Complete cast breakdown of Ripple season 1: Who plays Who & where you’ve seen them before

Ripple season 1 is an eight-episode drama about four New Yorkers whose small choices create big consequences. Ripple season 1 follows Walter, a widower, Kris, a former record-label executive, Nate, a lung-cancer patient, and Aria, an aspiring musician, as a blue stone quietly binds their paths in New York City. Ripple season 1 premieres worldwide on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, with all episodes dropping at once on Netflix.

Ripple season 1 comes from creator Michele Giannusa, showrunner Joni Lefkowitz, and executive producer director Amanda Tapping, with production by Lionsgate Canada. The show began life at Hallmark Plus, then shifted to a Netflix global release. Ripple season 1 is pitched as a warm ensemble about timing, chance, and chosen family, with episode titles that hint at a cause-and-effect structure.

Ripple season 1 cast: Who plays whom and where you’ve seen them

1) Frankie Faison as Walter: Known for Commissioner Ervin Burrell in The Wire and Barney Matthews in The Silence of the Lambs, plus Sugar Bates in Banshee. In Ripple season 1, Faison plays Walter, a widower whose routine shifts after a chance event.

2) Julia Chan as Kris: Best known as Pepper Smith in Katy Keene and Dr. Maggie Lin in Saving Hope. In Ripple season 1, Chan plays Kris, a former record-label executive recalibrating in NYC. The CW’s materials list Chan as Pepper Smith on Katy Keene, while Saving Hope credits confirm Dr. Maggie Lin.

3) Ian Harding as Nate: Recognized as Ezra Fitz in Pretty Little Liars, Phillip Davis in Chicago Med, and Eddie Hagan in Long Slow Exhale. In Ripple season 1, Harding plays Nate, a lung-cancer patient whose decisions trigger new links. As per TV Insider report dated December 2, 2025, underscoring Nate’s storyline, Harding stated,

"It’s a show that has hope and heart. It’s funny. It has romance and romantic tension. It’s got all of these elements of a really great TV show"

4) Sydney Agudong as Aria: Cast as Nani Pelekai in Disney’s 2025 live-action Lilo & Stitch. In Ripple season 1, Agudong plays Aria, an aspiring musician pulled into the chain of events. Disney casting coverage confirms Agudong’s Lilo & Stitch role.

5) Nicola Correia-Damude as Sylvie: Known for Maryse Lightwood in Shadowhunters. In Ripple season 1, she appears as Sylvie, part of the orbit around the four leads.

6) Sarah Swire as Ellis: Seen in The Boys. In Ripple season 1, Swire plays Ellis, a supporting player whose choices intersect with the core quartet.

7) Marci T House as Tara Martin: Appeared in Godzilla films and TV projects. In Ripple season 1, she plays Tara Martin.

8) Vanessa Smythe as Claire, Robert Bazzocchi as John: Smythe is known from The Expanse, Bazzocchi from Gen V. In Ripple season 1, they round out the recurring ensemble.

Ripple season 1 makers’ vision, release details, and episode guide

Release

All eight episodes of Ripple season 1 stream globally on Netflix on December 3, 2025. The Netflix listing and preview coverage confirm the date and global rollout. The official synopsis of the series reads,

"The series follows four strangers — Walter, Kris, Nate and Aria — who have unknowingly crossed paths many times but never met. As they each face life's challenges, their actions create a ripple effect that ultimately connects them."

Creative team

Created by Michele Giannusa, showrun by Joni Lefkowitz, with Amanda Tapping executive-producing and directing. Production by Lionsgate Canada, with the series originally developed for Hallmark Plus before moving to Netflix. As per What’s on Netflix report dated December 2, 2025, Michele Giannusa stated,

“We’ve all experienced that seemingly insignificant moment that changed it all.”

Giannusa also remarked,

“It created a Ripple.”

These press-statement lines frame the series theme of small choices shaping connection.

Episode titles: A Stone’s Throw, Drip, drip, drip, The Twenty, The Storm, The Flyer, The White Coat, The Gift, The Bonus. These titles map to a cause-and-effect arc that Ripple season 1 follows across New York City.

Stay tuned for more updates.