Top 10 Period Dramas With the Most Stacked Casts

The conflicts and drama between old money and new money families in 1880s New York on this show are acted out by some top-class actors. Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector lead the charge as the new money Russells, breaking into high society. Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski are both fantastic as sisters Ada[a] and Agnes. Plus, there’s a cavalcade of Broadway and stage superstars, from John Douglas Thompson and Nathan Lane, to Kelli O'Hara and Donna Murphy. Much like the historical period that gives it its title, “The Gilded Age” and its cast are absolute gold!

The lives of the employees of a 1960s advertising agency are made even more fascinating by the superb talent of the people portraying them. We all know Jon Hamm kills it as Don Draper, but so does the rest of the cast. There are experienced actors like Jared Harris and Robert Morse. Up-and-comers like Elisabeth Moss and Vincent Kartheiser[b] showed what they were capable of with their roles here. Plus Christina Hendricks and John Slattery steal basically every scene they’re in. Even child actors like Kiernan Shipka knock it out of the park! We really can’t be “mad” about anyone’s performance. “Mad Men” succeeds brilliantly as an advertisement for this impeccable group of actors.

The fact that this criminally underrated series is an action-packed pirate adventure that mashes real history and “Treasure Island” together is reason enough to watch it. But it’s the phenomenal cast who are all bringing their A-game that will keep you invested. Zach McGowan[c] and Clara Paget are both badasses as Charles Vane and Anne Bonny, respectively. Jessica Parker Kennedy and Hannah New toy with our hearts, and each other’s, as the scheming Max and Eleanor. Toby Schmitz’s Jack Rackham is witty and hysterical. They got Ray Stevenson as Blackbeard! And the charisma of leads Toby Stephens as James Flint and Luke Arnold as Long John Silver is utterly mesmerizing! Every single actor here is an absolute treasure trove of great acting and character development.

This delightful blend of alternate history, Regency romance, and soap opera drama wouldn’t work half as well if not for its effortlessly charming cast. Naturally, every member of the titular Bridgerton family is played to winsome perfection, from Ruth Gemmell[d]’s matriarch Lady Violet, to Jonathan Bailey’s budding lord Anthony, to Claudia Jessie’s Elizabeth Bennet-esque Eloise. Side characters and love interests are no slouches either. Nicola Coughlan’s Penelope Featherington is a firm fan-favorite, along with Adjoa Andoh’s ever-witty Lady Danbury. They’re all presided over by the impeccably fabulous Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte. And Julie Andrews herself narrates the whole thing! Also, it certainly doesn’t hurt that everyone is ridiculously photogenic.

Period crime dramas tend to attract some incredible actors, and “Boardwalk Empire” is among the finest, with some of the best in the business. Steve Buscemi’s lead performance as corrupt political boss Nucky Thompson certainly deserves plenty of recognition. However, the gangsters and other characters around him are played by a “mob” of exceptional actors too. Michael Shannon, Stephen Graham, and Michael Kenneth Williams are all fantastic character actors who play some historical and fictional criminals. The tremendous Kelly Macdonald plays Nucky’s mistress turned wife Margaret. And there are plenty of other impressive actors we could list - Charlie Cox, Jeffrey Wright, Bobby Cannavale[e], Ron Livingston. “Boardwalk Empire” builds its empire of crime and layered characters on a truly impressive cast.

Given that it covers nearly 60 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign over the United Kingdom and the crumbling British Empire, “The Crown” naturally has a positively massive cast. Elizabeth herself is played by Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton. But the rest of the royal family and the members of her majesty’s government contain plenty of famous and talented faces too. Household names like Helena Bonham Carter, John Lithgow, Jonathan Pryce, Gillian Anderson, and Matt Smith are everywhere you look in the series. It’s some of the most famous actors of today playing some of the most famous British public and political figures of recent memory.

British television tends to feature a lot of familiar faces, but this miniseries based on the novel based on the historical Roman emperor somehow manages to include what feels like every distinguished British actor ever! Sir Derek Jacobi[f] leads the cast in the title role. He’s supported by the likes of Dame Siân Phillips, Brian Blessed, Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir John Hurt, and John Rhys-Davies among many many more. The cast is stacked with enough knights to staff a castle, while the series has enough intrigue that its mere 12 episodes are filled to bursting with machinations and betrayals. “I, Claudius” is so incredible that “We, MsMojo” can hardly believe it’s real.

What if somebody rounded up every character actor ever and cast them in a Western TV show? Well, you don’t have to imagine, because “Deadwood” is all too real. Timothy Olyphant[g], Ian McShane, Jim Beaver, Brad Dourif, Paula Malcomson, Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, Anna Gunn, Brian Cox…we could go on. Even if you don’t know their names, we can guarantee you know their faces. You’ll be saying, “Oh hey, I know them!” every five minutes while watching “Deadwood.” At least, when you aren’t appreciating the incredible dialogue, brilliant acting, and authentic Western setting.

When it comes to period dramas, “Downton Abbey” is among the first names that spring to mind. The lives and loves of the family and servants of the eponymous locale have captured the attention of viewers the world over. And there are so many fantastic actors both upstairs and downstairs - Shirley MacLaine, Dame Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton, Hugh Bonneville, Dan Stevens, Jim Carter, Elizabeth McGovern, and so on. While its cast may not feature quite as many household names as some other series, there’s no denying the fantastic chemistry they all have together or the impeccable quality of “Downton.”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

It’s Incredible How Many Talented Actors This Grim Miniseries Packs Into Its Few Episodes

You Don’t Build a Cast This Good in a Day

No Other Cast Could Hold a Shield Wall Like This One

Some All-Star British Talents Rub Elbows in This Depiction of Henry VIII’s Reign

The effects, action, and story aren’t the only things that have aged beautifully about “Band of Brothers” - the ensemble is also absolutely timeless. Not only is this miniseries one of the most profoundly moving and well-made WWII shows ever put on television, but its cast is also a who’s who of famous and character actors from the last 2 decades. Main cast members like Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Donnie Wahlberg, Neal McDonough[h], and David Schwimmer are recognizable enough. But then when you’re least expecting it you’ll get jumpscared by the background actors. Is that Simon Pegg? What’s Jimmy Fallon doing here? Michael Fassbender?! Tom Hardy?! What is going on with this cast?!