizations, imparts a tragic quality to the story and makes Bunny a complex figure. 

Child actor Rafael Mathe plays the role of Bunny and Libby’s son, Bunny Jr., an adolescent kid who is prompted to go on a troublesome road trip with his father after the tragic demise of his mother. For his age, Junior is quite reflective, observant, and mature. The trauma of losing his mother has affected his psyche—which is reflected in the way he speaks with the visions of Libby. Her positive influence in Junior’s life is his source of strength, courage, and optimism and is the reason as to why, unlike young Bunny, Junior doesn’t get distracted by wrong influences. Like any other kid of his age, Junior looks up to his old man and wants to prove himself—which is the reason why he doesn’t give up on his father even when the world has turned against him. However, in the end, a perceptive Junior is able to realize at the end that he is better off living with a regular family than his father, who is beyond saving at this point. Rafael Mathe is absolutely incredible in his poised, tragic portrayal of Junior and will surely get many accolades for his memorable performance. 

Aside from the father and son duo, the supporting cast of “The Death of Bunny Munro” were great in the roles they were given. Actor Sarah Greene’s tragic portrayal of an emotionally spent, troubled Libby made quite a mark in the series. Actor Johann Myers played the role of Bunny’s best friend Poodle, and Alice Feetham was also great as Yvonne. Veteran actor David Threlfall was good as Bunny Sr., while Robert Glenister played the role of Bunny’s boss, Geoffrey.