Netflix’s First Kill felt like a fever dream for the vampire genre. It dropped in June 2022, caused a massive stir on social media, and then, just as quickly, it was gone. Cancelled after one season. But the cast of First Kill didn't just vanish into the ether when the show ended. Honestly, the chemistry between the two leads was the only reason the show stayed in the Global Top 10 for three weeks straight. It wasn't the CGI or the somewhat clunky monster-hunting lore that kept people watching; it was the raw, immediate talent of Sarah Catherine Hook and Imani Lewis.
When you look at the ensemble, it's a mix of veteran actors who have been in the game for decades and newcomers who basically used this show as a massive launching pad. Most people don't realize that some of these actors have already moved on to massive prestige dramas and indie films that look nothing like Savannah, Georgia.
The Central Duo: Juliette and Calliope
Sarah Catherine Hook played Juliette Fairmont, the shy, "legacy" vampire who really didn't want to kill anyone. Before she was wearing fangs, Hook was popping up in things like The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. She’s got this classical training that makes her performance feel way more grounded than your average teen drama lead. Since the show wrapped, she hasn't slowed down. She’s been cast in the third season of The White Lotus, which is basically the ultimate "I've made it" badge in Hollywood right now. Seeing her go from a pining vampire to whatever chaos Mike White has planned for Thailand is a huge jump.
Then there’s Imani Lewis. She played Calliope Burns, the monster hunter who was supposed to be Juliette's mortal enemy but, well, we know how that went.
Lewis was already a bit of a Netflix darling before this, having appeared in The Get Down and Eighth Grade. She’s got this incredible screen presence—very intense, very deliberate. After the cast of First Kill went their separate ways, Lewis stayed busy in the independent circuit and took on roles that lean into her ability to play tough, emotionally complex characters. She recently appeared in Death and Other Details on Hulu, showing off a completely different side of her range.
The Fairmont Family: High Society Bloodsuckers
The vampires were led by Elizabeth Mitchell, who played Margot Fairmont. If you recognized her, it’s probably because she’s a legend in the sci-fi and supernatural world. She was Juliet on Lost and the Snow Queen in Once Upon a Time. Mitchell brings a certain "ice queen with a heart" vibe to everything she does. Since First Kill, she’s returned to her role in The Santa Clauses series on Disney+, which is about as far away from a blood-drinking matriarch as you can get.
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Will Swenson played Sebastian, Juliette’s father. In real life, Swenson is a Broadway titan. He’s married to Audra McDonald, which is basically musical theater royalty. If you ever get the chance to see him live, do it. He’s been focusing heavily on stage work lately, notably starring as Neil Diamond in the Broadway musical A Beautiful Noise.
Then you have Gracie Dzienny as Elinor. She was arguably the breakout villain of the show. She played Elinor with such a sharp, sociopathic edge that you almost forgot she was a "teen" character. Dzienny has been around for a while—you might remember her from Jupiter's Legacy or Bumblebee—but First Kill really let her chew the scenery. She’s been working on various pilot projects and keeping a pretty active presence in the fashion space lately.
The Burns Clan: More Than Just Hunters
The Burns family provided the grit. Aubin Wise, who played Talia Burns, is another Broadway powerhouse. She spent a long time in the cast of Hamilton, and you can tell by the way she carries herself. She has this physical authority that made the "Guild" hunter storyline feel somewhat believable.
Jason Robert Moore played Jack Burns. He’s a veteran of the Marvel universe, having played Curtis Hoyle in The Punisher. He brings a very specific, weary energy to his roles. Dominic Goodman (Apollo) and Phillip Mullings Jr. (Theo) rounded out the brothers.
- Dominic Goodman has been making waves in the indie scene.
- Phillip Mullings Jr. moved on to Bruh, a comedy series on BET+.
- Dylan McNamara, who played the troubled Oliver Fairmont, has been leaning into darker, more experimental roles in film.
The chemistry between the Burns brothers was one of the show's underrated strengths. It felt like a real family, which made the inevitable betrayal at the end of the season hit way harder.
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Why the First Kill Cast Resonated So Deeply
It’s rare for a show to get cancelled and still have a fanbase this loud years later. You still see #SaveFirstKill trending occasionally. Why? Because the cast of First Kill represented something that’s often missing in mainstream YA supernatural stuff: genuine, diverse chemistry that didn't feel like a checklist.
The "Romeo and Juliet" trope is old. Like, ancient. But when you put Imani Lewis and Sarah Catherine Hook in a room, it felt fresh. They didn't play it like a "teen show." They played it like a high-stakes drama. This intensity is why the fan response was so visceral when Netflix pulled the plug after only 60 days.
The industry shifted right as the show came out. We saw a lot of streamers move away from "niche" YA content toward massive, broad-appeal hits. Unfortunately, First Kill was caught in that transition. But if you look at the career trajectories of the actors involved, it’s clear the casting directors knew exactly what they were doing. They found stars; the platform just didn't keep them.
Surprising Facts About the Production
Most fans don't know that the show was based on a short story by V.E. Schwab. Schwab is a heavy hitter in the fantasy book world (A Darker Shade of Magic, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue). Having the original author as a creator and writer meant the cast had a direct line to the "soul" of their characters.
- The show was filmed mostly in Georgia, specifically around Savannah and Atlanta.
- Many of the "school" scenes were shot at local colleges that were dressed up to look like a creepy elite academy.
- The special effects makeup for the "Legacy" vampires took hours, even though they often looked human.
The cast often spoke in interviews about how much they bonded during the Georgia shoot. You can see it in the behind-the-scenes footage—there was a genuine sense of camaraderie that translated to the screen. When a cast actually likes each other, you can tell. It’s that intangible "spark" that makes a show rewatchable.
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What to Watch if You Miss the Cast
If you’re missing the cast of First Kill, you don't have to just rewatch the same eight episodes.
Check out The White Lotus Season 3 for Sarah Catherine Hook. It’s going to be a massive cultural moment, and seeing her in a satirical, high-society setting will be a trip. For Imani Lewis fans, Death and Other Details is a must-watch for that sharp, investigative energy. If you want more of the "hunter" vibe, Jason Robert Moore in The Punisher is a classic choice, though it's much darker and more violent than anything in the Fairmont/Burns universe.
Elizabeth Mitchell is also appearing in several independent films that explore more grounded, dramatic themes. She’s an actress who really thrives when she has a lot of dialogue to chew on, so look for her name in upcoming festival circuits.
The legacy of this cast isn't just a cancelled Netflix show. It’s a group of incredibly talented individuals who proved that there is a massive, underserved audience for diverse supernatural stories. They took a script and turned it into a movement. Even if we never get a Season 2, the "First Kill" alumni are clearly going to be dominating our screens for the next decade.
If you're looking to follow their careers more closely, the best move is to track their upcoming projects on trade sites like Deadline or Variety. Many of them have moved into producing and directing their own short films as well. Keeping an eye on the film festival rosters for Sundance and SXSW is a great way to catch the younger cast members in their more experimental, passion-project roles. Be sure to check out the theatrical runs of the veteran actors, especially Will Swenson, who continues to be a major force on the New York stage.