“Southern Succession Meets Blood Feud?!”
Netflix just dropped The Waterfront — an 8-episode family saga where fishing empires collapse under secrets, betrayal, and smuggling.
From the creator of Scream, starring Melissa Benoist, Holt McCallany, and Topher Grace as a ruthless drug lord — you won’t believe what goes down in the final episode…
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Netflix’s The Waterfront kicks off with an exciting cast. The series, which premieres on the streaming service on June 19, 2025, comes from creator Kevin Williamson, who is known for Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Dawson’s Creek, The Vampire Diaries, and several other notable works. This is a great sign that this new Netflix series is something spectacular, and the exceptional cast only adds to the intrigue. The Waterfront features prominent names like Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Jake Weary, Topher Grace, and a large handful of other main and supporting cast members.

Holt McCallany As Harlan Buckley

Date Of Birth: September 3, 1963

Active Since: 1986

New York City native Holt McCallany is best known for playing FBI Special Agent Bill Tench on the psychological crime thriller series Mindhunter from 2017 to 2019. Prior to this, McCallany developed a name for himself, appearing in prominent projects like Alien 3 (1992), Fight Club (1999), The Losers (2010), Lights Out (2011), and Blackhat (2015). More recently, he appeared in movie and TV projects like Foundation (2023), The Lincoln Lawyer (2024), The Amateur (2025), and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025).

Notable Movie & TV Roles

Movie/TV Show Title
Role

Mindhunter (2017 – 2019)
Bill Trench

Foundation (2023)
Warden Jaegger Fount

The Lincoln Lawyer (2024)
Neil Bishop

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025)
Secretary of Defense Bernstein

McCallany plays Harlan Buckley in Netflix’s The Waterfront, the patriarch of the Buckley family and the owner of the family fishery and restaurant. Harlan had run the business with his father before the man’s death, and now looks to continue this legacy with his own son, Cane. Things get complicated, however, as the Buckley empire comes under threat.

Jake Weary As Cane Buckley

Date Of Birth: February 14, 1990

Active Since: 2002

Born and raised in New Jersey, Jake Weary is best known for playing Deran Cody in the TNT drama series Animal Kingdom, which aired from 2016 to 2022. Prior to this, Weary played a prominent role in the 2005 soap opera As the World Turns and made appearances in projects like Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Three Rivers. The actor also played Kevin Lebow throughout a variety of Fred projects, including Fred: The Movie (2020) and Fred: The Show (2012). In the following years, Weary played a recurring role in Pretty Little Liars (2014 – 2015) and appeared in The Walking Dead: Dead City (2025).

Notable Movie & TV Roles

Movie/TV Show Title
Role

As the World Turns (2005)
Luke Snyder

Pretty Little Liars (2014 – 2015)
Cyrus Petrillo

Animal Kingdom (2016 – 2022)
Deran Cody

The Walking Dead: Dead City (2025)
Christos

Weary plays Cane Buckley in The Waterfront, the son of Harlan and Belle and the supposed heir to the Buckley legacy. Cane had been a football star in high school, but rather than head out to play for a university, he stayed behind to work by his father’s side. However, the relationship between father and son is contentious and complicated.

Maria Bello As Belle Buckley

Date Of Birth: April 18, 1967

Maria Bello in Lights Out

Active Since: 1991

Maria Bello, born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, has an extensive filmography that includes projects like Permanent Midnight (1998), Coyote Ugly (2000), Secret Widow (2004), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007), The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), Grown Ups (2010), and Lights Out (2016). The actor’s TV roles are just as notable, and Bello is known for performances as Anna Del Amico in ER and Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane in NCIS. Bello also played Jordan Forster in the 2023 Netflix series Beef.

Notable Movie & TV Roles

Movie/TV Show Title
Role

Coyote Ugly (2000)
Lil Lovell

Grown Ups (2010)
Sally Lamonsoff

Lights Out (2016)
Sophie

NCIS (2017 – 2021)
Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane

In Netflix’s The Waterfront, Bello plays Belle Buckley, the wife of Harlan and mother to Cane and Bree. Belle handles the restaurant side of the Buckley empire, but consistently demonstrates a sense of savvy in all areas of the business. Her relationship with her husband is complicated, but it’s clear that Belle would do anything to keep her husband and children on top of the world.

Melissa Benoist As Bree Buckley

Date Of Birth: October 4, 1988

Custom image by Cesar Garcia Image via HBO

Active Since: 2000

Texas-born actor Melissa Benoist claimed her first major role in 2012, playing Marley Rose in the musical comedy drama Glee, a role she held until 2014. From there, Benoist gained further recognition playing the titular character in the CW’s Supergirl from 2015 to 2021. She continued to play this role through other Arrowverse projects, like The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow. Benoist’s prominent movie roles include Lowriders (2016) and Billy Boy (2017). In 2024, she played Sadie McCarthy in the series The Girls on the Bus, for which she also served as producer.

Notable Movie & TV Roles

Movie/TV Show Title
Role

Glee (2012 – 2014)
Marley Rose

Supergirl (2015 – 2021)
Kara Danvers/Supergirl

Billy Boy (2017)
Jennifer

The Girls on the Bus (2024)
Sadie McCarthy

Benoist plays Bree Buckley in The Waterfront, Cane’s sister and the daughter of Harlan and Belle. Bree has struggled significantly growing up in such a prominent family, and, as a recovering addict, she is working hard to regain the trust of her parents and son, Diller.

The Waterfront Supporting Cast & Characters

Topher Grace, Rafael L. Silva, Humberly González, & More

Rafael L. Silva as Shawn Wilson – Rafael L. Silva is best known for playing Carlos Reyes in 9-1-1: Lone Star from 2020 to 2025. He plays Shawn Wilson in Netflix’s The Waterfront, a new, mysterious bartender hired at the Buckleys’ seafood restaurant.

Humberly González as Jenna Tate – Humberly González, best known for projects like Utopia Falls, Ginny & Georgia, Nurses, and Stay the Night, plays Jenna Tate in The Waterfront, Cane’s high school girlfriend, whom he reconnects with upon her return to town. Danielle Campbell as Peyton Buckley – Actor Danielle Campbell is known for playing Jessica Olson in Disney’s Starstruck and Simone Daniels in Prom, as well as her roles in dramas like The Originals and Tell Me a Story. Campbell plays Peyton Buckley in the Waterfront, Cane’s wife.

Brady Hepner as Diller Hopkins – Brady Hepner, who previously appeared in projects like Chicago Fire (2012), The Black Phone (2021), and The Holdovers (2023), plays Diller Hopkins in The Waterfront, Bree’s son.

Michael Gaston as Sheriff Clyde Porter – The part of Sheriff Clyde Porter in The Waterfront is played by Michael Gaston, best known for Jericho (2006 – 2008), The Mentalist (2008 – 2015), and Five Days at Memorial (2022).

Gerardo Celasco as DEA Agent Marcus Sanchez – Gerardo Celasco, known for playing Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald in Passions, plays DEA Agent Marcus Sanchez in The Waterfront.

Topher Grace as Grady – That ’70s Show, Spider-Man 3, and Flight Risk actor Topher Grace plays Grady in The Waterfront, the head of a powerful new drug operation.

Andrew Call as Deputy Sawyer – Deputy Sawyer is played by Andrew Call in The Waterfront, known for Ordinary World (2016) and Space Cadet (2024).