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Before getting out of the business of producing scripted content, Cinemax’s lineup of shows was truly phenomenal.
The network brought great shows like Strikeback, Warrior (now on Max), and Banshee to life.
These shows were well-written, with great characters and stories. The action was top-tier, making action buffs weak on the knees with every sequence.
Banshee’s narrative, storyline, direction, and enigmatic characters stood out. The show is one of the most underrated shows from the 2010s.
After seeing its lead male actor’s phenomenal skills in a currently airing show, I was compelled to check up on the cast and see what they’ve been up to in the years since the show ended.
Antony Starr — Lucas Hood
Relatively unknown at the time, New Zealand actor Antony Starr embodied the role of Lucas Hood.
Fresh out of jail after a robbery, becoming a regular citizen was the least of Lucas’ concerns when he witnessed the murder of a new sheriff and adopted the murdered sheriff’s identity.
Lucas was testament to that fact that when it rains, it pours. He had survived a life of crime, prison, and on his first day out, he’s caught up in a murder. What are the chances!
Starr gave his everything for the role, from his great acting skills to the athleticism for numerous action scenes needed to pull off the character.
After the show ended, Starr acted in one movie before landing his breakout role as Homelander in Prime Video’s hit show, The Boys.
Since 2019, Starr has brought to life the terrifying superhero character. It would seem that his experience on Banshee playing an anti-hero came in handy because he balances the twisted charm Homelander embodies while making him uncomfortable to watch.
The world of The Boys is an expansive one with several spinoffs from including Gen V, and Starr has reprised his role for the character when needed.
The Boys Season 4 is the upcoming season of the show which promises to be as wild as the last three and we all look forward to seeing Antony Starr blow our minds as Homelander.
Ivana Milicevic — Carrie Hopwell
Apart from her hard-to-pronounce family name, Ivana Milicevic has striking beauty, making her a name in the modeling world before landing roles in film and TV.
She portrayed the role of Carrie with the soul and grit that was needed to pull off a woman such as Carrie, who was trying to raise a family while running away from her past.
We rooted for Carrie because she was incredibly relatable to people as someone who had been dealt a bad hand in life and however much she tried to outrun her history, it always caught up with her to devastating consequences.
After leaving Carrie behind, Ivana took on recurring roles, first being seen in Strikeback Season 9. Ivana’s prowess for playing emotionally complex women who are menacing on the outside found her playing Diyoza in CW’s apocalyptic drama The 100.
The show has seen a revolving door of guest stars throughout the years but Diyoza stood out because she was badass and pregnancy was not stopping or slowing her down until she got what she wanted.
She also did some voice acting work in Castlevania in the role of Striga.
She has done several in movies, with the latest, Every Last Secret, coming out in 2022.
Ulrich Thomsen — Kai Hope
Even before being cast in Banshee, Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen was accomplished in his home country of Denmark.
If Banshee were as mainstream as Breaking Bad, Kai Hope would be one of the most infamous villains of all time because that man was terrifying.
Kai was one of the worst characters to ever grace the small screen with who was okay with committing any crime or sin in the book. From casual murder to lusting after his niece, he was disgustingly interesting to watch.
Thomsen was the perfect fit for the character from his signature expressioneless look to his balanced and well-timed line deliverly.
After Banshee, Ulrich participated in many other projects with but his most notable on TV was his role on The Blacklist as Dr Alexander Kirk.
Dr, Kirk was The Blacklist Season 4’s big bad who came at Reddington from a personal angle by claiming to be Liz Keen’s father. He confused Liz so much that she went on the offensive against Red and their relationship never quite recovered.
He had another short stint as a doctor on HBO’s The Young Pope.
Thomsen continued his incredible acting streak in Scandinavian TV and movies with roles in productions such as Trom and Agent.
His next films are in post-production and are set to come out soon.
Frankie R. Faison — Sugar Bates
His acting credits are extensive, having entered the business in the 1970s. Before his role as Sugar, Frankie R. Faison was no stranger, having starred or recurred on most of the best shows from the 2000s, from The Wire to Grey’s Anatomy.
Lucas didn’t have many friends, but he could count on Sugar. To Sugar, Lucas didn’t need to hide who he was because Sugar could smell it off him. It was easy to discount Sugar as the old man who runs a bar.
Frankie brought the calmness needed to pull off Sugar, who seemed like the only normal person in a world full of insane people. Even when his ugliness would jump out, he was still the most likeable.
After Banshee, Frankie popped up in TV shows and movies here and there before landing a main role in The Village, which lasted for a single season on NBC.
Frankie was cast as Cutty on The Rookie: Feds alongside Niecy Nash-Betts. He played Simone’s father with a painful past where he had been wrongly incarcerated and lost many years with his family.
The role was a far cry from Banshee’s but Frankie’s portrayal of Cutty left a mark in a show with such a huge ensemble. Unfortunately, The Rookie: Feds was also canceled recently.
On the large screen, Frankie has led or been part of several movies including Till.
Hoon Lee — Job
Hoon Lee is one of the most versatile actors in the business, looking at his filmography after Banshee.
In the show portrayed the charmingly flamboyant Job, who more than knew his way around computers. Job was one of Lucas’s oldest friends he would and did go to war for.
Who can forget Job’s iconic introduction where as he was doing his thing in a bar, some guys affronted him because of how he presented and lets just say the ER saw new patients that day.
After Banshee, Hoon didn’t stray away from Cinemax because he landed the role of the cunning Wang Chao on Warrior. Wang Chao was the manipulative glue that held Chinatown together. Chao was known for being Team Chao and Team Chao only.
He also appeared in the second season of Apple TV+‘s show See, as Toad. In a world where the actions of the witchfinders were wild and the logic wilder, Toad seemed like a breath of fresh air.
Hoon’s versatility shone again on See because the role required him to act as a blind person, which is not the easiest thing when one can see.
He focused his energy on voice work in movies, where he voiced several characters. His latest work is in the voice of Jade Emperor in The Monkey King.
Lili Simmons — Rebecca Bowman
Lili Simmons can play any girl, but she loves the rebellious type.
That was true in Banshee when she played Rebecca, Kai’s niece, who had enough of the Amish rules like her uncle. She was proof that one could fall from the pan to the fire because she rebelled against the exploitation of the Amish only to be exploited by her uncle.
After Banshee, Lili recurred on Ray Donovan playing a fictional movie star, Natalie James. She was one of Ray’s client who needed something that threatened her budding Hollywood career fixed.
She appeared in several TV shows in guest capacities, including Westworld, before landing a main role in The Purge.
Her latest and arguably the most recognizable role is as Claudia Flynn in Power Book IV: Force.
Born to a misogynistic father, Claudia’s biggest fight is to be seen and offered opportunites that her brother took for granted but their father would not budge.
After being underestimated and ignored for a long time, Claudia takes the reins and rebels against him, and let’s say it doesn’t end well for one party, and it’s not Claudia. Her arc was one of the best on Power Book IV: Force Season 2.
Lili has also appeared in several movies and short films.
Matt Servitto — Deputy Brock Lotus
After playing one of the most recognizable detectives, thanks to his role in The Sopranos, Matt Servitto liked paying the lawman.
His role as Deputy Brock Lotus was reminiscent of the one in The Sopranos, where the characters were bitter because things didn’t go their way.
After Banshee, Matt guested on some shows including The Blacklist and Billions.
His focus seemed to be on the movies, having had several film roles. His latest role was in Dangerous Waters.
Ryann Shane — Deva Hopewell
As far as teenagers go, Deva wasn’t the most annoying, but she was high on that list.
She was the intuitive daughter of her mother, Carrie, who nothing got past.
After Banshee, Ryann has appeared in three movies.
Honorable Mentions
Tom Pelphrey — Kurt Bunker
Many people would be apprehensive of taking a role that requires them to act as a Nazi, tattoos and all, but Tom Pelphrey had a blast.
The Bunker brothers were odd on the show, but they stuck out because of their beliefs. Kurt was proof that redemption is possible if someone seeks it truly.
After Banshee ended, Tom was not planning on slowing down, appearing on Marvel’s Ironfist as part of the main cast.
He later landed a role in Netflix’s hit show Ozark as Ben Davis and for this role, Tom was lauded for his perfomance.
He would then be seen on Outer Range for Prime Video. His latest role is on Love & Death alongside Elizabeth Olsen.
Tom was cast in an untitled HBO series from Mare of Easttown creator in late 2023.
Chris Coy — Calvin Bunker
While Kurt was repentant of his past, Calvin was fine being the way he was.
Chris Coy is very underrated as an actor, and his projects before and after Banshee show this.
Chris has been on HBO for a a while potraying different characters in shows like True Blood and Treme. His next HBO role came after Banshee when he joined The Deuce as Paul, a seasoned bartender.
Paul was the connection between the rising world of porn in late 70s New York and the growing LGBT community at the same time.
After The Deuce ended, Chris landed main roles in shows like The Peripheral and Women of the Movement.
His latest work was in an episode of Lawmen: Bass Reeves. He’s also appeared in several movies.
•••••
Over to you, Banshee Fanatics. Is it time for a reboot or remake? How many times have you rewatched Banshee over five years after it ended?
Chime in in the comment section.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on X.