Honestly, it’s rare for a show that lasted only thirteen episodes to leave such a massive dent in the culture. But when people talk about the Constantine tv series cast, they aren't just reminiscing about a failed NBC experiment from 2014. They’re talking about a group of actors who managed to capture the grimy, smoke-filled essence of DC’s Hellblazer comics so well that the lead actor basically refused to let the character die for the next decade.
It was a weird time for network TV. Superheroes were taking off, but "dark and occult" was still a tough sell for Friday night slots. NBC swung for the fences with a cast that looked like they stepped right out of the pages of a Vertigo comic, then pulled the plug before the paint was even dry. Yet, somehow, these actors became the definitive versions of these characters for a whole generation of fans.
The Man Who Is John Constantine: Matt Ryan
You can’t talk about this show without starting with Matt Ryan. Most actors play a role; Matt Ryan became John Constantine. It’s kinda legendary at this point. When NBC canceled the show, fans didn't just move on. They lobbied so hard that Ryan was brought back to play the same version of the character in the Arrowverse, starting with a guest spot on Arrow before becoming a series regular on Legends of Tomorrow.
Ryan nailed the trench coat, the messy blonde hair, and that specific "I’m probably going to get you killed but I’m your only hope" vibe. He even voiced the character in multiple animated films like Justice League Dark and the City of Demons series. For many, he is the only John Constantine that counts—sorry, Keanu. Interestingly, Ryan recently mentioned in a 2025 interview at GalaxyCon that the research for the role actually gave him nightmares. Reading about real-world exorcisms and the darker corners of the Hellblazer lore was enough to put him off horror movies for a while.
The Supporting Trio: Zed, Chas, and Manny
The chemistry among the core Constantine tv series cast was the glue that held those monster-of-the-week episodes together. It wasn't just the Matt Ryan show.
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Angélica Celaya played Zed Martin, the psychic artist who essentially replaced the pilot's female lead, Liv Aberdine (played by Lucy Griffiths). Zed brought a necessary friction to John’s life. She wasn't just a sidekick; she was a woman running from her own cult-ish past, which gave her a grit that matched John’s cynicism. Celaya’s portrayal was a fan favorite because she didn't take John's nonsense sitting down.
Then you have Charles Halford as Chas Chandler. If you know the comics, you know Chas is John’s oldest and most unfortunate friend. In the show, they gave him a supernatural twist—he was practically unkillable due to a protection spell involving the souls of people who died in a fire. Halford played Chas with a quiet, weary loyalty that made you feel for the guy. He was the "brawn" to John’s "brain," but he felt like a real person, not just a bodyguard.
Harold Perrineau as the angel Manny was perhaps the most interesting departure from typical lore. Manny wasn't a "shining light" kind of angel. He was morally ambiguous, cold, and often frustrated by the "lowly" humans he was tasked to watch over. Perrineau, who most people recognize from Lost or The Matrix, brought a weight to the role that made the celestial stakes feel heavy and dangerous.
The Recurring Nightmares: Papa Midnite and Jim Corrigan
A show like this lives or dies by its villains and allies, and the recurring Constantine tv series cast was stacked with talent.
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- Michael James Shaw (Papa Midnite): Long before he was Mercer in The Walking Dead, Shaw was the Voodoo King of New Orleans. His rivalry with John was electric. They weren't exactly enemies, but they definitely weren't friends.
- Emmett J. Scanlan (Jim Corrigan): Fans of the comics lost their minds when Scanlan showed up as Jim Corrigan. In the DC world, Corrigan eventually becomes The Spectre, one of the most powerful beings in existence. We only got glimpses of that destiny in the show, but Scanlan played the "doomed cop" role perfectly.
- Jeremy Davies (Ritchie Simpson): Davies is a master at playing twitchy, brilliant, and terrified characters. As Ritchie, a computer hacker and old friend of John’s from the infamous "Newcastle incident," he grounded the show in the trauma of John’s past.
What Happened After the Crossover?
The legacy of the Constantine tv series cast is a bit bittersweet. While Matt Ryan got to keep the trench coat for years in the Arrowverse, the rest of the cast didn't get the same luxury. There was a point where fans hoped Legends of Tomorrow would bring back Angélica Celaya or Charles Halford for a reunion, but it never quite materialized.
In the years since, the actors have moved on to other massive projects. Harold Perrineau is currently leading the hit horror series From, which feels like a spiritual successor to the weirdness of Constantine. Angélica Celaya transitioned into major roles in Spanish-language television, including the lead in Mariposa de Barrio.
The show's cancellation remains one of those big "what ifs" of television history. We were just getting into the "Rising Darkness" arc. We were just starting to see the true nature of Manny’s intentions.
Why You Should Care in 2026
With the DC Universe constantly being rebooted (most recently under James Gunn), there’s always talk about a new Constantine. Keanu Reeves is frequently linked to a sequel of his 2005 film, and there was a J.J. Abrams-produced reboot that ultimately got scrapped.
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But for the purists, the 2014 Constantine tv series cast remains the gold standard for how these characters should feel. They captured the "British punk meets ancient magic" aesthetic that is so hard to get right.
If you're looking to dive back into this world, here is the best way to do it:
- Watch the 13 episodes of the original series. It’s available on various streaming platforms (usually Max or for purchase on Amazon). Focus on the episode "A Feast of Friends"—it's arguably the best hour of the show.
- Follow the trail to the Arrowverse. Watch the Arrow episode "Haunted" (Season 4, Episode 5) to see how John officially enters the wider DC TV world.
- Check out the animated stuff. Matt Ryan’s voice work in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is genuinely fantastic and gives a much darker conclusion to the character than the NBC show ever could.
The Constantine tv series cast proved that you don't need a ten-season run to leave a mark. Sometimes, you just need the right actor, a dirty trench coat, and a complete disregard for the rules.
Next Steps:
You can find the original series on Blu-ray if you want the high-bitrate experience, which honestly makes the dark cinematography look way better than it did on broadcast TV. If you’re a fan of Harold Perrineau, checking out his work in From is a natural transition into more modern supernatural horror. For those specifically wanting more Matt Ryan, his run on Legends of Tomorrow (starting in Season 3) is where he really gets to let loose with the character's comedic side.