The cast has been announced for Hulu’s upcoming series adaptation of ‘The Mysterious Benedict Society’, with Tony Hale pulling double duty as the show’s lead, Mr. Nicholas Benedict, and as his twin brother, Mr. Ledroptha Curtain. The show is based on the popular kids’ book series by Trenton Lee Stewart and was adapted for television by writers Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, with Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer acting as showrunners, and James Bobin directing.
The series follows the adventures of four gifted children who find themselves in the position of having to save the world from a mysterious plot. The regular cast also includes Ryan Hurst, Kristen Schall, MaameYaa Boafo, Gia Sandhu, Mystic Inscho, Emmy DeOliveira, Seth Carr, and Marta Timofeeva. Inscho, DeOliveira, Carr, and Timofeeva portray the four children at the center of this story– Reynard “Reynie” Muldoon, Kate Weatherall, George “Sticky” Washington, and Constance Contraire, respectively.
Hale won two Emmys and was nominated six times for his role as Gary Walsh on HBO’s ‘Veep’. He is also known for playing Buster Bluth on ‘Arrested Development’, voicing Forky in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise which began with last year’s ‘Toy Story 4’ and continued with the Disney+ series ‘Forky Asks A Question’. He is also a cast member of the DC Universe cartoon ‘Harley Quinn’ (as Dr. Psycho among others), and he had the role of Jerome Squalor on the Netflix adaptation of ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ based on the books of Lemony Snicket, which are similar in tone to the ‘Mysterious Benedict Society’ books.
Mr. Benedict, on the show, is described as “a rumpled, affable eccentric genius, is the head of the Mysterious Benedict Society – a group of orphans he has recruited to save the world. While Mr. Benedict is reluctant to put the children in harm’s way, he feels there is no other choice. His Society is mysterious, and so is Mr. Benedict himself; he is the genial, cunning mastermind.”
His Mr. Curtain is described as “Mr. Benedict’s frustratingly sharp and well put-together (if villainous) twin brother.” In the books, Mr. Curtain is the head of his own organization, the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened (L.I.V.E.).
Schaal (‘Bob’s Burgers’) portrays Number Two has “the pointedness and precision of a well-sharpened pencil. With an eccentric aura to her, sharp and direct, she is one Mr. Benedict’s loyal lieutenants.”
Hurst (‘The Walking Dead’) has been cast as the Mysterious Benedict Society’s “deadpan” proctor who, “despite his towering stature, is not so much scary as he is a sad, distant figure.”
Boafo (‘Bluff City Law’) will portray Rhonda, “Mr. Benedict’s other trusted lieutenant. Rhonda is charming and extroverted, a joyful warrior with a can-do attitude.”
Sandhu (‘A Simple Favor’) portrays Ms. Perumal, Reynie’s tutor at the orphanage. She is described as “resourceful, determined, and desperately wants Reynie to have a shot at a better life.”
Reynie Muldoon (Inscho) is the natural leader of The MBS “plucky and good-hearted,” and has “exceptional intelligence” but is also “genuinely humble.” “Dutiful, polite & determined to always do the right thing, he emerges as a calm, reasonable leader.”
Resourceful and athletic Kate Weatherall (DeOliveira) is “a born tool-user, she has an uncanny feel for how things go together. Remarkably intelligent, and exceedingly self-reliant, Kate can be emotionally guarded.”
Shy, anxious and vulnerable George “Sticky” Washington” (Carr) “may not be the most athletic of the group, even a bit clumsy, but he has a vast reservoir of knowledge. Odd bits of information just “stick” to his brain.” Carr portrayed the young Erik Stevens/Killmonger in ‘Black Panther’ and stars in the new Netflix movie ‘The Main Event’.
Russian Timofeeva plays Constance Contraire, “a true original – a tiny, TINY girl with a huge chip on her shoulder. Constance has a remarkably short fuse and a spectacularly insolent manner. A born rebel against authority and civility, Constance is a contrarian, a rule-breaker, and a defiant smart mouth.”
It isn’t yet known when ‘The Mysterious Benedict Society’ will begin production, as everything is shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also isn’t known when Hulu plans to release the series, but check back for updates.
Are you a fan of the books? What do you think of this cast so far?
