Meet the Cast of A Man on the Inside: Character Guide for Netflix’s Latest Comedy Hit

Netflix’s A Man on the Inside surrounds Cheers star Ted Danson with a talented cast of veteran actors. Set in a retirement community, the show follows Charles, a widower and retired professor who decides to answer an ad for a private detective. Excited to try something new, Charles goes undercover in a retirement home in San Francisco to help search for a family heirloom that has been stolen from one of the residents, meeting new friends and gaining a new perspective along the way.

A Man on the Inside stars many film and television veterans that fans will recognize from their previous projects, speaking highly of the comedic and dramatic chops the cast brings to the production. Alongside a well-known and talented cast, A Man on the Inside comes from creator Mike Schur. Schur is known as a producer and writer of The Office, a co-creator of Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and the creator of The Good Place. With such talented people involved, it is no surprise that A Man on the Inside is able to create a warm and funny watch for audiences.

A Man on the Inside Cast Characters
Ted Danson Charles
Mary Elizabeth Ellis Emily
Stephanie Beatriz Didi
Lilah Richcreek Estrada Julie
Stephen McKinley Henderson Calbert
Sally Struthers Virginia
Eugene Cordero Joel
Margaret Avery Florence
John Getz Elliott
Susan Ruttan Gladys
Lori Tan Chinn Susan
Clyde Kusatsu Grant
Marc Evan Jackson Evan
Jama Williamson Beatrice

Ted Danson As Charles

Date Of Birth: December 29, 1947

Active Since: 1975

Actor: Ted Danson was born in San Diego, California in 1947 and was raised in Flagstaff, Arizona. Danson became interested in acting during his time at university, and he graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BFA in drama in 1972. Danson first got his break in the soap opera Somerset in 1975, and played several small roles on television following that. Danson is best known for his role as Sam Malone in Cheers, which brought him widespread recognition. Since Cheers, his career has flourished and Danson has been in numerous movies and television shows.

Notable Movies and TV Shows:

Movie/TV Show Role
The Onion Field Det. Ian James Campbell
Creepshow Harry Wentworth
Cheers Sam Malone
Becker Dr. John Becker
Three Men and a Baby Jack Holden
Curb Your Enthusiasm Himself
Made in America Hal Jackson
Saving Private Ryan Captain Fred Hamill
Damages Arthur Frobisher
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Director D.B. Russell
The Good Place Michael
Mr. Mayor Mayor Neil Bremer

Character: In Netflix’s A Man on the Inside, Danson plays the main character, Charles. Charles is a widowed retiree who decides to start a new career as an undercover investigator in a retirement community. Charles is committed to his goal of locating a stolen family heirloom, but he ends up building some new friendships along the way.

Mary Elizabeth Ellis As Emily

Date Of Birth: May 11, 1979

Active Since: 2001

Actor: Mary Elizabeth Ellis was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1979. Ellis had several roles in plays before transitioning into movies and television shows in the early 2000s. Mary Elizabeth Ellis is best known for her role as The Waitress in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the love interest for her real-life husband, Charlie Day. Ellis has also starred in numerous other comedy television shows and several movies.

Notable Movies and TV Shows:

Movie/TV Show Role
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia The Waitress
Perfect Couples Amy
New Girl Caroline
The Grinder Debbie Sanderson
Santa Clarita Diet Lisa Palmer
Licorice Pizza Momma Anita

 

Character: Mary Elizabeth Ellis stars as Emily, Charles’ daughter in A Man on the Inside. Emily is married with three children, and she is surprised by her father’s plan to become a spy in a retirement home.

Stephanie Beatriz As Didi

Date Of Birth: February 10, 1981

Active Since: 2002

Actor: Stephanie Beatriz was born in Neuquén, Argentina in 1981 and was raised in Webster, Texas. Beatriz became interested in acting as a teenager and later moved to New York to pursue acting. After appearing in minor roles in several TV shows, Beatriz’s big break came after being cast as Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, another of A Man on the Inside’s creator Mike Schur’s previous shows. Since Brooklyn Nine-Nine, her career has flourished and Beatriz has been cast in films such as Encanto and In the Heights, as well as numerous TV shows.

Notable Movies and TV Shows:

Movie/TV Show Role
Modern Family Sonia
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Rosa Diaz
Bob’s Burgers Chloe Barbash (voice)
BoJack Horseman Gina Cazador (voice)
In the Heights Carla
Encanto Mirabel Madrigal (voice)
Big Mouth Lulu (voice)
Twisted Metal Quiet

 

Character: In A Man on the Inside, Stephanie Beatriz plays the role of Didi. Didi is the strict and observant managing director of Pacific View Retirement Residence where Charles goes to do his investigation.

Lilah Richcreek Estrada As Julie

Date Of Birth: July 26, 1989

Active Since: 2009

Actor: Lilah Richcreek Estrada was born in Los Angeles, California in 1989, and she has been acting since 2009. She has appeared in guest roles in television shows such as Criminal Minds, 2 Broke Girls, Grace and Frankie, and more. Estrada is best known for her role as Dr. Nellie Cuevas in Chicago Med, which has brought her widespread recognition.

Notable Movies and TV Shows:

Movie/TV Show Role
Criminal Minds Julie Harmon
2 Broke Girls Kacee
Two and a Half Men Keri
Grace and Frankie Cecilia
The Wonder Years Wendy
Chicago Med Dr. Nellie Cuevas

Character: In Netflix’s A Man on the Inside, Lilah Richcreek Estrada plays the private investigator Julie. Julie is approached by a client within the retirement community and subsequently hires Charles to go undercover as her man on the inside to catch the thief.

A Man On The Inside Supporting Cast & Characters

Stephen McKinley Henderson as Calbert: Stephen McKinley Henderson plays Calbert, one of the residents of Pacific View in A Man on the Inside. McKinley Henderson is best known for his work in Dune, Dune: Part Two, Fences, and Lady Bird.

Sally Struthers as Virginia: Sally Struthers is Virginia, another resident of Pacific View who befriends Charles in A Man on the Inside. Struthers is known for playing Gloria in All in the Family and Babette in Gilmore Girls.

Eugene Cordero as Joel: Eugene Cordero’s character Joel is married to Emily in A Man on the Inside and is a teacher. Cordero has previously appeared in TV shows such as Loki and Schur’s previous show, The Good Place.

Margaret Avery as Florence: Margaret Avery plays Florence, one of Virginia’s friends, in A Man on the Inside. Margaret Avery is best known for her roles as Shug Avery in The Color Purple and as Helen Patterson in Being Mary Jane.

John Getz as Elliot: John Getz is Pacific View’s flirtatious resident Elliott in A Man on the Inside. Getz is known for his appearances in numerous movies and TV shows such as The Fly, Transparent, The Social Network, and Grace and Frankie, among others.

Susan Ruttan as Gladys: Susan Ruttan’s character Gladys is Charles’ next-door neighbor at the retirement community in A Man on the Inside. Ruttan starred as Roxanne Melman in L.A. Law and has made guest appearances in numerous other TV shows.

Lori Tan Chinn as Susan: Lori Tan Chinn’s Susan is the president of the residents’ council in A Man on the Inside. Chinn is known for her roles in Orange is the New Black, Joy Ride, and Kung Fu Panda 4.

Clyde Kusatsu as Grant: Clyde Kusatsu plays Grant in A Man on the Inside, another resident of Pacific View. Kusatsu has been in more than 300 productions, including Never Have I Ever, The Young and the Restless, and Magnum, P.I..

Marc Evan Jackson as Evan: Marc Evan Jackson appears as Evan, a man who hires Julie to find a lost heirloom, in A Man on the Inside. Jackson has previously appeared in several of Mike Schur’s series, including The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Jama Williamson as Beatrice: Jama Williamson plays Beatrice, an employee at Pacific View, in A Man on the Inside. Williamson has previously appeared in Mike Schur’s shows The Good Place and Parks and Recreation among appearances in many other TV shows.