Anatomy of a Fallis a courtroom drama that works primarily because of the variety of strong performances the cast delivers. The film is directed by Justine Triet, best known forIn Bed With VictoriaandSibyl, who’s shifting from comedy to psychological thriller in her new movie. The story revolves around the mysterious death of Samuel in the remote home where he lived with his wife Sandra and their visually impaired son, who happens to be the sole witness of the crime.
Anatomy of a Fallgenerated quite an early buzz back in May when itwon the prestigious Palme d’Orat the 76th Cannes Film Festival, highly praised for its unpredictable crime story and Sandra Hüller’s breathtaking performance, the lead actress among other equally powerful supporting actors. Indeed, here’s your cast and character guide to the movie.
Sandra Hüller as Sandra
Sandra, a successful author who becomes the primary suspect in the suspicious death of her husband, is played bySandra Hüller. It would be an understatement to just call her the film’s main character; the entirety ofAnatomy of a Fallrevolves around Hüller and her performance, prompting the audience to investigate the character beyond her expressions and words, just like the jury in the film does.
Hüller is known as a multinational actress, actively contributing to productions from all over the world. Although she’s German, she speaks French and English fluently inAnatomy of a Fall, as well as in other movies. The actress starred in highly acclaimed movies such asToni Erdmann, I’m Your Man, Munich: The Edge of War,and Triet’s previous movieSybil. Hüller plays key roles in two of themost-praised international movies of 2023; besidesAnatomy of Fall, she also stars in Jonathan Glazer’sThe Zone of Interest— two important, yet distinct projects.
Samuel Theis as Samuel
Samuel, the husband whose death works as the catalyst for the movie’s conflict, is played bySamuel Theis. Since his character is killed off early inAnatomy of a Fall, there’s very little of the actor in the movie, but he’s integral to the story and the mystery that unfolds.
The French actor kicked off his career in the late-2000s in movies such asThe Queen and the Cardinal,L’Odyssée de l’amour, andThe Princess of Montpensier.More recently, Theis played Simon Elsenberg in the French thriller showInsideand starred in the short filmDue Westand the feature filmThe Male Gaze: Strikers & Defenders.
Milo Machado-Graner as Daniel
Daniel, Sandra and Samuel’s son, is played byMilo Machado-Graner. The character nearly lost his vision in an accident, and his condition is crucial to the development ofAnatomy of a Fall’s mystery and the story’s harrowing dilemma.The young actorhas a promising career ahead; 13 years old now, Machado-Graner made his onscreen debut in 2021 in the French seriesEn thérapiein the role of Adam Dayan, then went on to star in the French moviesWaiting for BojanglesandStuck Together, consequently earning international recognition for his performance inAnatomy of a Fall.
Swann Arlaud as Vincent
Swann Arlaudjoins the cast ofAnatomy of a Fallas Maître Vincent Renzi, Sandra’s lawyer. The actor is also a filmmaker with two short movies in his resume:Little White DudeandZorey,although he’s primarily dedicated to his acting career. One of the most famous French actors of the decade, Arlaud’s notorious projects includeBloody Milk, about a farmer trying to save his cattle herd,By the Grace of God, a moving drama about faith and sin directed by the renowned François Ozon, andThe Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, a period movie filled fantasy and mystery directed byLéon: The ProfessionalandLucydirector Luc Besson.
Antoine Reinartz as the Prosecutor
Antoine ReinartzplaysAnatomy of a Fall’s ruthless prosecutor, trying to convince the courtroom that Samuel’s death was no accident or suicide, but rather a murder orchestrated by Sandra. On TV, the actor is most commonly known for playing Antoine Marchand in the French showNona et ses filles, Jeremie inIrma Verp, based onOlivier Assayas' movie, and Maître Fabien Bogaert inClass Act. On the big screen, Reinartz starred in120 BPM, Non-Fiction,andSchool Life.
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Jehnny Beth as Marge
Jehnny Beth, one of the most versatile artists inAnatomy of a Fall’s cast, takes over the role of Marge in the film. Although she plays an important supporting character, the actress is much more known for her career as a producer and singer-songwriter. Her 2020 albumTO LOVE IS TO LIVEwas a major success, and Beth effectively balances her passion for cinema and music by composing for small movies; in addition,her song “Husbands"appears in the acclaimed sci-fi movieEx-Machina. As for her acting career, Beth is known for starring in movies such asParis, 13th District, Kaamelott: The First Chapter,andAn Impossible Love.
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Camille Rutherford as Zoé
Camille Rutherfordplays Zoé in the movie, and it isn’t the first time the actress stars in a Palme d’Or winner; in 2013, Rutherford’s career skyrocketed after playing a small part in theLGBTQ+ romance movieBlue is the Warmest Color. She went on to star in successful indie films such asThe Night of the 12th, After Blue,andThe Dancer, as well as more ambitious productions such as Leos Carax’sHoly Motorsand Simone Veil’s biopicSimone: Woman of the Century.
Saadia Bentaïeb as Maître Nour Boudaoud
Saadia Bentaïebis a veteran actress, who plays Maître Nour Boudaoud inAnatomy of a Fall. Although she made her onscreen debut in the 2005 moviePeekaboo, it was only in 2017 that Bentaïeb decided to pursue an acting career. Her projects include successful French movies such asCustody, Zombi Child, Based on a True Story, and120 BPM, where the actress and Antoine Reinartz first worked together beforeAnatomy of a Fall.
