Black Mass Cast & Character Guide

Black Mass features some cast members giving fantastic but incredibly eerie performances. The Whitey Bulger biography is not Johnny Depp’s most talked-about role, but it is perhaps one of his most chilling. The actor is better known for parts like Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, or Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, which easily overtake Black Mass in popularity, but his part is nonetheless worth looking at.

Whitey Bulger was an Irish-American mobster in South Boston who became one of the most notorious criminals in his area’s history. Black Mass tells his true story, specifically chronicling the time wherein Bulger acted as an FBI informant in order to take down a Mafia family that was threatening him. Black Mass was directed by Scott Cooper and based on the book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill. It’ screenplay was adapted by Jez Butterworth and Mark Mallouk. In addition to Depp, Black Mass featured a notable cast of main characters.

Johnny Depp As James “Whitey” Bulger

Born June 9, 1963

Actor: Johnny Depp was born in Owensboro, KY, and got his big break playing Glen Lantz in The Nightmare on Elm Street. From there, Depp continued to get significant parts through his work on Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, along with roles in Benny & Joon and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. Depp has been nominated for three Oscars for Best Actor, including in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Finding Neverland, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The latter film saw him playing Jack Sparrow, the part for which he is now best known.

Character: Depp plays the lead character of James Bulger, aka Whitey Bulger, in Black Mass. Bulger was born in 1929 in Boston, MA. He was the leader of the Irish mob group the Winter Hill Gang, which was based out of Somerville. The majority of Black Mass takes place during the 1970s, when Bulger is in his 40s. At the time of Black Mass‘ release, Bulger was still alive, but he later died in prison at the age of 89 in 2018, where he was blugeoned to death after transferring prisons.

Joel Edgerton As John Connolly

Born June 23, 1974

Actor: Joel Edgerton was born in Blacktown, Australia, and got his Hollywood break in the Star Wars prequel films Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, wherein he played the character of Owen Larse. From there, Edgerton went on to play Charlie in the 2005 film Kinky Boots. He is now a Golden Globe-nominated actor, having been nominated for his part in Loving in 2017. He is now best known for his lead role in the TV series Dark Matter.

Character: Edgerton plays John Connolly, the other main character in Black Mass. John grew up alongside Whitey when the two of them were living in South Boston. Now an FBI agent, Connolly returns to Boston in order to try to take down the North end mob group the Angiulo Brothers. This group is also Bulger’s rival so, knowing he will have an interest in this takedown, Connolly enlists Bulger to help give him info on the Angiulos.

Benedict Cumberbatch As William “Billy” Bulger

Born July 19, 1976

Actor: Benedict Cumberbatch was born in London, England, and got his big break playing iconic British detective Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock. Since then, the actor has also appeared as Doctor Strange in films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has been nominated for two Oscars for Best Actor, including for The Imitation Game and The Power of the Dog. He recently appeared in the Netflix series Eric.

Character: Cumberbatch plays Whitey’s brother Billy in Black Mass. Taking a different path from his criminal brother, Billy Bulger serves as the president of the Massachusetts Senate. Billy’s wife, Mary, is also in the film. The pair married in 1960 and stayed together up until Mary’s death in 2020. Billy Bulger remains alive today, at the age of 94.

Dakota Johnson As Lindsey Cyr

Born October 4, 1989

Actor: Dakota Johnson is from Austin, Texas, and got her breakthrough role playing Anastasia in Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015. She was also in The Social Network in a supporting role back in 2010, before her time in the Fifty Shades series. Since Fifty Shades of Grey, Johnson has gone on to be in some higher profile, award-nominated films, including The Lost Daughter and Cha Cha Real Smooth. Earlier this year, she led Madame Web, which was panned among critics and at the box office.

Character: Johnson steps in to play Lindsey Cyr, Whitey’s longtime girlfriend. Whitey and Lindsey have a son together, who tragically dies during the course of the film. Cyr was with Bulger for over a decade, but their relationship was understandably tumultuous. Cyr separated from Bulger in 1978.xc b

Kevin Bacon As Charles McGuire

Born July 8, 1958

Actor: Kevin Bacon was born in Philadelphia, PA, and got his first major film role in National Lampoon’s Animal House in 1978. He was a notable actor throughout the 1980s, contributing his talents to films such as Footloose. His other notable titles include Hollow Man, The Woodsman, and Mystic River.

Character: Bacon plays Charles McGuire, Connolly’s boss, in Black Mass. McGuire serves a key role in the drama of Black Mass, as he becomes suspicious of Connolly throughout the course of the movie. Later on in Black Mass, McGuire helps to conduct an investigation of Connolly’s involvement in the case.

Black Mass’ Supporting Cast & Characters

Black Mass Has A Deep Bench

Jesse Plemons As Kevin Weeks: One of Plemons’ most notable characters is playing Todd in Breaking Bad. After getting more exposure in this role, Plemons has gone on to be a busy working actor. He re-teamed with Cumberbatch again in The Power of the Dog, and his other notable roles include The Irishman and Love & Death. In Black Mass, Plemons’ character is a newcomer working with Whitey Bulger directly.

Rory Cochrane as Stephen “the Rifleman” Flemmi: Rory Cochrane was born in Syracuse, NY on February 28, 1972. He had his first role in the ’90s, and has had parts in Winning Time, Antlers, and Encounter. His part in Black Mass was as Stephen Flemmi, Whitey Bulger’s right hand man with violent tendencies.

Peter Saarsgard as Brian Halloran: Saarsgard was born on March 7, 1971 and is best known for his parts in Shattered Glass, Garden State, and Kinsey. He teamed up with co-star Johnson again in The Lost Daughter. His Black Mass character, Brian Halloran, is a man who goes to the FBI to report some of Bulger’s actions and ends up getting murdered.

Julianne Nicholson as Marianne Connolly: Also born in 1971, Nicholson is known for wide-ranging parts that include roles in August: Osage County, Blonde, and I, Tonya. She plays one of the key women in Black Mass, playing the wife to Edgerton’s John Connolly. The relationship between John and Marianne Connolly is a key B-plot in Black Mass.

David Harbour as John Morris: Harbour is an actor with eclectic roles that range from everything from Revolutionary Road to the 2019 reboot of Hellboy. He has also had roles in both the MCU and DCU, playing roles in Black Widow and Suicide Squad. In Black Mass, John Morris is a co-worker of John Connolly, and his supportive of Connolly and his mission.