Vladimir Cast & Character Guide: Who’s Joining Rachel Weisz In Netflix’s Steamy Campus Drama

While Rachel Weisz leads the cast of the upcoming Netflix limited series, Vladimir, she’s joined by a number of other well-known actors. The show, a provocative comedy-drama set at a liberal arts college, premieres on March 5, 2026. Weisz plays an English professor who has taught there for three decades, though her character’s name hasn’t been revealed.

I just finished watching this new Netflix miniseries, and it’s a real slow burn. It centers around a professor whose seemingly perfect life starts to unravel on two fronts. First, her husband, who also teaches, gets caught up in a scandal. But even more compelling is the arrival of a younger, incredibly charismatic colleague named Vladimir. The main character, played by Rachel Weisz, becomes completely fixated on him, and honestly, it’s a fascinating, if unsettling, watch. It’s less about a dramatic affair and more about a creeping obsession that really gets under your skin.

Created by Julia May Jonas, who also wrote the original novel, Vladimir dives into the main character’s most private and unsettling thoughts using imaginative fantasy scenes and direct address to the audience from actor Daniel Weisz. The story is strange and unconventional, and it relies heavily on the strength of its actors to truly work.

Vladimir Cast & Characters
Actor Character
Rachel Weisz Unnamed
Leo Woodall Vladimir
John Slattery John
Ellen Robertson Sid
Jessica Henwick Cynthia
Kayli Carter Lila
Miriam Silverman Florence
Mallori Johnson Edwina
Matt Walsh David
Tattiawna Jones Alexis
Louise Lambert Dawn

Rachel Weisz As Unnamed Protagonist

Date Of Birth: March 7, 1970

© 2026 Netflix, Inc.

  • Active since 1992

Rachel Weisz, born in London, England, first gained widespread recognition in Hollywood with her role as Evelyn Carnahan in the 1999 film, The Mummy. The 2000s proved to be a very busy and successful period for Weisz, as she appeared in several popular movies including The Mummy Returns, The Constant Gardener (for which she won an Academy Award), Runaway Jury, Constantine, and The Lovely Bones.

Weisz continues to be a busy and successful film actress, recently working with director Yorgos Lanthimos on films like The Lobster and The Favourite. She also joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Melina Vostokoff in Black Widow. While she’s done less television work, she recently starred as twins in Prime Video’s Dead Ringers, a remake of the 1988 film by David Cronenberg.

Notable Movie & TV Credits
Title Role
The Mummy (1999) Evelyn Carnahan
Constantine (2005) Angela & Isabel Dodson
The Constant Gardener (2005) Tessa Quayle
Dead Ringers (2023) Elliot and Beverly Mantle

Weisz delivers a captivating and unpredictable performance as the central character in Vladimir. This unnamed woman juggles many roles – writer, professor, wife, and mother – and constantly deals with the fallout from her husband’s affairs. Amidst the chaos of her life, she teaches, strives to stay relevant in her field, and attempts to reignite her writing ambitions, all while finding herself drawn to the attractive young Vladimir.

Leo Woodall As Vladimir

Date Of Birth: September 14, 1996​​​​

  • Active since 2019

Leo Woodall, like Rachel Weisz, is originally from London, England. He first gained recognition for his role as Jack in season two of The White Lotus. Since then, he’s appeared as Duke in the Prime Video series Citadel and as Dexter Mayhew in the Netflix adaptation of One Day. He’s also known for playing the charming Roxster McDuff in the movie Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

Notable Movie & TV Credits
Title Role
The White Lotus (2022) Jack
Citadel (2023) Duke
One Day (2024) Dexter Mayhew
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2025) Roxster McDuff

Vladimir Woodall is a new professor at the college where the story’s main character works. He’s likable and relaxed, and seems generally content despite the usual stresses of balancing work and family – he’s married to a colleague, Cynthia, and they have a young child. He quickly forms a friendly and playfully flirty connection with Weisz’s character.

John Slattery As John

Date Of Birth: August 13, 1962

  • Active since 1988

John Slattery, originally from Boston, Massachusetts, worked consistently in smaller movie and television roles for years. He became widely known for playing the charismatic and often reckless Roger Sterling on the hit show Mad Men, a performance that earned him four Emmy nominations. Slattery has also appeared in acclaimed films like Spotlight, where he portrayed journalist Ben Bradlee, Jr., and as Howard Stark in several Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.

Notable Movie & TV Credits
Title Role
Desperate Housewives (2007) Victor Lang
Mad Men (2007-2015) Roger Sterling
Spotlight (2015) Ben Bradlee, Jr.
Captain America: Civil War (2016) Howard Stark

Slattery’s character, Vladimir, shares similarities with Roger Sterling from Mad Men – both are carefree, privileged, and have a tendency to womanize. However, Vladimir experiences real repercussions for his actions on campus, something Roger often avoids, as Vladimir frequently notes they live in different eras. Additionally, Vladimir is confused and worried by his wife’s increasingly strange behavior.

Ellen Robertson As Sid

Date Of Birth: Unknown

  • Active since 2018

Ellen Robertson is a British actress, writer, and comedian who studied at Cambridge University and performed with the renowned Cambridge Footlights comedy group. She gained significant recognition with her role as Sandy’s Pal in the Black Mirror episode “Joan Is Awful.” Robertson has also appeared as Jennifer Chilton in Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 and as Gabi in an episode of Lena Dunham’s Too Much.

Notable Movie & TV Credits
Title Role
Black Mirror (2023) Sandy’s Pal
Breeders (2023) Jude
Mickey 17 (2024) Jennifer Chilton
Too Much (2025) Gabi

Robertson portrays Sid, the 27-year-old daughter of Weisz and John’s characters. Sid is a lawyer who assists her father with an important academic hearing while also navigating difficulties in her relationship with Alexis.

Jessica Henwick As Cynthia

Date Of Birth: August 30, 1992​​​​​​​

  • Active since 2009

Jessica Henwick is a British actor, writer, and director originally from Surrey, England. She first became well-known for her part as Nymeria Sand in Game of Thrones and later appeared as Colleen Wing in the Marvel show Iron Fist. Her film work includes roles in The Gray Man as Suzanne Brewer and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery as Peg.

Notable Movie & TV Credits
Title Role
Game of Thrones (2015-2017) Nymeria Sand
Iron Fist (2017-2018) Colleen Wing
The Gray Man (2022) Suzanne Brewer
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Peg

Okay, so Henwick plays Cynthia, who’s married to Vladimir. She’s a professor at the college too, but it’s a big deal that she’s an adjunct – Weisz’s character always points that out! Cynthia is really polite, but you can tell she’s holding something back, and she doesn’t drink at all. Plus, there’s a hint that she’s got a pretty complicated history.

Vladimir Supporting Cast & Characters

Kayli Carter plays Lila, a 29-year-old barista who has a strong dislike for both Weisz’s character and John, and is involved as a complainant in the case against John. Carter is known for her role as Sadie Rose in the Netflix series Godless, and has also appeared in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Charlie Says, Bad Education, and A Complete Unknown.

Miriam Silverman plays Florence, bringing a witty and slightly critical energy to the role of a colleague who challenges the main character. She’s also appeared in shows like Bad Education and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and recently starred alongside Jon Hamm in Your Friends & Neighbors.

Mallori Johnson plays Edwina, a driven student who admires the main character in Vladimir. Johnson is a rising star with seven acting roles already under her belt, including appearances in WeCrashed and Kindred.

Matt Walsh plays David, the manager of the main character, and the two share a complex past. Walsh is a well-known comedian and actor, famous for playing Mike McLintock on the show Veep. He’s also appeared in popular comedies like Road Trip, Bad Santa, and The Hangover.

Tattiawna Jones plays Alexis, Sid’s girlfriend, who the main character doesn’t like. Jones has a strong background in television, with appearances in well-known shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, Murderbot, and Wayward.

Louise Lambert plays Dawn in Vladimir. Dawn is a college instructor who has trouble with money. While Lambert has appeared in shows like Murdoch Mysteries and Ginny & Georgia, Vladimir is her most significant role yet.

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2026-03-05 14:15