Who’s Joining Rachel Weisz In Netflix’s Steamy Campus Drama

Rachel Weisz may be the star of Vladimir, but the Netflix limited series boasts other starry names in its cast. Released on March 5, 2026, Vladimir is a steamy campus comedy-drama set at a liberal arts college, where Weisz’s unnamed character has worked as an English professor for 30 years.

The Netflix miniseries sees the protagonist’s charmed academic life upended for two reasons: the misconduct scandal surrounding her husband, John, also a professor, and the arrival of an attractive younger colleague, the titular Vladimir, with whom Weisz’s character develops an intense obsession.

Created by Julia May Jonas and based on her novel of the same name, Vladimir shows the audience the protagonist’s deepest, darkest, and dirtiest thoughts through vivid fantasy sequences and Weisz’s fourth wall-breaking narration. It’s a bizarre and twisted tale that can really only succeed on the backs of its talented cast.

Rachel Weisz As Unnamed Protagonist

Date Of Birth: March 7, 1970

Actor: Born in London, England, Rachel Weisz’s breakout Hollywood film was 1999’s The Mummy, in which she played Evelyn Carnahan. The 2000s were a prolific decade for Weisz, with her credits including The Mummy Returns, The Constant Gardener (which won her an Oscar), Runaway Jury, Constantine, and The Lovely Bones.

Weisz’s film career hasn’t slowed down, and more recently, she’s collaborated with director Yorgos Lanthimos on his movies The Lobster and The Favourite, and joined the MCU as Melina Vostokoff in Black Widow. On the TV side, the actress has fewer credits, though she did notably play twins in Prime Video’s Dead Ringers, a TV adaptation of the 1988 David Cronenberg film.

Character: Weisz brings sexy, unhinged energy to her role as the unnamed protagonist of Vladimir, who is a writer, professor, wife, and mother. When she’s not putting out fires caused by her husband’s indiscretions, the protagonist is teaching classes, scrambling to keep up with her colleagues, and trying to revive her stalled writing career — all while fantasizing about the handsome young Vladimir.

Leo Woodall As Vladimir

Date Of Birth: September 14, 1996​​​​

Actor: Like Weisz, Leo Woodall hails from London, England. Woodall rose to prominence when he played the sketchy Jack in the cast of The White Lotus season 2. He followed that up by playing Duke in Prime Video’s spy action series Citadel and Dexter Mayhew in the Netflix limited series adaptation of One Day. In film, Woodall’s most notable credit is the dashing Roxster McDuff in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

Character: Woodall’s Vladimir is the charming and laidback new professor at the liberal arts college where the unnamed protagonist works. Vladimir is married to Cynthia, who also works at the school, and together they have a toddler. He seems mostly happy, if not frazzled with all his responsibilities, and he develops an easy, somewhat flirtatious rapport with Weisz’s character.

John Slattery As John

Date Of Birth: August 13, 1962

Actor: Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Slattery had a steady career of supporting roles and bit parts in movies and TV shows before he became famous as the hard-partying ad executive Roger Sterling in Mad Men, a role that earned him four Emmy nominations. Slattery’s noteworthy film credits include playing the real-life journalist Ben Bradlee, Jr. in the Best Picture-winning Spotlight and Tony’s father, Howard Stark, in the MCU.

Character: Slattery’s Vladimir character is not dissimilar to Roger Sterling, in that John is a lackadaisical, privileged womanizer. However, unlike the Mad Men character, John lives “in a different time,” as Vladimir often points out, and faces real consequences for his unsavory campus actions. John also finds himself perplexed at his wife’s increasingly erratic behavior.

Ellen Robertson As Sid

Date Of Birth: Unknown

Actor: English actor, writer, and comedian Ellen Robertson attended Cambridge University, where she was a member of the student sketch comedy troupe, the Cambridge Footlights. Robertson’s first major Hollywood credit was as Sandy’s Pal in the “Joan Is Awful” episode of Black Mirror. She also played Jennifer Chilton in the cast of Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 and Gabi in an episode of Lena Dunham’s Too Much.

Character: Robertson plays Sid, the 27-year-old daughter of Weisz’s character and John. Sid is a lawyer who helps John with his upcoming academic trial, and she’s experiencing problems with her romantic partner, Alexis.

Jessica Henwick As Cynthia

Date Of Birth: August 30, 1992​​​​​​​

Actor: Born in Surrey, England, Jessica Henwick is an actor, writer, and director who first gained recognition for her role as Nymeria Sand in Game of Thrones. She is also known for playing Colleen Wing in the Marvel series, Iron Fist. In film, Henwick’s noteworthy credits include Suzanne Brewer in The Gray Man and Peg in the cast of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Character: Henwick’s Cynthia is Vladimir’s wife, who also works at the college as an adjunct professor — a distinction Weisz’s character makes every chance she gets. Polite but a bit tense, Cynthia notably abstains from drinking alcohol, and she has a mysterious dark past.

Vladimir Supporting Cast & Characters

Kayli Carter as Lila – Lila is a 29-year-old barista who holds a grudge against Weisz’s character and John, and is a complainant in John’s case. Carter first gained recognition as Sadie Rose in the Netflix Western series Godless, and her other notable credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Charlie Says, Bad Education, and A Complete Unknown.

Miriam Silverman as Florence – Silverman brings an air of academic snark to her role as Florence, the work frenemy to Weisz’s protagonist. Like Carter, Silverman has also appeared in Bad Education and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and more recently starred in the cast of Jon Hamm’s Your Friends & Neighbors.

Mallori Johnson as Edwina – Edwina is an ambitious student who looks up to the protagonist in Vladimir. With seven acting credits, including WeCrashed and Kindred, to her name, Johnson’s career is just getting started.

Matt Walsh as David – Comedian and actor Matt Walsh plays David, the boss of Weisz’s character, with whom she has a complicated history. Walsh is best known for his role as Mike McLintock in Veep, and his film credits include comedies Road Trip, Bad Santa, and The Hangover.

Tattiawna Jones as Alexis – Alexis is Sid’s older partner, whom the protagonist disapproves of. Jones’s resume is populated by credits in prestigious TV shows, including The Handmaid’s Tale, Murderbot, and Wayward.

Louise Lambert as Dawn – In Vladimir, Dawn is an adjunct professor who struggles to make ends meet. Having guest-starred in shows like Murdoch Mysteries and Ginny & Georgia, the Netflix limited series is Lambert’s biggest credit.