Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow surrounds Tom Cruise with a well-rounded cast of characters in a story defined by a time loop. Edge of Tomorrow, loosely based on the Japanese light novel All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, envisions a Europe overrun by an alien race called the “Mimics.” Major William Cage, alongside the United Defense Force, must battle the interstellar foes and end their attacks if time can stop looping for Cage first. The concept of alien invasion meets Groundhog Day is riveting, but the cast is what truly brings the movie to life.

Edge of Tomorrow received accolades for its action sequences, effects, writing, and directing. The recognition it’s received for its cast performances has been just as substantial. The cast, headed by Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, delivered humor and chemistry, handling the gritty and dense plot just as well as the lightness of the more outrageous time loops. Without a strong and genre-experienced cast leading the way, the film would not have been so successful nor would it have a potential Edge of Tomorrow sequel as such a major point of discussion.

Actor	Character
Tom Cruise	Major William Cage
Emily Blunt	Sergeant Rita Vrataski
Bill Paxton	Master Sergeant Farell
Brendan Gellson	General Brigham
Noah Taylor	Dr. Noah Carter

Tom Cruise as Major William Cage

Date of Birth: July 3, 1962

• Active Since: 1981

Actor: Tom Cruise is a New York-born actor, known for his roles in the Mission Impossible and Top Gun franchises. Cruise got his start in minor parts in Endless Love and Taps, but it wasn’t until 1983 that he got his breakout role as Joel Goodson in Risky Business. Cruise’s acting career is prolific. He’s notorious for doing his own stunts, has 3 Golden Globes, and was nominated for 4 Oscars. Cruise currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive $100 million-grossing movies for the films he made from 2012 to 2018.

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Character: Cruise plays the inexperienced and cowardly media affairs officer Major William Cage. After attempting to blackmail his superior officer to avoid heading to the frontlines, Cage is arrested and relocated to another base to join the J-squad in the invasion of Normandy. Cage is killed during the invasion, unleashing a mysterious time looping ability— he can relive the same day over and over again every time Tom Cruise’s character dies in Edge of Tomorrow.

Emily Blunt as Sergeant Rita Vrataski

Date of Birth: February 23, 1983

• Active Since: 2001

Actor: Emily Blunt is an English actor known for her roles as Emily in The Devil Wears Prada and Evelyn in A Quiet Place. Blunt’s career started on the stage with her role in the West End’s The Royal Family. In 2003, she made her screen debut as Queen Catherine Howard in Henry VIII. Her roles in Gideon’s Daughter and The Devil Wears Prada would make her an international star. Blunt is one of the highest paid actresses in the world and has won a host of awards, including a Golden Globe.

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Character: Blunt stars opposite Cruise as Sergeant Rita Vrataski. Known as the “Angel of Verdun”, Rita is a United Defense Force war hero who is tasked with training Cage. Trapped in a loop of her own and seeing visions of Mimic Omega, Rita becomes aware of Cage’s loops, making the two strong allies and eventual love-interests.

Bill Paxton as Master Sergeant Farell

Date of Birth: May 17, 1955

• Active Since: 1983

Actor: Bill Paxton was an actor and filmmaker from Fort Worth, Texas. His career spanned multiple mediums including film, television, and music. Paxton made his acting debut in 1975 in Crazy Mama, but it wasn’t until 1981 that he got a significant role in the horror movie Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Bill Henrickson in HBO’s Big Love. Paxton’s credits include a wide variety of genres, including science fiction, thriller, comedy, and action.

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Character: Kentucky-born Master Sergeant Farell is the leader of the J-Squad. He takes on Cage as a member of the team after his arrest. Major Sergeant Farell is a well of insight and inspiration, unknowingly giving Cage all the advice he needs to succeed throughout the movie.

Brendan Gleeson as General Brigham

Date of Birth: March 29, 1955

• Active Since: 1987

Actor: Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor and director. He is known for his role as Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter film series and his recent role in The Banshees of Inisherin. Gleeson’s career started on the Dublin stage in the late 80s, but it wasn’t until 1991 that he would enter film as Michael Collins in The Treaty. His international breakout role was Winston Churchill in HBO’s Into the Storm. Gleeson has a host of British, Irish, and American awards and nominations, including BAFTAs, Academy Awards, and Emmys. He will star in the upcoming Spider-Noir TV series.

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Character: General Brigham sets the movie on track by giving Cage the order to film the invasion of Normandy Beach. After Cage’s attempt at blackmailing Brigham, Brigham has Cage arrested and demoted, sending him to the J-squad for desertion and impersonating an officer. General Brigham later serves as an obstacle for both Cage and Rita during their loops as they attempt to stop the Mimics.

Noah Taylor as Dr. Noah Carter

Date of Birth: September 4, 1969

• Active Since: 1987

Actor: Noah Taylor is a London-born Australian actor. Taylor started in theater, but was quickly cast in John Duigan’s The Year My Voice Broke and its sequel as Danny Embling. This role, alongside portraying David Helfglott in the Australian psychological drama Shine, cast him into the spotlight. Taylor’s career spans film and television, and the action, historical, and thriller genres. He will appear as George Johnston in the Canadian-Norwegian romance drama So, Long Marianne this fall.

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Character: Dr. Noah Carter is a man of many roles. He’s a former researcher on Mimic biology and a particle physicist and mechanic for the United Defense Force. Dr. Carter is a well of information, not only helping Cage understand the Mimics but also his and Rita’s time-looping abilities and visions of the Mimic Omega.

Supporting Cast and Characters

Kick Gurry portrays Griff, a soldier in the J-squad. He was who Seargent Farell ordered to watch after Cage after he joined the team, much to Griff’s chagrin. He sacrificed himself at the Battle of Louvre. Gurry is an Australian actor known for his roles in Sense 8, Speed Racer, and Garage Days.

Dragomir Mrsic portrays Kuntz, a soldier in the J-squad. He was an interesting soldier, one that had no problem laughing when they headed into battle (which he did as they closed in on the Normandy beach). He also resented Cage and died in almost every rewind. The Bosnian-born Swedish actor is known for his role in Swedish crime thriller Easy Money. He has voice acted for video games.

Charlotte Riley portrays Nance, a soldier in the J-squad. She was one of the first ones to mock Cage when he arrived, saying he wasn’t even in uniform for the attack. She ends up dying in a crash in the final Battle of Louvre. Riley is an English actor known for her roles in Peaky Blinders, London Has Fallen, Easy Virtue, and Wuthering Heights(2009).

Jonas Armstrong portrays Skinner, a soldier in the J-squad. He had no love at all for Cage, since Cage revealed he peed his pants in second grade when his teacher wouldn’t let him go to the bathroom. This caused him to give him menacing looks and often mock him before attacks. In the Battle of Louvre, it was Skinner who was with Griff to sacrifice themselves to help win the battle. Armstrong is an Irish actor known for his role as Robin Hood in BBC’s Robin Hood. Other credits include Floodlights, Book of Blood, and Troy: Fall of a City.

Franz Drameh portrays Ford, a soldier in the J-squad. His friend died on the first day of the war, so he took his friend’s idenтιтy, so the military would keep sending checks to his friend’s family. He openly mocks Cage but is not as cruel as the other team members. Drameh is an English actor known for his roles in The Flash, Legend of Tomorrow, and Attack the Block.

Tony Way portrays Kimmel, a soldier in the J-squad. He is one of the comic reliefs, as he was called out at one point for wearing the exoskeleton suit called the Combat Jacket – while being naked underneath it. Way is an English actor known for his roles in Game of Thrones, Bang, Bang, It’s Reeves and Mortimer and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.