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Entertainment • Oct 9, 2026 • 3 min read

Below Netflix Cast 2026: Full Actor List, Who Plays Maggie, Season 1 Characters, and Where You've Seen Them Before

Below Netflix cast 2026: Josh Hartnett leads as Captain John Sturges, Maggie Grace plays Maggie, plus full Season 1 actor list, character guide, and where you've seen them.

Below Netflix cast 2026 on the deck of a salvage ship facing a giant sea monster

Below Netflix cast 2026 on the deck of a salvage ship facing a giant sea monster

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Key Intelligence Takeaways
  • ✓Below Netflix cast 2026 is led by Josh Hartnett as Captain John Sturges and Maggie Grace as Maggie.
  • ✓Season 1 has eight episodes, all released on Netflix on October 8, 2026.
  • ✓The series is unrelated to Below Deck, Below Zero, or Eight Below despite shared search terms.
  • ✓Critics are mixed on the plot but positive on the Hartnett and Grace performances, per Rotten Tomatoes and The Guardian.
  • ✓Netflix has not yet renewed Below for Season 2 as of October 9, 2026.

The Below Netflix cast in 2026 is led by Josh Hartnett as Captain John Sturges and Maggie Grace as Maggie, the ship's medic, heading a limited-series ensemble that also includes Ryan Kwanten, Mila Harris, and Enuka Okuma. Netflix released all episodes of the sea-monster thriller on October 8, 2026, and the show has already become the platform's most-searched new title of the week, driven by queries for "below netflix cast maggie" and "below netflix cast season 1."

Who is in the Below Netflix cast in 2026?

The full Below Netflix cast for Season 1 features Josh Hartnett as Captain John Sturges, Maggie Grace as Maggie, Ryan Kwanten as Dex, Mila Harris as Cassie, and Enuka Okuma as Dr. Reyes, with supporting turns from a rotating crew ensemble. According to Rotten Tomatoes' first-reviews roundup (October 2026), critics repeatedly singled out Hartnett and Grace as the anchor performances in a series that IndieWire called "a treat for the eyes and ears and not much else."

ActorCharacterRole in Below Season 1Previously Known For
Josh HartnettCaptain John SturgesSalvage captain who leads the crew into the snot-bergPearl Harbor, Oppenheimer, Trap
Maggie GraceMaggieShip's medic and emotional core of the crewLost, Taken, Fear the Walking Dead
Ryan KwantenDexDeep-sea diver and Sturges' oldest friendTrue Blood, The Oath
Mila HarrisCassieYoungest crew member and monster witnessNo Exit, The Last Thing He Told Me
Enuka OkumaDr. ReyesOnboard scientist studying the organismRookie Blue, Impulse

Who plays Maggie in Below on Netflix?

Maggie is played by Maggie Grace, the 43-year-old American actress best known as Shannon Rutherford in Lost and Kim Mills in the Taken franchise. In Below, Grace's character serves as the crew's medic and the primary voice of reason as the snot-berg organism escalates, a role The Guardian's October 8, 2026 review described as the series' most grounded performance amid the creature chaos.

How many episodes does Below Season 1 have and when did it premiere?

Below Season 1 consists of eight episodes, all released simultaneously on Netflix on October 8, 2026. The limited-series format means there is no weekly rollout, and Netflix has not yet confirmed a Season 2, though the show's early streaming performance and the volume of "below netflix cast season 1" searches suggest renewal talks are active.

Where have you seen the Below Netflix actors before?

Most of the Below Netflix actors are recognizable from major franchises: Josh Hartnett from Oppenheimer and Trap, Maggie Grace from Lost and Taken, and Ryan Kwanten from seven seasons of True Blood. Mila Harris appeared in No Exit and The Last Thing He Told Me, while Enuka Okuma is a veteran of Rookie Blue and the Canadian sci-fi series Impulse. According to Rotten Tomatoes (October 2026), the cast's familiarity is one of the few elements critics agreed works in the show's favor.

Is Below connected to Below Deck, Below Zero, or Eight Below?

No. Below on Netflix is an original scripted monster thriller and has no connection to Bravo's Below Deck reality franchise, the Spanish survival film Below Zero, or the 2006 Paul Walker dog-sled movie Eight Below. The shared word "below" drives most of the confused search traffic, but the 2026 Netflix series is a standalone Josh Hartnett project with a completely separate cast and production team.

What do critics say about the Below Netflix cast and series?

Critics have been mixed on the series but largely positive on the cast. The Guardian's October 8, 2026 review praised the show's creature design and Hartnett's committed performance, while IndieWire criticized the thin plotting but acknowledged the production values. Rotten Tomatoes' first-reviews roundup framed Below as "a monster horror worth watching," citing the cast chemistry between Hartnett and Grace as a key strength.

Will there be a Below Season 2 with the same cast?

Netflix has not officially renewed Below for Season 2 as of October 9, 2026, so no cast return has been confirmed. Given the limited-series structure and the show's strong debut search volume, industry analysts expect a renewal decision within 60 to 90 days, with Hartnett and Grace contractually positioned for a potential return.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who plays Maggie in Below on Netflix?

Maggie is played by Maggie Grace, best known for Lost and the Taken films.

Who is the lead actor in Below Netflix 2026?

Josh Hartnett stars as Captain John Sturges, the salvage captain at the center of the series.

How many episodes are in Below Season 1?

Below Season 1 has eight episodes, all released on Netflix on October 8, 2026.

Is Below the same as Below Deck?

No. Below is a scripted Netflix monster thriller, while Below Deck is a Bravo reality franchise with no shared cast or crew.

Is Below based on a true story?

No. Below is a fictional limited series about a sea organism attacking a salvage crew.

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