Dopesick: Who is in the cast of the new Disney Plus show?

Dopesick is set to begin on Disney Plus, complete with a star-studded cast and intriguing plot, based on the American opioids crisis in the 1990s, which triggered one of the worst-ever drug epidemics.

The show is based on the book of the same name, by author Beth Macy, who dived into the sequence of events that saw the addictive painkiller drug OxyContin become available on the prescription market.

The series tells the events told by Beth, which looks at the role of Purdue Pharma, who manufactured the opioid drug, and its reps – as well as the Sackler family, who owned the company.

It also explores those whose lives were destroyed because of the drug in the epic eight-part show.

But where can you watch Dopesick in the UK and who will be in the cast of the new show?

Where and when can I watch Dopesick in the UK?

Kaitlyn and Michael both star in Dopesick (Picture: Hulu/Disney Plus)

Dopesick will be available for fans to stream weekly via Disney Plus, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday.

Viewers will be in for a treat on Friday, November 12 when the first two episodes will be available to view on the streaming platform to coincide with Disney Plus Day.

Following this, a new instalment will be released every Wednesday, beginning Wednesday, November 17, with the remaining six episodes following suit each week.

Who is in the cast of Dopesick on Disney Plus?

Michael Keaton plays Dr Samuel Finnix

Michael plays Dr Samuel Finnix who unwittingly becomes caught up in the OxyContin scandal (Picture: Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Legendary star Michael stars in one of the leading roles, playing Dr Samuel Finnix, a doctor in the small Virginia mining town where the series spends a lot of time.

He is a trusted member of the community, which makes for difficult scenes when he later realises the immense damage the drug has done.

Michael has a lengthy list of film and TV credits to his name, with his most famous being his portrayal of Batman, which he will be reprising in next year’s The Flash.

He also played the rather terrifying Vulture in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming as well as leading roles in the 2015 film Spotlight and The Founder, based on the story of the beginning of McDonald’s.

Michael is a multi-award winner, having won a Golden Globe for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, for black comedy film Birdman and receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Will Poulter plays Billy Cutler

Will plays Purdue Pharma rep Billy (Picture: Frank Micelotta/Hulu/PictureGroup/Rex/Shutterstock)

Will Poulter plays Billy, a rising star amongst the reps at Purdue Pharma, who is a bit of an outcast from his own family.

He forges a close working relationship with Dr Finnix as he starts to lose a sense of his morals the more he learns about the drug’s effects.

Of course, UK viewers will recognise Will from multiple places, with the actor having starred in Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch episode, which caused a huge amount of discussion worldwide.

He’s also featured in films such as Midsommer, The Maze Runner series, Detroit and We’re The Millers, with the latter having seen him bag the Bafta Rising Star Award in 2013.

Will was recently confirmed to be taking on the role of Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and due for release in 2023.

Kaitlyn Dever plays Betsy Mallum

Kaitlyn plays young miner Betsy, who suffers a horrific back injury (Picture: Hulu/Disney Plus)

Betsy is a young miner in the town who is the child of deeply religious parents, also trying to navigate a same-sex relationship without their knowledge.

She is prescribed OxyContin by Dr. Finnix, after a mining accident causes immense pain in her back but after the initial relief the drug gives her, she soon becomes addicted to the pills.

Kaitlyn has a strong list of credits to her name already, including a leading role in Last Man Standing, where she played Eve Baxter.

She’s also featured on the big screen plenty of times, more recently in Booksmart, Beautiful Boy and Dear Evan Hansen.

Michael Stuhlbarg plays Richard Sackler

Michael plays Richard Sackler in Dopesick (Picture: Hulu/Disney Plus)

Michael’s character is based on the real-life head of R&D at Purdue Pharma who will be seen successfully convincing the world OxyContin was less addictive than other opioids.

He manages to get FDA approval, which ends up spiralling when the drug soon doesn’t react in the way the Sackler family hope.

The star’s first major television role came in HBO and Martin Scorsese’s period drama series, Boardwalk Empire, where he portrayed organised crime figure Arnold Rothstein

He’s a recognisable name, having also starred in the TV adaptation of Fargo along Martin Freeman, as well as several critically acclaimed films such as A Serious Man, Lincoln, Call Me by Your Name and The Post.

Peter Sarsgaard plays Rick Mountcastle

Peter plays US Attorney, Rick (Picture: Hulu/Disney Plus)

Peter’s character Rick is one of two US Attorney generals who get a whiff of the corrupt activities of Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers.

Rick and Randy team up as they desperately try to find evidence to add weight to their case to ensure they can continue to investigate Purdue and try to get justice for those who’ve been affected.

Peter can be seen starring elsewhere at the moment, as he is one of the cast members of the new Maggie Gyllenhaal film The Lost Daughter, alongside Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson.

His acting credentials go back nearly three decades, with some of his other major roles including parts in The Magnificent Seven and The Sound of Silence – he will also feature in The Batman in 2022.

John Hoogenakker plays Randy Ramseyer

John plays Rick’s right-hand man Randy (Picture: Hulu/Disney Plus)

Randy is the second man in the duo who are on a mission to investigate and take down those responsible for the opioid epidemic.

He doesn’t have an easy ride as he is facing a huge issue of his own, which will become clear to viewers early on and potentially jeopardise his work.

Actor John is best known for film roles Scott Garland in Colony and Gordon Sirica in The Girlfriend Experience.

Rosaria Dawson plays Bridget Meyer

Rosario plays DEA agent, Bridget (Picture: Hulu/Disney Plus)

Rosaria’s character is a headstrong DEA Agent in the middle of a tricky divorce as she tries to help take down Purdue.

After initially failing to get on board with Rick and Randy’s investigation into the company, her eyes are soon opened to just how large a scale the problem is.

Rosaria was recently seen playing Ahsoka in The Mandalorian as well as the role of Jane ‘JR’ Ramos in the hit sitcom, Jane The Virgin.

Dopesick episodes 1 and 2 will premiere on Friday, November 12 on Disney Plus.

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