The Narrow Road To The Deep North TV Show Cast And Characters Guide

Amazon Prime’s latest drama series, The Narrow Road To the Deep North, an adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s novel of the same name, offers a brutal look at the horrific tribulations faced by The Japanese Imperial Army’s POWs during the construction of the infamous Death Railways in Thailand, through the life journey of the lead protagonist, Dorrigo Evans. Flanagan looked into the personal experience of his father to draw vivid details of the inhumane treatment imprisoned Australian Army members suffered at the hands of their captors. While giving up to the lead of his novel, Dorrigo Evans, Flanagan was inspired by the life and exploits of decorated war hero Ernest Edward Dunlop and added his own dramatic flair to make for a nuanced, layered characterization. Led by a number of prolific Australian actors, the cast of The Narrow Road To the Deep North is stacked with talent.

Dorrigo Evans Played by Jacob Elordi

It goes without saying that Australian actor Jacob Elordi has become quite a heartthrob over the years, having amassed a fan base with his presence in the Kissing Booth movie series, HBO’s Euphoria, and also in movies like Priscilla and Saltburn. In the series, Elordi portrayed the role of young Dorrigo Evans, charting the character’s journey through his youthful years—from Dorrigo’s affair with his aunt Amy to surviving prison camp and settling into a predestined life following his return from the war front. The way Dorrigo’s character growth is mapped through two distinct phases of the character’s life allows viewers to assess the terrible toll of war and the cost of unfulfilled desires. A young Dorrigo has the courage to answer Amy’s passionate approach and is able to overcome his fears of societal prejudices and persecutions. At this point in time, Dorrigo isn’t aware of what the future has in store for him and lets himself go with the flow. His experiences in the jungles of Thailand during railroad construction alter Dorrigo’s worldview and perspective on life itself. But more than what he had to endure, Dorrigo’s deepest regrets were the traumatic truth that, being in charge of his POW comrades, Dorrigo himself didn’t have to go through the majority of the torments his comrades had to bear. Following the presumed death of Amy, Dorrigo loses whatever sense of individuality was left in him and allows fate to guide his life, losing every hope he had to free himself. Jacob Elordi delivered an excellent performance as young Dorrigo Evans, bringing a certain authenticity to the expressions of pain and passion. 

Older Dorrigo Evans Played by Ciaran Hinds

Renowned veteran Irish actor Ciaran Hinds has acted in several acclaimed movies like Persuasion, Road to Perdition, There Will be Blood, Silence, The Woman In Black, and First Man, to name a few. In the series, he portrayed the role of older Dorrigo Evans, who has turned into a jaded, emotionally distant, world-weary figure who often allows his inner darkness to creep out and holds a vain contempt against the world. An older Dorrigo is more reckless, callous, and carefree—and still, compared to his younger self, he is more shackled by the diktats of fate. The inability to process the grief of his POW days, as well as not being able to pursue the life he wanted with Amy, has turned Dorrigo into a bitter cynic of sorts. There is no soul with whom he can share his burdens, and all his present relations are born out of convenience. 

Amy Mulvaney, played by Odessa Young

Australian actor Odessa Young has gained acclaim for her performances in movies like The Daughter, Looking for Grace, Shirley, Assassination Nation, etc. In the series, Odessa plays the role of Amy Mulvaney, the young, free-spirited aunt of Dorrigo Evans. Amy is as intelligent as she is carefree, and despite loving her much older husband, Keith, she could never match his frequency of thought process. A young Dorrigo was much more of a kindred spirit in comparison, which is why they befriended each other in no time, and right from the beginning, their relationship was marked to take a passionate turn. Amy is an assertive, bold woman who cares little about the gaze of society, and she expected a little too much out of her romantic relationship with Dorrigo, which was never meant to last in the first place. It would have been great had Amy’s character been developed a bit more in the context of the series. 

Ella played by Olivia DeJonge

Australian actor Olivia DeJonge has previously starred in movies like Presley, The Visit, Stray Dolls, etc. In the series, Olivia portrayed the role of young Ella, Dorrigo Evans’ lover. Ella comes from wealth and can’t help but project a certain kind of expectation from her boyfriend to keep up with their aristocratic background. In some sense, Ella can be considered a bit uptight as well, given the way she supports her family’s efforts to establish a sort of control over Dorrigo. However, her dedication to Dorrigo is unmatched, and it is really unfortunate that she never received the love she deserved and still spent her lifetime with someone for whom she was never the first priority.

Older Ella Played by Heather Mitchell 

Veteran Australian stage actor Heather Mitchell has appeared in numerous silver screen and small screen roles, notably in ventures like The Great Gatsby, Rogue, Proof, Spellbinder, etc. Heather played the role of older Ella, who has given up any sort of effort to win her husband, Dorrigo, back into her life—accepting her fate of bearing with a loveless marriage for the sake of family pride. Ella helps Dorrigo maintain the image he has crafted as an honorable war hero and accomplished surgeon and certainly didn’t deserve this kind of future, of remaining stuck with a person who was merely a shadow of the person she loved. 

Miscellaneous Characters 

Aside from the leads, the supporting cast of The Narrow Road to the Deep North is quite talented, as the actors aced their roles even with brief screen time. Major Nakamura was portrayed by Show Kasamatsu, while Thomas Weatherall left a mark with his tragic portrayal of Private Frank Gardiner. Simon Baker played the role of Dorrigo’s uncle, Keith, and Essie Davis’ performance as Lynette Maison was memorable. 

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