“Mare of Easttown” creator Brad Ingelsby is back with another gritty drama set in the suburbs of Philadelphia with “Task.” But this time, the HBO series centers on two dueling protagonists in Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey.
Ruffalo stars as Tom Brandis, a priest-turned-FBI agent who is assigned to lead a task force investigating a string of violent robberies executed by trash collector Robbie Prendergrast (Pelphrey). Their cat-and-mouse game is characterized with the personal tragedies faced by each man, which only prompt both men to double down on this mission in an effort to protect what remaining family they have.
Aided by a task force filled with the likes of Fabien Frankel, Alison Oliver and Thuso Mbedu, the FBI slowly uncovers a complex web of deception and betrayal involving a local motorcycle gang.
Mark Ruffalo as Tom Brandis
Mark Ruffalo stars as Tom Brandis, a former priest turned FBI agent who has been taking a break from being in the field in the wake of a horrific family tragedy. He’s called back out to the field to lead a task force investigating a string of violent robberies associated with a local gang.
Ruffalo is best known for starring in “The Avengers,” “Spotlight,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “Poor Things,” “Mickey 17,” “All the Light We Cannot See,” “The Adam Project,” “Begin Again,” “Now You See Me,” “View from the Top” and “13 Going on 30.”
Tom Pelphrey as Robbie Prendergrast
Tom Pelphrey stars as Robbie Prendergrast, a Delaware County garbage collector who works with his co-workers to stake out and rob houses used by gangs on their runs, which quickly takes a violent turn. Like Tom, he carries some familial trauma after his wife leaves him and their kids — who are largely looked after by his niece, Mauve — and his brother was murdered.
Pelphrey is best known for starring as Ben Davis in “Ozark,” and can also be seen in “Banshee,” “Mank,” “Iron Fist,” “Outer Range,” “A Man in Full” and “Guiding Light.”
Emilia Jones as Maeve
Emilia Jones stars as Maeve, Robbie’s 21-year-old niece who becomes the de-facto caretaker of his kids when Robbie’s wife leaves him and her father is killed.
Jones is best known for starring in “CODA” and has also appeared in “Winner,” “Cat Person,” “Locke & Key,” “Nuclear” and “Fairyland.”
Fabien Frankel as Anthony Grasso
Fabien Frankel plays Anthony Grasso, a Philadelphia native who joins Tom’s task force while holding some secrets of his own.
Frankel is best known for starring as Ser Criston Cole in “House of the Dragon.” He can also be seen in “The Serpent,” “Venice at Dawn” and “An Uncandid Portrait.”
Alison Oliver as Lizzie
Alison Oliver plays Lizzie, a state patrol officer who comes onto the task force after not fitting in too well with her last squad. Lizzie is brash and eccentric, but also struggles with her confidence as an officer.
Oliver can be seen as Venetia in “Saltburn” and Frances in “Conversations with Friends,” and has also been featured in “Christy,” “The Order” and “Best Interests.”
Thuso Mbedu as Aleah
Thuso Mbedu plays Aleah, a federal agent who joins the task force with an unparalleled level of competence and professionalism.
Mbedu has been featured in “The Woman King,” “The Underground Railroad,” “Shuga” and has been in the voice cast for “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Castlevania: Nocturne.”
Martha Plimpton as Kathleen McGinty
Martha Plimpton plays Kathleen McGinty, the FBI bureau chief who assigns Tom to lead the task force.
Plimpton can be seen in “The Goonies,” “Beautiful Girls,” “Running on Empty,” “Prime Target,” “The Regime,” “Younger,” “The Good Wife” and “Raising Hope.”
Silvia Dionicio as Emily
Silvia Dionicio plays Emily, Tom’s adopted daughter who faces a strained relationship with her dad after the family tragedy pushes Tom down a road of excessive drinking.
Dionicio has been featured in “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Chicago P.D.” “Zodiac” and “Delusional.”
Raul Castillo as Cliff Broward
Raul Castillo plays Cliff Broward, Robbie’s co-worker who works with Robbie and their other co-workers to stake out and rob local houses on their garbage collection runs where the Dark Hearts gang are stashing cash and drugs.
Castillo can be seen in “Cassandro,” “Army of the Dead,” “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” “Smile 2,” “Push,” “Barron’s Cove” and “Breathe.”
Jamie McShane as Perry
Jamie McShane plays Perry, the vicious leader of the Dark Hearts gang.
McShane can be seen in “1923,” “Bloodline,” “Wednesday,” “Atropia” and “The Lincoln Lawyer.”
Sam Keeley as Jayson
Sam Keeley plays Jayson, Perry’s son-like figure and a prominent member of the gang.
You might recognize Keeley from “Joe vs. Carole,” “68 Whiskey,” “Kin,” “The Dry” and “William Tell.”
Phoebe Fox as Sara
Phoebe Fox plays Sara, Tom’s birth daughter who also struggles to make sense of what’s left of their family after tragedy strikes.
Fox can be seen in “Eye in the Sky,” “The Aeronauts,” “The Great,” “Close to the Enemy” and “Curfew.”
