Michael Shannon plays President James Garfield, and Matthew Macfadyen plays his assassin, Charles Guiteau, in Netflix’s four-episode limited series Death by Lightning. The cast also includes Betty Gilpin as Lucretia Garfield, Nick Offerman as Chester Alan Arthur, Bradley Whitford as James Blaine and Shea Whigham as Roscoe Conkling. Here’s Netflix’s cast guide to the stars and the real historical figures they portray.
Who plays James Garfield and Charles Guiteau?
Michael Shannon portrays James Garfield, the Ohio congressman who became the 20th president of the United States. Matthew Macfadyen portrays Charles Guiteau, the office-seeker who assassinated Garfield. These actor-to-role credits come from Netflix Tudum’s cast guide, published November 11, 2025.
The main cast, side by side
| Actor | Historical figure in the series |
|---|---|
| Michael Shannon | James Garfield |
| Matthew Macfadyen | Charles Guiteau |
| Betty Gilpin | Lucretia “Crete” Garfield |
| Nick Offerman | Chester Alan Arthur |
| Bradley Whitford | James Blaine |
| Shea Whigham | Roscoe Conkling |
Netflix’s official title page highlights Shannon, Macfadyen, Offerman, Whitford, Gilpin and Whigham in its cast summary. The Tudum guide supplies the broader role-by-role list. Its brief character descriptions explain how the series frames these figures; they are not, by themselves, an independent historical fact-check.
Supporting cast and historical figures
| Actor | Historical figure or character |
|---|---|
| Laura Marcus | Mollie Garfield |
| Archie Fisher | Joe Brown |
| Paula Malcomson | Franny Scoville |
| Tuppence Middleton | Kate Chase Sprague |
| Dylan Hughes | Jim Garfield Jr. |
| Barry Shabaka Henley | Blanche Bruce |
| Željko Ivanek | Dr. Bliss |
| Kyle Soller | Robert Todd Lincoln |
| Ben Miles | George Scoville |
| Vondie Curtis-Hall | Frederick Douglass |
| Shaun Parkes | Dr. Charles Purvis |
| Alistair Petrie | John Sherman |
| Richard Rankin | Alexander Graham Bell |
The Tudum guide identifies Joe Brown as Garfield’s personal secretary, Franny Scoville as Guiteau’s sister, and George Scoville as her husband and Guiteau’s brother-in-law. It describes Mollie and Jim Garfield Jr. as the Garfields’ children, Kate Chase Sprague as a Washington socialite and party hostess, and Dr. Bliss and Dr. Charles Purvis as doctors involved in Garfield’s care. The guide also identifies Blanche Bruce as a Republican senator, Frederick Douglass as an abolitionist who campaigned for Garfield in 1880, Robert Todd Lincoln as Secretary of War, John Sherman as Treasury Secretary and a presidential hopeful at the 1880 convention, and Bell as an inventor and engineer who joined efforts to save Garfield.
What is Death by Lightning about?
Netflix describes the series as the stories of Garfield’s rise to the presidency and Guiteau, the man who assassinated him. Netflix announced the drama as an adaptation of Candice Millard’s book Destiny of the Republic; the announcement names Mike Makowsky as creator and writer, Matt Ross as director, and David Benioff and D.B. Weiss among the executive producers. See Netflix’s February 1, 2024 announcement for the production details. The book is the source Netflix names for the adaptation; the announcement does not establish that every scene or characterization is a literal historical record.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How many episodes are there?
Netflix lists Death by Lightning as a four-episode limited series. Its official page lists these episode titles and runtimes; catalog details and runtimes can change:
Rank #2
| Episode | Netflix-listed runtime |
|---|---|
| “The Man from Ohio” | 52 minutes |
| “Party Faithful” | 47 minutes |
| “Casus Belli” | 47 minutes |
| “Destiny of the Republic” | 1 hour, 6 minutes |
Check Netflix’s official series page for its current episode listing.
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Rank #4
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