You Definitely Know These Actors From ‘3 Body Problem’

If you're a sci-fi reader, you've heard of The Three-Body Problem. And if you're not? You're about to hear a lot about it. The acclaimed book series now has a Western adaptation (called 3 Body Problem) from the showrunners of Game of Thrones, alongside True Blood writer Alexander Woo. Netflix recently premiered the first season, and the show has solid reviews.It's likely one of Netflix's big swings as they attempt to find their next big franchise with juggernauts like Stranger Things ending soon.

The book series is a hard sci-fi epic, full of deep dives into physics and space travel. If you like a bit of a science lesson with your entertainment, it's worth a read. And later on in the book series, there's increasing political intrigue and philosophy as humans not only grapple with the incoming aliens, but how society has to adapt with the knowledge they're no longer alone in the universe. For the show, the writers made major changes to shift the show in a more global direction (the books are mainly based in China) and simplify some of the more complex topics within the backstory (not all of us want to learn physics concepts while we watch TV).

That said, for both newcomers to the book and show, and readers who want to see Netflix's adaptation of their beloved book trilogy, there may be some confusion with so many characters introduced at once. No matter how much is changed, there's still lots of characters and plot-lines to follow. You may want a guide handy.

So, here's a spoiler-free list of the main cast of 3 Body Problem.

Eiza González as Augstina "Auggie" Salazar

One of the five main protagonists in the show, Auggie is the TV show equivalent of Wang Miao, the protagonist of the first book in the series. She one day discovers a countdown displayed in her eyes, and is thrust into a world of conspiracy when a strange woman tells her to quit her research.

Jess Hong as Jin Cheng

Hong plays Jin Cheng, another one of the five main characters. Jin is the one who picks up a strange video game, which tasks players with discovering the mysteries of a strange world.

Jovan Adepo as Saul Durand

Saul is also part of the main group. He's Auggie's ex, and worked with Vera Ye, another member of the group (and Ye Wenjie's daughter).

John Bradley as Jack Rooney

Bradley plays a far different character than his Game of Thrones breakout role of Samwell Tarly. Here he plays Jack Rooney, a businessman who's friends with a group of scientists.

Alex Sharp as Will Downing

Sharp plays Will Downing, a teacher and one of the five main characters in the show. He pines after Jin, his close friend. Sharp is known for his work on Broadway, as well as his television and film roles.

Jonathan Pryce as Mike Evans

Jonathan Pryce plays Mike Evans, an environmentalist who aids Ye Wenjie in her quest to bring the aliens to Earth. He spends much of his time on a ship, keeping a direct signal with the aliens and teaching them about Earth and humans. He also played the High Sparrow on Game of Thrones.

Rosalind Chao as Ye Wenjie

Rosalind Chao plays Ye Wenjie in 3 Body Problem. Both in the book and show, she's at once a protagonist and an antagonist; we watch her traumatizing life in China leading up to her world-altering decision to invite aliens to Earth, and we later see her spearhead a movement to stop scientists from continuing advancements to help the aliens take over the planet.

Benedict Wong as Clarence "Da" Shi

Wong, best known for his role as Wong in the MCU, plays one of the most important characters in The Three Body Problem book series. Clarence is a chain-smoking detective determined to take down those responsible for interfering with scientists and their advancements around the world.

Liam Cunningham as Wade

Cunningham plays Wade, Clarence's boss. While Cunningham has had a long and successful career, his most well-known role in recent years was Sir Davros in Game of Thrones.

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