Boy Swallows Universe is an account of growing up in ’80s Australia, based on the semi-autobiographical book of the same name by Trent Dalton. But which actors feature in this limited series? Here are all the major actors & the full cast list for Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe.
All Major Actors & Cast List for Boy Swallows Universe
Felix Cameron as Eli Bell
Barring the odd flashback, Felix Cameron plays Eli Bell from episodes 1 – 6. Eli is the series’ protagonist, who tries to keep his family together despite his stepfather Lyle’s criminal activities. Cameron previously played one of Naomi Watts’ on-screen sons in Penguin Bloom.
Zac Burgess as Eli Bell
At the beginning of episode 6, ‘Boy Seeks Work’, we see Eli emerging from the ocean, now played by Zac Burgess. It’s not the beach from Old, though. The episode jumps forward in time, and we get an older, teenage Eli. Burgess is also set to crop up in the upcoming Cruel Intentions Amazon series.
Phoebe Tonkin as Frances Bell
Phoebe Tonkin plays Frances Bell, aka Frankie, mother of Eli and his brother Gus. Frances is a former addict and while she’s been clean for years, her partner Lyle drags her into his shady business. You may recognize Tonkin as the werewolf Hayley Marshall from Vampire Diaries/The Originals.
Travis Fimmel as Lyle Orlik
Travis Fimmel, best known as Ragnar from Vikings, is Lyle, stepdad to Eli and Gus. He’s not your sterotypical asshole TV stepdad, but his dodgy dealings could cost him. The first scene of episode 1 shows him being dragged off by his criminal employers.
Anthony LaPaglia as Tytus Broz
LaPaglia has had a multitude of roles, including vampire Marie’s love interest in John Landis’s Innocent Blood. He’s almost unrecognizable here as Tytus Broz, the owner of the prosthetics factory where Lyle works. He’s meant to have a slight air of menace, but he sounds exactly like Odo from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine so it’s hard to take him seriously.
Bryan Brown as Arthur ‘Slim’ Halliday
Based on a real-life criminal, Slim is an ex-con and friend to Lyle who babysits Eli and Gus and is also teaching Eli to drive. He was apparently framed by the corrupt officer we see arrested in the paper. He’s played by Bryan Brown who, with a career spanning nearly fifty years, you’ll almost certainly recognize as what’s-his-face from thingy.
Plenty of other actors lend their performances to this series. Villain Ivan Kroll is Christopher James Baker, Boyd from Ozark. Caitlyn Spies is Sophie Wilde who played protagonist Mia in murder-hand movie Talk to Me.
Here are all the actors who play a named role in Boy Swallows Universe.
- Adam Briggs as Alex Bermuda
- Amy Ingram as Laura
- Andy de Lore as Stacy Collins
- Anthony LaPaglia as Tytus Broz
- Arnijka Larcombe-Weate as Debbie
- Auden Ryan as Eli (6 Years)
- Ben O’Toole as Teddy Callis
- Brittany Grey as Bonnie
- Bryan Brown as Arthur ‘Slim’ Halliday
- Bryan Probets as Michael Munroe
- Christopher James Baker as Ivan Kroll
- Daniel Tuiara as Rod
- Danny Brown as Bob
- Deborah Mailman as Poppy Birkbeck
- Eloise Rothfield as Shelly Huffman
- Emily Eskell as PC Daley
- Ernie Gilshenan as Billy Peedon
- Felix Cameron as Eli Bell
- HaiHa Le as Bich Dang
- Iain Gardiner as Gene Crimmins
- Isaac Strutt-Stevens as Christopher
- Jake Cockburn as Gus (7 Years)
- Jane Larkin as Penny
- Jordy Campbell as Bobby Linyette
- Kaipo Heke as Ezra
- Kate Box as Dr. Brennan
- Lee Tiger Halley as August ‘Gus’ Bell
- Lisa Campos as Tessa Huffman
- Lisa Parkes as Sister Mary
- Michael Denkha as George
- Millie Donaldson as Shelly Huffman
- Nathaniel Dean as Raymond Leary
- Nicholas Burton as Bugs
- Paula Nazarski as Bernie
- Peter Phan as Tony Leung
- Phoebe Tonkin as Frances Bell
- Reagan Mannix as Timothy
- Rob Carlton as Brian Robertson
- Sacherence Sitagata as Rua
- Sam Foster as Max
- Simon Baker as Robert Bell
- Sophie Wilde as Caitlyn Spies
- Steven Tandy as Priest
- Toby Schmitz as Tim Cotton
- Tommy Archer as Dave Cullen
- Tracey Lee Maxwell as Elsie
- Travis Fimmel as Lyle Orlik
- Zac Burgess as Eli Bell
- Zachary Wan as Darren Dang
- Zoe de Plevitz as Sophie
Those are all major actors & cast list for Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe. And if you’re wondering who Alex is in the series, here’s what you need to know.
