Pictures courtesy of Netflix
The Sandman is returning in 2025 with a stacked cast of over two dozen new faces who are joining the already incredible season 1 cast. Below is our comprehensive guide to the cast of The Sandman season 2 as of December 2024!
After almost a year of production, The Sandman season 2 wrapped filming in August 2024. The reported 12-episode season is likely to be the final season of the series, with images from filming showing scenes being filmed from The Kindly Ones — the comic’s endgame volume. The new season will cover many of the comic’s most beloved stories, including Season of Mists and Brief Lives, with many one-shot stories like The Song of Orpheus and A Midsummer Night’s Dream also being covered.
Confirmed New Cast Members in The Sandman Season 2
Indya Moore as Wanda
Before filming was halted due to the strikes, fans could see some sneaky footage. One behind-the-scenes photo shows Pose star Indya Moore on set alongside Tom Sturridge and Kirby Howell-Baptiste.
A transgender woman, Wanda is one of Barbie’s best friends. Her biggest role in the comic comes in the A Game of You storyline. It seems unlikely that this arc will be covered in season 2, but Wanda’s role is expected to be remixed and expanded in the new episodes.
Ruairi O’Connor as Orpheus
Netflix has announced that Ruairi O’Connor will play Orpheus in season 2. Based on the character from Greek mythology, Orpheus is the son of Dream and Calliope. His story also tells a version of Orpheus in the Underworld, set within the Sandman continuity. He’s a romantic, driven young man — who very quickly becomes aware of the true nature of love.
We were already aware of Ruairi O’Connor’s involvement in the series after set pictures were taken on Durdle Door beach in 2023.
Steve Coogan as Barnabas
One of the instant stand-out castings from the next batch of episodes is British comedy icon Steve Coogan. Of course, everyone will know him as Alan Partridge — he’s one of the finest comedy actors out there. Similar to the castings of Lenny Henry, David Tennant, and Michael Sheen, Coogan’s name alone will draw in new viewers.
His character, Barnabas, is the canine companion of Destruction, who forges a close relationship with Delirium.
Ann Skelly as Nuala
Nuala is a fairy from the Faerie who is presented as a gift to Morpheus. She is gracefully accepted into the Dreaming and performs housekeeping duties in the realm, becoming a key inhabitant.
Netflix has now confirmed that Ann Skelly will portray Nuala. Skelly is best known for her roles in The Nevers and Death and Nightingales (2018).
Douglas Booth as Cluracan
Douglas Booth is best known for playing Boy George in Worry About the Boy. He also played Romeo in 2013’s Romero and Juliet adaptation.
He’s the perfect person to play Cluracan of the Faerie in The Sandman. Cluracan is the brother of Nuala and courtier to the Queen of Faerie. He shows up periodically throughout the comics, but he’s best known for his role in the Season of Mists story arc, which will be covered in season 2.
Freddie Fox as Loki
For any House of the Dragon fans out there, you’ll be well acquainted with Freddie Fox from his role as Gwayne Hightower.
Now he’s been cast as Loki in Sandman season 2. Audiences know about the Norse God of mischief all too well thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but his Sandman counterpart is a much more mythologically accurate version. From looks alone, Fox seems to have what it takes to be everyone’s new favourite take on the trickster!
Laurence O’Fuarain as Thor
Thor in the Sandman Universe is, once again, a significantly more accurate depiction of the Norse God compared to versions in other media. A towering menace, Thor is not a man to be messed with. He’s immensely powerful. In the Season of Mists story arc, he accompanies Loki and Odin in their bid to attain the Key to Hell.
Laurence O’Fuarain isn’t quite as enormous as Thor from the comics — such a stature is almost impossible for anyone to imitate. That said, he’s previously worked on Viking Destiny (2018), so there’s a history with Norse work. Plus, he also worked on The Witcher: Blood Origin.
Earlier this year, we had the chance to catch up with Laurence O’Fuarain about role as Thor. “The Thor we see in The Sandman is hot-tempered, full of bravado, but loyal to the end. He was really fun to play,” he revealed, adding that he appears in 3/4 episodes of the new season.
Clive Russell as Odin
Odin is the most powerful of all the Norse Gods. Given his omnipotence, it makes total sense that when Lucifer abandons Hell and leaves the Key to He with Morpheus, Odin is one of the first to declare his interest.
Clive Russell has previously worked on a Neil Gaiman project, having played Mr. Vandemar in Neverwhere. You may also recognize him from his role as Brynden Tully in Game of Thrones.
Jack Gleeson as Puck
Another Game of Thrones star is coming to The Sandman! Perhaps the most surprising casting in the new season is Jack Gleeson, aka Joffrey Baratheon. Following his performance in Game of Thrones, Gleeson said he was keen to step back from acting.
That’s until now — Netflix has confirmed that Jack Gleeson will play Puck in season 2. Puck is a character from an English myth. He’s a trickster capable of shapeshifting. He appears in The Sandman during A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which Morpheus invites the people from Faerie to be the audience for the first showing of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Gleeson is perfect for the role. We all know too well just how nasty he can be following his iconic portrayal of Joffrey.
Esme Creed-Miles as Delirium
Esme Creed-Miles is the daughter of Samantha Morton, who voiced Urania Blackwell in Audible’s The Sandman comic book. The 23-year-old actress has credits in HANNA and Dark Life (2017). Netflix has confirmed this casting.
Delirium is the youngest Endless sibling. Formerly Delight, she is youthful and playful and extremely immature, especially around her family. She’s a fan-favorite character. Delirium will play a big role in season 2, in which she and Morpheus hunt for their long-lost brother, Destruction.
Barry Sloane as Destruction
According to a report from Redanian Intelligence, The Bay and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare star Barry Sloane has been cast in the role of Destruction in The Sandman season 2. Destruction is one of the seven siblings in the Endless. But unlike the others in his family, he abandoned his post and now lives a quiet and peaceful life in the countryside. He is set to play a key role in the new season. Netflix has now officially confirmed this casting.
Destiny is played by Adrian Lester
Adrian Lester is best known for roles in Hustle, Renegade Nell and The Day After Tomorrow. He plays Destiny, the all-knowing eldest Endless sibling. Destiny is blind, and lives in the center of a misty, never-ending labyrinth. He lives in solitude. He knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen, all through an enormous book that’s chained around his neck. Destiny kicks off the Season of Mists storyline, where he gathers all of his siblings for an all-important Endless family meeting.
Yet To Be Officially Confirmed Season 2 Cast Members
Garry Cooper as Hades and Antonia Desplat as Persephone
We were among the first to report that Garry Cooper will play Hades, and Antonia Desplat will portray Persephone. Netflix has not officially revealed either of these castings.
Cooper is well known for playing Ryam Redwyne in House of The Dragon. His character in The Sandman is Hades of the Underworld, whom Orpheus must bargain with when he seeks to find his love, Persephone.
Amber Rose Revah as Goddess Ishtar
Marvel’s The Punisher star Amber Rose Revah has joined the cast for season 2. The news is backed up by looking at her Spotlight CV, which features The Sandman in her works. Her role is Goddess Ishtar, former lover of Destruction in Brief Lives.
Bridgette Amofah (Character unknown)
We can also reveal that Bridgette Amofah has joined the season 2 cast, although we don’t know which character she’ll be playing. Amofah is a musician and actress. She’ll also be involved in an upcoming Mission: Impossible project.
Rose Bianco as Dora
We can now confirm that Cobra Kai star Rose Bianco has been cast as Wanda’s Aunt Dora. Bianco was previously spotted filming on set alongside Tom Sturridge (Dream), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death), and Indya Moore (Wanda).
Wil Coban as Lord Azazel
One interesting casting we’ve learned of is Will Coban as Lord Azazel. Azazel, a demon and steadfast ally of Lucifer, featured very briefly in the season 1 finale. His appearance in season 1 was very much akin to his comic form; a dark rift of glowing eyes and teeth. However, in season 2, it appears as if he’ll take a more human-esque form, at least most of the time. Roger Allam, who voiced Azazel in season 1. But his human form will now be portrayed by Will Coban, best known for roles in The Boys in the Boat (2023) and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021).
Umulisa Gahiga as Nada
Another interesting recast is Umulisa Gahiga as Nada. In season 1, Deborah Oyelade played Nada when Dream visited Hell. Her role was very brief and is expected to be expanded on in season 2. Gahiga is best known for her role in Liaison (2023).
Other Unannounced Cast Members
There are plenty more actors involved in season 2 as well. While unconfirmed by Netflix, here’s our list of additional cast members. Please note that some of these character names may be placeholder names.
- Charlotte Bate (I Think We Are Alone) is Talley
- Morgan Dun-Campbell as Aurora
- Emily Yuen (Rocketman) as Mai Lai
- Assiba Blejah as Makena
- Jordan Stamatiadis as Aphy
- Chris Barnes as Bruno
- Lance C. Fuller as Leonard
- Kem Hassan as Phil Jones
- Luke Polie as Anthony
- Ben Cutler (Eastenders) as Luke Burns
- Zahra Browne (Pennyworth) as Charlier Adler
- Daphne Alexander (The Fourth Kind) as Bromie
- Jordan Adene (Young Wallander) as Donnie Capax (expected to be a variation on Danny the son of Bernie Capax)
- Paul Brennen (Men in Black: International) as Captain Carnot
- Andre Flynn (The Musketeers) as Envoy to Lord Kilderkin
- Joel Burman as TBD
- Olamide Candide-Johnson as TBD
- Jake Fairbrother as Remiel
- James Akka as TBD
- Gavin Spokes (House of the Dragon, SCOOP) as Jeremy
- Kayode Akinyemi (Vikings: Valhalla) as Kris
- Daniel Hoffmann-Gill (The Nevers) as Guillaume
- Tafline Steen (Miss Scarlett and the Duke) as Xantho
We should also note that at one point, Netflix was casting for the following role:
- Auberon — The King of the Fairies.
Returning Cast Members for The Sandman Season 2
Tom Sturridge (Dream)
Picture: Netflix
Let’s start with the obvious. Yes, Tom Sturridge will return as the titular Morpheus, the Dream Lord, in new episodes of The Sandman. Sturridge has been spotted on set filming new episodes before the show’s production was shut down due to the WGA writer’s strike and the more recent actor’s strike.
The images, shared by Mail Online, show Sturridge filming what appears to be the story “The Song of Orpheus” from the comics. Moreover, a recent capture shows him filming a funeral scene alongside Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death).
Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death)
Picture: Netflix
Kirby Howell-Baptiste only made one appearance in The Sandman season one. However, she made a pretty big impression in just half an episode.
In “The Sound of Her Wings,” Death meets with her brother Dream and makes him join her as she goes about her duties, accompanying people to the afterlife. It is heartfelt and immensely touching and proves to be one of the highlights of the series. Later in the episode, she grants Hob Gadling (Ferdinand Kingsley) eternal life so that Dream can see how he fares over the centuries.
Looking at the comics, it’s fair to say that her role will be more significant. In fact, Kirby Howell-Baptiste is one of the few actors we’ve seen on set filming the new season, looking as cool as ever.
Gwendoline Christie (Lucifer)
Despite not being spotted on set yet, Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer will play a major part in the new season. The entire volume, “Season of Mists,” takes place without getting into spoilers due to Lucifer’s actions.
In the final scene of season one, Lucifer vowed to take revenge on Morpheus their battle in which the Dream Lord reclaimed his helm. Lucifer promised to “bring him to his knees” after seemingly hatching a plan with Azazel.
Mason Alexander Park (Desire) and Donna Preston (Despair)
While their roles aren’t exactly crucial in the stories covered in season 2, Mason Alexander Park’s Desire and Donna Preston’s Despair will certainly make a few appearances.
Perhaps the most exciting upcoming Desire scene comes in the beginning of the “Season of Mists” story arc. In the prologue, Destiny calls an Endless family meeting, and Desire causes chaos at the dinner table.
Speaking to Winter Is Coming about their hopes for the new season, Mason cited the Endless family meeting as one of their most anticipated scenes. “I’m really looking forward to many moments in the comics, but seeing the family together for the first time in “Season of Mists” is super exciting,” they said. “There’s something very Succession about the whole thing, and who doesn’t want to be the person making all the fuss at a dinner party!”
In addition, we can expect Despair’s appearance to change slightly in the new season. Neil Gaiman hinted that the team may have missed the mark with her appearance, including a tatty brown shirt and crocs. “Mostly, what I hope is that the next time you see Despair on the screen, you won’t think of her as frumpy, depressed, and unloved,” he wrote on Tumblr. “She isn’t in the comics, and I think we missed what we were aiming for in Sandman season 1.”
Neither Mason Alexander Park nor Donna Preston have not been spotted on set yet, but we’ll let you know as seen as we get a glimpse. Watch this space!
Vivienne Acheampong (Lucienne)
Pictures: Netflix
Lucienne, a twist on the male character Lucien in the comics, proved to be a clear fan favorite in season 1. Lucienne is loyal and trustworthy, a librarian and Dream’s most trusted advisor, and is not afraid to confront her boss at times.
Like in season one, Lucienne is expected to make several appearances throughout the new episodes as a series regular.
Funnily enough, Acheampong wants in on the iconic “Endless meeting” scene despite her character not appearing in the comics. “If the Endless had a family get-together, I’d love Lucienne to just be there, being like, ‘Guys, I’ve come to be a mediator, mentor, whatever you need me to be,’ But I would just love to see all those siblings together, I think it would be incredible,” she told EW.
Mervyn Pumpkinhead (Mark Hamill)
Mark Hamill as Mervyn Pumpkinhead was one of the most surprising castings in the show. As the resident janitor of the Dreaming, it’s Merv’s job to keep the kingdom in good shape. He’s not afraid to speak his mind either. Despite being a sentient pumpkin, he is presented as a voice of reason and sanity amongst all the craziness.
Again, like Lucienne, we can expect Mervyn to pop up every now and again. A large portion of the Season of Mists storyline takes place in Dream’s palace, where he gets lots of visitors, so we’ll probably see Lucienne and Merv getting very stressed out!
Patton Oswalt (Matthew the Raven)
Speaking of voice work, Patton Oswalt will no doubt return to the recording booth to voice Matthew the Raven, Dream’s loyal messenger raven.
Cain (Sanjeev Bhaskar) and Abel (Asim Chaudhry)
Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
Based on the biblical characters, Cain and Abel are very much comic relief characters in Sandman. Look no further than the numerous times Cain murders Abel in increasingly gruesome ways. In season one, they made two appearances. First, we saw the death of Gregory and the hatching of Goldie the gargoyle in episode 2. Later, they reappeared while Lucienne was performing a census of the Dream Realm.
Looking ahead to when we’ll next see them, they notably put on a magic show for visitors to Dream’s palace. Moreover, there’s no doubt they’ll show up in other scenes, too.
Ferdinand Kingsley (Hob Gadling)
Ferdinand Kingsley will presumably return as Hob Gadling in the new season. In the comics, he makes sporadic appearances throughout the series, so don’t expect anything more than that. Without going into spoiler territory, in Season of Mists, we see Dream meet with Hob once more.
Ernest Kingsley Junior (Kai’ckul)
Nada was an ancient African queen who fell in love with Dream. In the episode “A Hope in Hell,” she makes one brief appearance in season one, in which Morpheus travels to Hell to reclaim his stolen Helm. While traveling to Lucifer’s palace, Dream reunites with Nada (now played by Umulisa Gahiga), who is shown to be imprisoned in Hell. She begs him to release her, but he does not. In this scene, Dream is shown as Kai’ckul, played by Ernest Kingsley Junior. Of course, the appearance of the Endless shifts depending on those who see them.
It is currently unclear whether The Sandman season 2 will cover Dream and Nada’s backstory. The story “Tales in the Sand” could’ve been covered in season one, given that the comic falls at the beginning of The Doll’s House story arc.
Melissanthi Mahut (Calliope)
From the behind-the-scenes photos from filming, we already know that season 2 will cover the Song of Orpheus storyline. This means that Melissanthi Mahut will no doubt reprise her role as Calliope. The character, who is the mother of Orpheus by Dream, is present at his wedding to Eurydice.
Calliope was introduced into The Sandman in episode 11, where Erasmus Fry abused her and later Richard Madoc, who used her powers as a Muse to create great stories.
Be sure to keep checking back for casting announcements. We will keep you updated right here!
Netflix Synopsis: "After years of imprisonment, Morpheus -- the King of Dreams -- embarks on a journey across worlds to find what was stolen from him and restore his power."
