‘Death by Lightning’ Cast & Character Guide

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Coming to Netflix on November 6, 2025, “Death by Lightning” is a four-part historical drama miniseries about the 1881 assassination of President James A. Garfield, played by Michael Shannon. The series is directed by Matt Ross, known for the film Captain Fantastic, and executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who worked on Game of Thrones. It’s based on Candice Millard’s book Destiny of the Republic, published in 2011.

The upcoming show, Death by Lightning, features a talented cast playing historical figures from the 1800s. Matthew Macfadyen stars as Charles J. Guiteau, the man who obsessively followed and ultimately assassinated President James Garfield. Before the show premieres in November, learn more about the actors and the real people they portray.

What Is ‘Death by Lightning’ About?


Netflix

Premiering on Netflix November 6, 2025, the four-part series Death by Lightning is based on Candice Millard’s popular 2011 book, Destiny of the Republic. This historical drama tells the story of the 1880-81 shooting of President James A. Garfield by Charles Guiteau, a man who was obsessed with him.

Two months after being shot, President James A. Garfield died at the age of 49. The new show, Death by Lightning, explores the strange connection between Garfield and his assassin, Charles Guiteau, which ended in tragedy. Hopefully, the series won’t follow Netflix’s recent pattern of romanticizing killers – as seen in Monster – and will instead focus on the positive impact Garfield had during his presidency.

Michael Shannon as President James A. Garfield


Netflix

Michael Shannon, known for his roles in films like Take Shelter and The Shape of Water, portrays President James A. Garfield in Death by Lightning. Before becoming president, Garfield had a diverse career as a lawyer, preacher, Civil War general, and served nine terms in the House of Representatives. The miniseries depicts his efforts to improve the country, tragically cut short when a troubled admirer’s obsession turns violent. Garfield was shot in 1881 and succumbed to his injuries two months later.

Matthew Macfadyen as Charles J. Guiteau


Netflix

Matthew Macfadyen, the British actor known for roles in “Pride & Prejudice” and “Succession,” plays Charles J. Guiteau in a new portrayal. Guiteau was the man who assassinated President Garfield in 1881. A struggling lawyer with serious mental health problems, Guiteau became fixated on President Garfield, mistakenly believing he had played a key role in Garfield’s election and deserved a diplomatic post. When his request was denied, he fatally shot the President, who died 79 days later.

Nick Offerman as Chester A. Arthur


Netflix

Nick Offerman, known for his roles in Parks and Recreation and Civil War, portrays Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President of the United States. Arthur became president after James A. Garfield’s death, having previously served as his Vice President. The film Death by Lightning explores the connection between Arthur and Garfield, both personally and professionally, and details the actions Arthur took after becoming president just four months into Garfield’s term, such as growing the size of the U.S. Navy.

Betty Gilpin as Lucretia Garfield


Netflix

Betty Gilpin, known for her roles in GLOW and Gaslit, stars as Lucretia “Crete” Garfield in Death by Lightning. Crete was a devoted teacher and the wife of President James A. Garfield. She famously remained by her husband’s side for 11 weeks while he battled for his life. After his death, Crete returned to Ohio and created a personal library to safeguard his papers. She also advised Garfield to appoint James Blaine to his cabinet.

Bradley Whitford as James Blaine


Netflix

Bradley Whitford, known for his roles in The West Wing and Get Out, plays James G. Blaine, a powerful Republican who was Speaker of the House when President Garfield was assassinated. Blaine later served as Secretary of State under both Garfield and Arthur, and even ran for President in 1884, though he was defeated by Grover Cleveland. He was also a key leader of the “Half-Breeds,” a moderate group within the Republican Party.

Shae Whigham as Roscoe Conkling


Netflix

Shea Whigham, a fantastic actor known for his roles in shows like Fargo and Gaslit, portrays Roscoe Conkling in Death by Lightning. Conkling was a New York politician and a major rival of James Blaine. He led a powerful group within the Republican party and often clashed with President Garfield, but was a supporter of Ulysses S. Grant. Interestingly, Conkling also played a role in creating the 14th Amendment, which guarantees rights to U.S. citizens.

Additional Characters in ‘Death By Lightning’

Beyond the central players I’ve already mentioned, Death by Lightning really builds a world with a bunch of characters who pop up again and again. Here’s a look at some of them:

  • Vondie Curtis-Hall as Frederick Douglass (Daredevil, Chicago Hope), an escaped slave who became a staunch abolitionist and the most influential leader of the African-American civil rights movement in the 1800s.
  • Barry Shabaka Henley (Luck, Life) as Blanche Bruce, the first African-American politician elected to the U.S. Senate to complete a full term. Born into slavery, Bruce was a Republican who represented Mississippi.
  • Laura Marcus (Bad Education, The Serpent Queen) as Mollie Garfield, the daughter of James and Lucretia Garfield.
  • Tuppence Middleton (Sense8, Dickensian) as Kate Chase Sprague, a socialite in Washington who hosted parties for politicians during the Civil War.
  • Kyle Soller (Andor, Bounty Hunters) as Robert Todd Lincoln, the eldest son of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. Robert served as both the U.S. Secretary of War and the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain.
  • Zeljko Ivanek (Dogville, Argo) as Dr. Willard Bliss, the primary physician who attended Garfield’s gunshot wounds after being shot by Guiteau
  • Shaun Parkes (Small Axe, Lost in Space) as Dr. Charles Purvis, the first African-American physician to treat a sitting U.S. President (Garfield) and later help found the medical school at Howard University.
  • Archie Fisher (Last Days, Boarders) as Joe Brown, President James A. Garfield’s personal secretary, who later married Mollie Garfield

Death by Lightning premieres on Netflix on November 6, 2025.

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2025-11-01 21:34