There’s no shortage of fictionalized cult dramas on television today, and Netflix’s latest thriller series Wayward takes us to the sinister town of Tall Pines, Vermont, which is beholden to a mysterious leader played by Toni Collette. Created and written by comedian Mae Martin, the Netflix original centers on their character Alex, who arrives in Tall Pines and begins to unravel its secrets. This is the second series created by Martin (after the 2021 autobiographical dramedy Feel Good), and Wayward is a significant departure in tone and setting for the comedian.
Martin was raised in Toronto, Canada and Wayward not only begins in their home country, but the cast is filled with actors who have roots there. Read on to learn more about the cast of Wayward and the characters who will be inhabiting Tall Pines in the eight-episode miniseries.
Mae Martin as Alex Dempsey
Alex, a troubled police officer who has relocated to Tall Pines, is one of the first to notice that something is off in his wife’s hometown.
Mae Martin, 38, is a comedian best known for their standup and the Netflix series Feel Good. They also appeared in the HBO Max hit The Flight Attendant and John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA. In addition to starring in Wayward, Martin is also credited as the creator and writer of the series.
Toni Collette as Evelyn Wade
Evelyn is the leader of the town’s school for wayward children, operating more like a cult leader than a school administrator.
Toni Collette, 52, is an award-winning actress who broke onto the scene in the film Muriel’s Wedding. Since her debut in the ‘90s, the Australian star has led acclaimed films like The Sixth Sense, which cemented her scream queen status, About a Boy, Little Miss Sunshine, and Hereditary. On TV, she starred in the Emmy-winning series United States of Tara, and appeared in the crime drama Unbelievable and the true crime series The Staircase.
Sarah Gadon as Laura Redman
Laura is Alex’s wife and a former student at the Tall Pines school. Coming home forces her to reckon with the events of her youth.
Sarah Gadon, 38, is a Canadian actress. Before shifting her focus to acting, Gadon grew up studying dance as a Junior Associate at the National Ballet School of Canada, according to IMDb. She has appeared in several of legendary horror and Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg’s productions (Cosmopolis, A Dangerous Method, and Maps to the Stars), TV shows like 11.22.63, the leading role in CBC’s adaptation of Alias Grace, and True Detective season 3, among other projects.
Sydney Topliffe as Abbie
Abbie is a new student at the school who was ripped out of her bed in Canada and shipped off to Tall Pines after a series of disagreements with her parents.
A relative newcomer, Sydney Topliffe made her debut in the 2024 series Murdoch Mysteries. Prior to joining the cast of Wayward, Topliffe co-starred in the sci-fi Hulu series Davey & Jonesie's Locker and the Lilly Singh film vehicle Doin’ It.
Alyvia Alyn Lind as Leila
Leila is Abbie’s best friend, a teenager struggling with the grief surrounding her sister’s death. She arrives at the school in search of Abbie and gets sucked into Evelyn’s orbit.
Alyvia Alyn Lind, 18, was a child actor in the soap opera The Young and the Restless. She later starred in the horror series Chucky and had recurring roles on the popular shows Revenge and Transparent. She’s the daughter of TV veteran Barbara Alyn Woods, who starred on One Tree Hill, and you may have seen her sisters on the small screen as well (Emily Alyn Lind leads We Were Liars, while Natalie Alyn Lind has several network TV credits on Big Sky, Gotham, and more).
Brandon Jay McLaren as Dwayne Andrews
Dwayne Andrews is Alex’s police partner. While he seems to be a good cop at first, it soon becomes clear that he’s working in Evelyn’s interest.
Brandon Jay McLaren, 44, is best known for his work on TV shows like Graceland, Being Erica, Power Rangers S.P.D., The Killing, Ransom, and The Rookie. McLaren has also appeared in movies like She’s the Man and Dead Before Dawn.
Tattiawna Jones as Rabbit
Rabbit is an administrator at Tall Pines who matriculated through the school as a child. Now as an adult, she is a disciple of Evelyn’s teachings.
Tattiawna Jones, 40, got her start in Canadian TV shows like Flashpoint, Strange Empire, 19-2, and The L.A. Complex. Jones has continued to work in her native Canada while also starring in American shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, The Bold Type, and The 100. Earlier this year, she starred in the Apple TV+ series Murderbot opposite Alexander Skarsgård.
Isolde Ardies as Stacey
Stacey is Abbie’s roommate at Tall Pines and a devout believer in Evelyn’s teachings. She has a position of power within the student body and uses it to silence her enemies.
Like her co-star Topliffe, Isolde Ardies is a fresh face in Hollywood. She got her start on the Canadian series Murdoch Mysteries. Ardies was also a recurring member of the cast of Ruby and the Well, a family fantasy TV show.
John Daniel as Rory
Rory is an unpopular student at Tall Pines who befriends Abbie once she arrives. Though he's also desperate to escape, it's unclear whether she can trust him.
John Daniel is a Canadian stage and screen actor. Before Wayward, his most notable credits included Hulu's The Hardy Boys adaptation and a small role on Prime Video's Overcompensating.
Milton Torres Lara as Daniel
Daniel is the biggest troublemaker at Tall Pines, who's constantly at odds with the staff.
Milton Torres Lara, 24, is a Latino-Canadian actor who previously appeared in shows like the sci-fi comedy Slip and the horror anthology Tales from the Void.
Patrick J. Adams as Wyatt Turner
Wyatt Turner is a guidance counselor at Abbie and Leila’s Canadian school. With ties to Evelyn and Tall Pines, he plays a large role in convincing their families to send the girls to Vermont.
Patrick J. Adams, 44, is best known as the main character on the popular series Suits. He has also appeared on the short-lived HBO series Luck, the popular sci-fi drama Orphan Black, and the TV adaptation of A League of Their Own. Earlier this year, he also appeared in the British series The Bombing of Pan Am 103, which recounted the deadliest terrorist attack in British history.
Patrick Gallagher as Chief Bartell
The head of the police department, Chief Bartell, is Alex and Dwyane’s boss, and also in cahoots with Evelyn and the school.
Patrick Gallagher, 57, is best known for his roles in the Night at the Museum film franchise, Glee, and General Hospital. He has also appeared in Joe Pickett, Big Sky, and the Canadian series Endgame. Gallagher also lent his voice to Netflix’s acclaimed animated series Blue Eye Samurai.
Gage Munroe as Riley
Our introduction to Tall Pines is through Riley, a student who is on the run, trying to escape Tall Pines and blow the whistle on Evelyn’s tactics.
Like many of his castmates, Gage Munroe, 26, is an actor who has appeared on Canadian programs, including Murdoch Mysteries. He has lent his voice to Stoked, Justin Time, Hotel Transylvania: The Series, and Paw Patrol, and has appeared in both installments of the Bob Odenkirk-led action thriller films Nobody and Nobody 2.
Byron Mann as Brian
Brian is Abbie’s father, a harsh critic of his daughter’s every decision. When Abbie begins rebelling, Brian seeks out Tall Pines as a way to set her straight.
Byron Mann, 58, is an actor from Hong Kong who is best known for appearing in the film adaptation of Street Fighter, the martial arts film The Man with the Iron Fists, and the satirical film The Big Short. On TV, Mann has also starred on The Expanse, Arrow, Hell on Wheels, and Wu Assassins.
Mark McKinney as Maurice
Once Alex starts investigating Tall Pines, he meets Maurice, a blogger who posts conspiracy theories about the school. His daughter was formerly a student before she went missing.
Mark McKinney, 66, is a Canadian actor who co-founded the famed sketch comedy troupe Kids in the Hall. In addition to starring in the troupe's eponymous show from 1988 to 1995, McKinney did two stints on Saturday Night Live—as a writer from 1985 to 1986 and as a cast member from 1995 to 1997. Recently, he played store manager Glenn Sturgis on the NBC sitcom Superstore.
