Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Netflix just released one of its most anticipated movies of 2016, Barry. Directed by Vikram Ghandi, Barry tells a dramatized story of President Barack Obama’s college years at Columbia University. The film premiered at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival, largely to critical praise.
There are several reasons why you should watch Barry, from its nuanced portrayal of how it feels to be mixed race in America to its exploration of one of the most important figures in modern history. But there’s another, less discussed reason why Barry needs to be in your queue: the movie has an amazing cast. Packed with rising stars, there’s a good chance this will be the movie critics and fans re-examine in a few years as the vehicle that lifted several talented stars. To help you fully appreciate the cast of this anticipated movie, we’ve created a cheat sheet for all of Barry‘s major players.
Devon Terrell
Who does he play?: The 44th President of the United States of America himself, Barack Obama. However, when Terrell is playing him, Obama is still just “Barry.”
Terrell brings a sort of wide-eyed kindness to what could be an intimidating role. In the hands of the talented actor, Barry doesn’t feel arrogant or manipulative, traits typically associated with politicians. Instead, Barry comes across as vulnerable and human.
Where have I seen him before?: You haven’t. The American-Australian actor has only starred in one other project, the HBO show Codes of Conduct which never made it past the pilot stage. Terrell once said that his dream role was to play Obama, proving that dreams really can come true.
Anya Taylor-Joy
Who does she play?: Charlotte, Barry’s love interest and later girlfriend. There was no actual “Charlotte” in Obama’s life. Instead, the character is a combination of Obama’s college girlfriends.
It’s through the socially aware yet clueless Charlotte that the film plays with race the most. Barry makes good use of the dynamic of these characters from two different worlds in 1980s New York, using their relationship to comment on racism, classism, and feminism. Taylor-Joy’s performance makes for an equally acute and vivid character, molding Charlotte into someone who walks the line between being intellectually aware and insufferably blinded by her own privilege.
Where have I seen her before?: Taylor-Joy made headlines all throughout 2016 for her chilling performance in The Witch, which you can watch on Prime Video now. The actress has also starred in Atlantis as Cassandra and has several projects coming out in 2017, including the M. Night Shyamalan thriller Split.
Jason Mitchell
Who does he play?: One of Barry’s friends, PJ. If Charlotte represents Barry’s strained relationship with the world of predominantly white academia, PJ represents the other side of his identity — the experience of being black in America.
The concept of identity and not fitting into one particular realm is something Barry explores in detail through its mixed race protagonist. Mitchell portrays PJ as a fun-loving and loyal friend, but despite the character’s good will, there’s an underlying level of discomfort when it comes to Barry’s relationship with him. Barry doesn’t fully support PJ’s plans after business school, and likewise, PJ doesn’t seem to fully understand Barry. Mitchell’s performance adds a much-needed dose of grounded levity to what can at times feel like a heavy movie.
Where have I seen him before?: Mitchell is best known for playing Eazy-E in the critically-praised drama, Straight Outta Compton. The engaging actor has also starred in Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele’s Keanu and in the 2012 movie Contraband.
Ellar Coltrane
Who does he play?: Coltrane plays Will, Barry’s quiet college roommate and friend. Will is essentially the opposite of PJ, representing the world of white academia along with Charlotte.
It’s through Barry’s conversations with Will that the movie explores how this young version of Obama views the world. Barry’s conversations with Will also mark a turning point in his life. Barry starts the movie from a rather cynical place, but by the movie’s end, he embodies hope and change. Coltrane nails the overly-arrogant political waxing period every college student has gone through. Does that make him annoying at times? Yes, but in a way that’s forgivable because of youth.
Where have I seen him before?: There’s a good chance you’ve literally watched Coltrane grow up on screen. Coltrane starred as Mason in Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. That’s Coltrane’s biggest project to date, but he also has several movies premiering throughout 2017, so be on the lookout for this actor.
Ashley Judd
Who does she play?: Barack Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham. Dunham was an accomplished American anthropologist who specialized in economic anthropology and rural development.
Judd’s version of Ann sweeps onto the scene and almost immediately becomes the coolest character in this movie. Barry’s take on Ann Dunham speaks quickly and intelligently, firing shots at the patriarchy and institutionalized racism without batting an eye. Imagine your college’s effortlessly cool and calm feminist professor. That’s the characterization Judd nails.
Where have I seen her before?: The Emmy-nominated actress has been around for a while, staring from everything from Double Jeopardy and Where the Heart Is to Divergent and Missing. Judd lends some established star power to this indie drama.
Jenna Elfman
Who does she play?: Elfman stars as Kathy Baughman, Charlotte’s mother who is trying so very, very hard.
Kathy is another example of clumsy white privilege in this smart movie about race and belonging. It’s clear that Kathy is supportive of her daughter’s relationship with Barry, but she often says or does unintentionally insensitive things. At one point, she introduces Barry to a couple solely because they’re a mixed race married couple. Elfman goes a long way in making her character’s wide eyed and misguided support feel believable.
Where have I seen her before?: Elfman is one of those actors haunted by single seasons. She’s starred in several shows, from Growing Up Fisher to 1600 Penn, and she’s made several guest appearance in everything from Two and a Half Men to The Mindy Project, but her projects never seem to stick. She’s best known for her leading role as Dharma in Dharma & Greg.
Avi Nash
Who does he play?: Another one of Barry’s friends, Saleem. Though Saleem doesn’t go to Columbia, he’s a bartender who’s well connected to the college.
Nash is the primary source of Barry’s comedy relief. Saleem often says and does vaguely ridiculous things that are only acceptable in college, such as breaking into a friend’s apartment for a nap. He also has an incredible Obama impression that he drops into conversations as effortlessly as he he changes his accent.
Where have I seen him before?: You likely haven’t. Besides guest starring in one episode of Silicon Valley, Nash hasn’t been in much. However, this actor steals every scene he’s in.
