Entertainment

You'll Be Rooting For The 'Containment' Cast

by Caitlin Flynn

There are so many reasons to get excited about The CW's new show Containment. First of all, the premise is both intriguing and creepy in the best way possible — a deadly epidemic with mysterious origins sweeps across Atlanta, prompting the enforcement of a major urban quarantine. With half the city in the cordoned area and the other half on the other side, friends and family members will find themselves separated from one another as panic ensues and doctors race to find a cure. But, could there be more to this epidemic than meets the eye? A disgraced investigative journalist is convinced that it's part of a massive conspiracy and he's one of the many Containment cast members that I'm dying to meet.

Although Containment promises to be the type of action-packed show that will keep us on the edge of our seats, the character development looks promising as well. From a dedicated police officer to a pregnant teen, the show will explore how individuals from all walks of life react when their worlds are turned upside down and they're trapped either inside or outside the quarantine with no idea what will happen next.

Before Containment premieres, let's get to know the show's main characters.

David Gyasi As Alex "Lex" Carnahan

A high-ranking member of the Atlanta Police Department, Lex is assigned to be the department's public face during the deadly epidemic because he has the ability to keep everyone calm. "His curse might be that he's got a conscience and he's trying to do the right thing," Gyasi explained in his cast interview.

If he looks familiar, it's because Gyasi starred in the Oscar-winning film Interstellar in 2014.

Chris Wood As Jake Riley

Jake is Lex's best friend who is relatively new to the Atlantic PD and will be trapped behind the walls of the city's quarantine. Wood describes his character as "closed-off to the world" and "hardened" because of difficult life experiences. He and Lex have an open and trusting relationship, but it will be put to the test when Jake blames Lex for ending up in the cordoned area rather than working alongside him on the city streets.

Fans of The Vampire Diaries will definitely recognize Wood — he starred on Season 6 as Kai Parker.

Kristen Gutoskie As Katie Frank

An elementary school teacher, Katie Frank will be inside the walls of the urban quarantine with her entire class of students — which includes her son, Quentin. With young children counting on her, Katie will keep her cool as chaos inevitably ensues. Gutoskie teases that Jake and Katie will develop an unlikely friendship because they're kindred spirits who put up a tough exterior in order to hide their sadness and loneliness.

A talented dancer and musician, Gutoskie will star in the upcoming indie music film The Dust Storm — and she recorded two songs for its soundtrack.

Claudia Black As Sabine Lommers

The tough, no-nonsense character Dr. Sabine Lommers is charged with leading governmental efforts to contain the deadly epidemic that has swept across Atlanta. Black refers to her character as "The Bad News Barbie" because she's the one who ultimately makes the controversial decision to quarantine downtown Atlanta. Sabine is appointed directly by the President, so it's safe to assume she's kind of a big deal and probably someone you don't want to mess with.

Black is best-known for her work on the TV series Farscape and she recently had a recurring role on The Originals.

George Young As Victor Cannerts

Dr. Cannerts is a CDC researcher tasked with finding a cure for the mysterious, deadly virus and time is decidedly not on his side — so I totally don't envy this guy. It's his idea to lock down the hospital in order to contain the outbreak and he's also searching for Patient Zero — so it's safe to assume that he's going to be one of the busiest characters this season.

He began his career as a lawyer, but Young ultimately pursued his passion for acting and starred in BBC's Casualty. He has appeared in a variety of international films and has acted as a host for the Asian version of the gameshow Million Dollar Money Drop.

Hanna Mangan Lawrence As Teresa Keaton

Teresa, a pregnant teenager who is at odds with her mother, is prepared to run away with her boyfriend, Xander, to raise their child together when they get separated by the walls of the urban quarantine.

Lawrence is best known for her starring role in Season 2 of Starz’s Spartacus: War of the Damned.

Trevor St. John As Leo Greene

Leo Greene is a disgraced investigative journalist looking to redeem himself and his reputation. When Leo begins to suspect that there's a conspiracy behind the epidemic, he sees an opportunity to cover one of the most groundbreaking stories of the century. We can expect to see him at the center of the mayhem throughout the series as he tries to get to the bottom of what's really going on.

St. John is no stranger to the small screen and you may recognize him from his work on shows including The Vampire Diaries, The Mentalist, and CSI: Cyber.

Christina Marie Moses As Jana Mayfield

Lex's girlfriend Jana is a data recovery specialist who will be trapped inside the walls of the quarantine. She grew up in group homes and struggles with opening up to others. Jana is finally ready to commit to Lex, but she's just a moment too late and winds up in quarantine instead.

Moses has appeared in films such as The Invention of Lying and Starship and she's guest starred on shows including Twisted, Nikita, and Star Trek: Phase II.

This is an incredibly promising cast of interesting characters and I'm preemptively crossing my fingers that none of them will get felled by the mysterious epidemic that has taken over Atlanta.

Images: The CW (9)