The Staircase (2022) cast: Every character featured in the spinoff and the actors behind them

The Staircase (2022) features a strong and talented cast. The HBO Max series tells one of the most talked-about true crime stories in recent years.

It focuses on Michael and Kathleen Peterson. Colin Firth plays Michael Peterson. He is a writer and his life changes after Kathleen is found dead at the bottom of the staircase in 2001. Firth shows both calm and stress well.

Toni Collette plays Kathleen Peterson. Her role is small but powerful; she shows Kathleen as loving, strong, and under pressure. Her death drives the entire story.

Michael Stuhlbarg plays defense lawyer David Rudolf. He fights hard to prove Michael’s innocence. His role shows the pressure of handling such a serious case.

Parker Posey plays prosecutor Freda Black. She is sharp and firm in court. She strongly believes Michael Peterson is guilty.

Dane DeHaan steps in as Clayton Peterson, Michael’s son, while Patrick Schwarzenegger plays Todd Peterson, another one of Michael’s children. 

Sophie Turner stars as Margaret Ratliff, and Odessa Young plays Martha Ratliff, both of whom were adopted by Michael and Kathleen after the death of their mother years earlier. 

Olivia DeJonge plays Caitlin Atwater, Kathleen’s daughter from her previous marriage, who struggled with the case and her feelings toward Michael.

Rosemarie DeWitt plays Candace Zamperini, Kathleen’s sister, while Tim Guinee appears as Bill Peterson, Michael’s brother. 

Vincent Vermignon plays Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, the documentary filmmaker who made the original Netflix docuseries. 

Juliette Binoche stars as Sophie Brunet, the editor who unexpectedly becomes romantically involved with Michael. 

Together, this cast brings depth and honesty to every part of the story.

What The Staircase (2022) is about and how the story unfolds

The Staircase explores the events surrounding Kathleen Peterson’s death and the long investigation that followed.  The series shows the night she died, the police response, and how Michael Peterson was soon charged with her murder. 

It also looks at how the family reacted, both together and separately, as the case grew larger in the public eye. 

Each episode shows how the story changed over time, with new details coming to light and old questions being raised again.

The show also explains how the real case was documented for years. 

Director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade filmed the family and legal team while the case was still active. Those early recordings later became the real documentary that inspired the HBO Max series.

The show tells the story from several viewpoints.

It follows the prosecution’s theory, the defense team’s plans, and the emotional impact on Kathleen’s family and loved ones.

The drama also looks at the Peterson family’s private lives. It shows their relationships, arguments, and the growing pressure they faced as the trial moved forward.

Kathleen’s sister Candace believed strongly in Michael’s guilt. Other family members defended him. These opposing opinions created deep tension throughout the entire case.

The series also shows how public interest exploded after the case gained national attention. Media coverage added more pressure and constant judgment from the outside world.

The timeline continues until 2017, when Michael Peterson’s charge was reduced to manslaughter. The case remained controversial even after the legal outcome changed.

With strong performances and careful storytelling, the show gives a clear view of a case that is still debated today, without offering easy answers or simple conclusions.

Stay tuned for more updates.