Meet the Cast of The Forsytes: Who Plays Who in 5’s Lavish New Period Drama?
5’s lavis new drama The Forsytes brings Galsworthy’s world of wealth, love, and betrayal back to the screen in sumptuous style — and its cast is packed with familiar faces from Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, and True Blood.
Set in the 1880s, the six-part series explores the powerful Forsyte family as they navigate social ambition, forbidden romance, and the constraints of Victorian society. Here’s a full guide to who plays who in The Forsytes.
The Forsyte Family
Francesca Annis (Flesh and Blood) stars as Ann Forsyte, the formidable matriarch of the clan, while Stephen Moyer (True Blood, Sexy Beast) plays her eldest son, Jolyon Senior, head of the family’s stockbroking firm, Forsyte & Co.
Danny Griffin (Fate: The Winx Saga) is Jolyon’s artistic, free-spirited son Jo, with Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey: A New Era) as his ambitious wife Frances. Eleanor Tomlinson (One Day) plays Louisa Byrne, a talented Soho dressmaker and Jo’s first love.
Jack Davenport (The Morning Show, Ten Percent) portrays Ann’s competitive younger son James, and Joshua Orpin (Titans) plays his sharp and often ruthless son Soames. Millie Gibson (Doctor Who) stars as Irene, the dancer who captures Soames’s heart — with consequences that will shake the entire family.
Tom Durant Pritchard (This Is Going to Hurt) appears as Monty Dartie, James’s charismatic son-in-law, while Josette Simon OBE (Anatomy of a Scandal) plays wealthy heiress Mrs. Ellen Parker Barrington, a close friend of the Forsytes.
Susan Hampshire OBE, who famously starred in the 1967 Forsyte Saga — winning the first of her three Lead Actress Emmys for the role — returns to the world of the Forsytes as the dignified Lady Carteret.
https://youtu.be/5oks7dbcOEA?si=li18sfMrNGfoZk7X
Extended Family and Friends
New cast additions include Fiona Button (The Split) as Mrs. Clarissa Heron, stepmother to Irene, and Tristan Sturrock (Poldark) as her father, Professor Heron.
Justine Moore (Call the Midwife) plays June Forsyte, the 18-year-old daughter of Frances and stepdaughter of Jolyon.
Eleanor Jackson (The Royal Mob) portrays Winifred Forsyte, daughter of James and wife of Monty, while Naomi Frederick (Belgravia) is Emily Forsyte, James’s refined and loyal wife.
Sharon Rose (Silent Witness) appears as Alicia Cole, wife of Jolyon’s trusted friend Isaac, played by Owen Igiehon (Disclaimer).
Jamie Flatters (Avatar: The Way of Water) stars as architect Philip Bosinney, whose designs — and desires — threaten to upend the family’s stability.
When Does The Forsytes Air?
The Forsytes begins Monday 20 October at 9pm on 5.
Planned as a returning drama, the first six-episode season promises opulent settings, tangled relationships, and a fresh retelling of one of British literature’s most enduring family sagas. It will air on Masterpiece PBS in the States in early 2026.