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Who's who in 'The Fall of the House of Usher': The Usher family tree

2023-10-12 17:45
The first episode of Mike Flanagan's sprawling new series The Fall of the House of
Who's who in 'The Fall of the House of Usher': The Usher family tree

The first episode of Mike Flanagan's sprawling new series The Fall of the House of Usher feels a bit like an Edgar Allan Poe-inspired clown car: Just when you think you've met every member of the Usher family, another pops up to join the show.

Not only do we encounter Fortunato Pharmaceuticals execs and twins Madeline and Roderick Usher (Mary McDonnell and Bruce Greenwood), we also meet Roderick's many children, their partners, and some key players in their orbit. As absorbing as it all is, it can be a bit hard to keep track of who's who right off the bat — especially with all those nicknames flying around!

SEE ALSO: 'The Fall of the House of Usher' review: 'Succession' meets Edgar Allan Poe in brilliant horror series

If you want to know your Tamerlanes from your Victorines and your Fredericks from your Napoleons, you've come to the right place. Below, you'll find the Usher family tree and descriptions of each family member. And if you're a Flanagan fan, we've also added a list of which of his films and TV series you may have seen these actors in before, given that he works with the same band of players from project to project.

Read on, and you'll be an Usher expert in no time!

Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable

Eliza Usher and William Longfellow

Madeline and Roderick's parents set the stage for their truly unhappy upbringing. On top of having two children with him, Eliza (Annabeth Gish) was also the personal secretary to Fortunato Pharmaceuticals CEO William Longfellow (Robert Longstreet). However, Longfellow never acknowledged Roderick or Madeline, and ultra-religious Eliza forbade them to go anywhere near his mansion. After all, we're talking about the House of Usher here, not the House of Longfellow.

The Mike Flanagan connection: Gish has appeared in Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House, and Before I Wake. Longstreet has appeared in The Midnight Club, Midnight Mass, Doctor Sleep, and The Haunting of Hill House.

Roderick Usher

Bruce Greenwood in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

As CEO of Fortunato Pharmaceuticals and patriarch of the Usher family, Roderick Usher is one of the most powerful men in the world. However, that power stems from Fortunato's incredibly profitable — and addictive — drug Ligodone. Does Roderick have any regrets about the pain and suffering his opioid has caused millions? Based on how he's calmly dodged every attempt to prosecute him, it doesn't seem like it. But does he have any other skeletons in his closet? Based on how his children keep mysteriously dying, it certainly seems like he does.

The Mike Flanagan connection: Greenwood has appeared in Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game.

SEE ALSO: Where you've seen 'The House of Usher' cast before: Welcome to the Flanaverse

Madeline Usher (aka Mad)

Mary McDonnell in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

Roderick's brilliant sister Madeline acts as COO of Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, where she has several passion projects of her own. Among them is her precious research on algorithms and artificial intelligence as a form of immortality. She's also vowed never to let a man have power over her, and that extends to Roderick. She's shrewder and far more cutthroat than her brother, with fewer personal connections to tie her down. But would she turn on her own family if it meant she'd come out on top?

The Mike Flanagan connection: This is McDonnell's first project with Flanagan.

Juno Usher

Ruth Codd in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

Juno (Ruth Codd) is Roderick's second wife. After a severe accident led to the loss of her leg, she became dependent on Ligodone. That addiction, as well as her and Roderick's significant age difference, has led the Usher children to shun her entirely. No wicked stepmother here, only ruthless stepchildren.

The Mike Flanagan connection: Codd has appeared in The Midnight Club.

Frederick Usher (aka Frauderick, Freddie, Dickwad, Sweaty Freddie)

Kyliegh Curran and Henry Thomas in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

The eldest of Roderick's legitimate children, Frederick (Henry Thomas) is the heir apparent to the Fortunato throne. However, he's more entitled than he is qualified for the job, and his siblings make sure he knows that. Frederick is married to former model Morella "Morrie" Usher (Crystal Balint). Her modeling and acting days may be over, but she's developed an enthusiasm for baking illusion cakes, making for the strangest Is It Cake? crossover in existence.

The Mike Flanagan connection: Thomas has appeared in The Midnight Club, Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House, Gerald's Game, and Ouija: Origin of Evil.

Tamerlane Usher (aka Tam)

Samantha Sloyan in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

If she has her way, Tamerlane (Samantha Sloyan) will be the next Gwyneth Paltrow. She's a budding lifestyle guru on the cusp of launching her luxury Goop-esque brand, Goldbug. To do this, she's enlisted the help of her husband Bill T. Wilson (Matt Biedel), otherwise known as fitness influencer BillT. Nothing says "true love" quite like strategic family branding.

The Mike Flanagan connection: Sloyan has appeared in The Midnight Club, Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House, and Hush.

Victorine Lafourcade (aka Vic)

T'Nia Miller in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

Frederick and Tamerlane are Roderick's only children by way of his first marriage, so they refer to all his other children as "the bastards." Eldest among this group is Victorine Lafourcade (T'Nia Miller), who seeks her father's approval (and funding) for her cutting-edge medical research. She and her girlfriend, Dr. Allessandra Ruiz (Paola Núñez), have been testing a heart mesh with the potential to change modern medicine — and Victorine is willing to stop at nothing to get it approved, ethics be damned.

The Mike Flanagan connection: Miller has appeared in The Haunting of Bly Manor.

Napoleon Usher (aka Leo, Xbox Gatsby)

Rahul Kohli in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

Roderick opens his doors to any of his children, legitimate or not. In doing so, he also asks them to present a promising venture he can fund. Napoleon "Leo" Usher's (Rahul Kohli) venture of choice is video games, and he's become a major player in that scene. He's also a hard-partying socialite to boot. However, his intense drug use has led to some tension with his partner, Julius (Daniel Chae Jun).

The Mike Flanagan connection: Kohli has appeared in The Midnight Club, Midnight Mass, and The Haunting of Bly Manor.

Camille L'Espanaye (aka Cam)

Kate Siegel and Sauriyan Sapkota in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Ricardo Hubbs/Netflix

Armed with a sharp tongue and a propensity for digging up dirt on her enemies, Camille L'Espanaye (Kate Siegel) heads up the Usher clan's PR. She's the expert on spinning any bad news about the oft-embattled family into something more palatable. It's a skill that has made her indispensable as the Ushers head into yet another federal investigation, this one led by the Ushers' regular adversary, attorney Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly).

The Mike Flanagan connection: Siegel has appeared in Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Haunting of Hill House, Gerald's Game, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Hush, and Oculus.

Prospero Usher (aka Perry, Gucci Caligula)

Sauriyan Sapkota in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

Prospero "Perry" Usher (Sauriyan Sapkota) takes after Leo's love of partying, to the point that he's earned the nickname "Gucci Caligula" from Frederick. As the youngest of Roderick's children, he has the most to prove, trying desperately to come up with a venture that will impress his father. However, none of his party-centric proposals seem to catch Roderick's eye. What will he risk to curate the perfect, life-changing rager?

The Mike Flanagan connection: Sapkota has appeared in The Midnight Club.

Lenore Usher

Kyliegh Curran and Henry Thomas as Lenore and Frederick Usher. Credit: Netflix

Frederick and Morrie's daughter, Lenore (Kyliegh Curran), is Roderick's only grandchild, and she's the Usher with by far the purest heart and the clearest conscience. Even though she's young, Lenore understands and disagrees with the Ushers' wrongdoings. But will her clear-eyed view of her family's business manage to change anything?

The Mike Flanagan connection: Curran has appeared in Doctor Sleep.

Arthur Pym

Mark Hamill in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

Arthur Pym (Mark Hamill) isn't a member of the Usher family, but he's so close to them that he may as well be. A steadfast lawyer with a killer instinct, Arthur's never, ever lost the Ushers a case. He's also got some secrets of his own, and a mildly frightening tendency to wear gloves everywhere he goes — except the courtroom.

The Mike Flanagan connection: This is Hamill's first project with Flanagan.

Verna

Carla Gugino in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix

The greatest enigma of The Fall of the House of Usher is the mystical figure of Verna (Carla Gugino). She's not an Usher, yet she certainly has a stake in their family given how much she meddles with them. Who exactly is she, and what role does she play in the Ushers' many bloody deaths? You'll just have to dive into The Fall of the House of Usher to find out.

The Mike Flanagan connection: Gugino has appeared in Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Haunting of Hill House, and Gerald's Game.

How to watch: The Fall of the House of Usher is now streaming on Netflix.