Paradise turns a murder investigation into a story about power, survival and the cost of building a supposedly perfect refuge. Sterling K. Brown leads the Hulu science-fiction thriller as Secret Service agent Xavier Collins, but the ensemble around him is just as important: a dead president whose influence continues through flashbacks, the architect of Paradise, Xavier’s family, and the newcomers who challenge the community’s version of safety.
This guide covers the principal cast and the characters they play across the first two seasons. Spoiler warning: the descriptions below discuss major Season 1 and Season 2 developments.
Paradise at a glance
Created by Dan Fogelman and produced by 20th Television, Paradise begins with the murder of President Cal Bradford inside an enclosed community that appears to have escaped the world’s worst disasters. Xavier Collins, one of Cal’s Secret Service agents, investigates the killing while trying to protect his children and understand what Paradise is hiding.
| Season | Release information | What it expands |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Premiered January 26, 2025 | The murder of Cal Bradford, Xavier’s investigation and the origins of Paradise |
| Season 2 | Premiered February 23, 2026; all eight episodes are streaming | The consequences of Paradise’s secrets and the survivors living outside it |
| Season 3 | Renewed March 17, 2026; no premiere date announced | Story details have not been officially announced |
Main cast and characters
Sterling K. Brown as Xavier Collins
Xavier is a Secret Service agent assigned to protect President Cal Bradford. After Cal is murdered, Xavier becomes the show’s central investigator, working through a mystery that is personal as well as political.
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#1 Best Overall
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His responsibilities extend beyond the investigation. Xavier is raising his children, Presley and James, after the loss of his wife, Teri. That grief helps explain both his determination and his suspicion: he is not simply trying to identify a killer, but attempting to keep his family safe in a society built on information that is carefully controlled.
Julianne Nicholson as Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond
Samantha Redmond, known by the codename Sinatra, is the creator and leader of Paradise. She is responsible for maintaining order in the bunker and presents herself as the person capable of protecting its residents.
Sinatra’s decisions sit at the heart of the series’ moral conflict. Her stated goal is preserving the community and her family, but the methods used to achieve that goal raise difficult questions about authority, secrecy and who gets to decide what survival requires.
James Marsden as President Cal Bradford
Cal Bradford is the charismatic, wealthy president whose murder sets the plot in motion. His Secret Service codename is Wildcat.
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Sarah Shahi as Dr. Gabriela Torabi
Dr. Gabriela Torabi is a world-class therapist and grief counselor who helps residents adapt to life inside Paradise. She brings a professional understanding of trauma to a community where nearly everyone has lost something.
Rank #2
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Gabriela is compassionate and intellectually formidable, but she is not detached from Paradise’s future. Her investment in the bunker’s survival makes her role more complicated than that of a neutral counselor observing events from the sidelines.
Nicole Brydon Bloom as Agent Jane Driscoll
Jane Driscoll is a Secret Service agent on Xavier’s team. Her approachable, girl-next-door presentation can make her seem less imposing than some of the other agents, but it conceals the discipline and field skills required for the job.
Krys Marshall as Agent Nicole Robinson
Nicole Robinson is a senior Secret Service agent whose strong sense of justice informs both her work and her relationships. She is protective of the people close to her, and her connection with Cal places her near the center of the show’s political and personal tensions.
Nicole is a recurring presence in Season 1 and is also included in the Season 2 cast, where her role continues to matter to the larger story.
Aliyah Mastin as Presley Collins
Presley is Xavier’s teenage daughter. Sharp-witted and dryly funny, she has taken on a level of responsibility that is unusual for someone her age, helping care for her father and younger brother while trying to make sense of life inside Paradise.
Her perspective gives the family storyline an edge: Presley understands more than adults often assume, and she is not content to accept every official explanation.
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Rank #3
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Percy Daggs IV as James Collins
James is Xavier’s younger son and Presley’s brother. He is bookish and timid, but his fear does not prevent him from trying to become braver.
James’s arc adds a quieter emotional dimension to the thriller. While Xavier confronts institutional secrets and Presley challenges the people around her, James is dealing with the more personal question of how to act when he feels powerless.
Charlie Evans as Jeremy Bradford
Jeremy is Cal Bradford’s teenage son. He is introspective and increasingly aware of the political and ethical realities surrounding his family.
Jeremy’s position is especially difficult because his father’s public image, private choices and death all affect how other residents see him. His story shows the consequences of political power from the point of view of a child who inherited its burden rather than choosing it.
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Enuka Okuma as Teri Collins
Teri is Xavier’s wife and the mother of Presley and James. She is portrayed as warm and brilliant, and her importance to the Collins family becomes clearer through flashbacks and the story surrounding “The Day.”
Teri is not simply background to Xavier’s grief. Her memory helps define his choices, his relationship with the children and the emotional stakes of the life he is trying to preserve.
Rank #4
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Recurring and guest characters
Jon Beavers as Agent Billy Pace
Billy Pace is a Secret Service agent on Xavier’s team. His candid humor provides a counterpoint to the bunker’s constant tension, while his relationship with Xavier and the Collins children develops into something closer to family.
Shailene Woodley as Annie
Annie is introduced in Season 2. A tough, resourceful med-school dropout, she has survived outside Paradise and brings knowledge of that world into a story previously focused largely on the bunker.
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Thomas Doherty as Link
Link leads a group of survivors outside Paradise. He is charismatic and capable, but deliberately guarded about his past and his intentions.
As with Annie, Link is a Season 2 character rather than part of the original Season 1 ensemble. His leadership also creates a useful contrast with Sinatra’s authority inside Paradise: both figures organize people in dangerous circumstances, but neither offers simple answers about who can be trusted.
Cast details that are easy to miss
- James Marsden continues to appear. Cal’s death does not remove Marsden from the series. Flashbacks and his continuing importance to the story keep the character present.
- Nicole Robinson’s role continues beyond Season 1. Krys Marshall appears in the Season 2 cast, reflecting Nicole’s continuing relevance.
- Teri Collins matters to the larger story. Enuka Okuma’s character may be less prominent in early cast lists, but later flashbacks make Teri’s place in Xavier’s life and the show’s emotional structure clearer.
- Annie and Link belong to Season 2. Shailene Woodley and Thomas Doherty should not be listed as Season 1 cast members. Their characters enter when the story begins opening up the world outside Paradise.
- Not every important character has the same billing. Official character materials distinguish between the returning principal ensemble and guest-star roles, including Cal Bradford, Annie, Link and Billy Pace.
Where to watch Paradise
In the United States, Paradise streams on Hulu. Eligible bundle subscribers can also access Hulu content through Hulu on Disney+. International viewers can find the series on Disney+; availability can vary by territory and subscription.
Best Value
- 4K streaming made simple:With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- 4K picture quality: With Roku Streaming Stick Plus, watch your favorites with brilliant 4K picture and vivid HDR color.
- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
FAQ
Who plays Xavier Collins in Paradise?
Sterling K. Brown plays Xavier Collins, a Secret Service agent who investigates President Cal Bradford’s murder while protecting his children inside Paradise.
Who is Sinatra in Paradise?
Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond, played by Julianne Nicholson, is the creator and leader of Paradise. She is focused on protecting her family and preserving the community.
Is James Marsden in Season 2 of Paradise?
Yes. Marsden plays the murdered president, Cal Bradford, and continues to appear through flashbacks and other story-related appearances.
Who are the new Season 2 characters in Paradise?
Season 2 introduces Annie, played by Shailene Woodley, and Link, played by Thomas Doherty. Annie is a resourceful survivor from outside Paradise, while Link leads a group of survivors.
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The Paradise cast is built around competing ideas of protection. Xavier investigates from inside the system, Sinatra controls the community he created, and characters such as Annie and Link widen the story beyond the bunker. Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, James Marsden and the ensemble cast give the thriller its shifting balance of family drama, political mystery and survival science fiction.
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