Summary
Master Chief and the galactic war that consumes theHalouniverse is back for a second season on the small screen. New characters join the cast, as well as new conflicts as the reimagining of the Halo franchise takes the series to new heights.
The Paramount+ exclusive showpicks up after the dramatic cliffhanger from season one, taking the characters through another eight intense episodes. If you’ve been following the show and been engrossed in the characters, both new and old, you might be able to pick out an actor or two from the cast, and if that itch is bothering you, here’s every major character and the actor portraying them in the Halo show.
10Master Chief - Pablo Schreiber
American Gods & Orange Is the New Black
The big man himself, Master Chief, is front and center in the Halo television show, but this time, he takes the point of view out of his helmet and into the greater world. The Spartan warrior is a genetically and technologically modified super soldier whose singular purpose is to fight against the conquering combined alien forces known as the Covenant.
Actor Pablo Schreiber plays the role of Master Chief, also known as John-117, and does a monumental job of stepping into the larger-than-life character that fans have followed for years. A big departure from the games is the continuedshowing of Schreiber’s face in the show, helping to connect viewers to the character.
9Cortana - Jen Taylor
RWBY & Left 4 Dead
The constant companion of Master Chief, the ever-growing artificial intelligence Cortana is brought to life by Jen Taylor in the show. She acts as Master Chief’s advisor, created by Dr. Catherine Halsey who serves as Master Chief’s guide and oftentimes, his only friend.
Fun fact, Jen Taylor is also the original voice actor for Cortana in the video games, as well as the voice actor for Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey in Halo: Reach, Halo 5, and Halo Infinite. Taylor has a long history of working as a voice actor, having been featured in other games like Left 4 Dead 2 and Destiny. If you happen to use Microsoft’s virtual assistant, Cortana, named and inspired by the character, you’ll notice that Taylor voices the program as well.
8Arbiter - Viktor Akerblom
Agent Hamilton & Arthur The King
Season 2 of the Halo show brought another highly anticipated character to the show, the Arbiter. Portrayed by Viktor Akerblom, the Arbiter is a Covenant Elite but is less of a character and is a title within the Sangheili, or Elites, culture. The Arbiter that fans are most familiar with is Thel ‘Vadam. He is forced to take up the role of the Arbiter as a way to regain his honor after suffering a defeat by the Demon, the name that the Covenant calls Master Chief, taking up missions considered by many to be suicidal.
Viktor Akerblom is a Swedish actor and might not be well known to many viewers, but has tons of potential to live up to in the show. We don’t know whether or not Akerblom is portraying Thel ‘Vadam or not, but given some of the changes that the show it making, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the most famous Elite in the series make an appearance.
7Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey - Natascha McElhone
Californication & The Crown
The mastermind behind the entire Spartan project and unparalleled scientist within the UNSC, Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey is definitely more of an ends justify the means type of scientist, which has some unfortunate consequences for many characters in the show. Dr. Halsey created the Spartans, shattering every ethical and moral boundary to do so.
Natascha McElhorn steps into the role in both seasons of the show, slowly revealing herself to be more villain than ally to the forces of humanity and traitor to the entire UNSC and Master Chief directly.
6Kwan Ha - Yerin Ha
One of a few completely original new characters in the franchise, Kwan Ha Boo is played by Yerin Ha. She’s the daughter of a prominent human insurrectionist, one who resists the governance of the greater human regime. Kwan is taken under the wing of Master Chief, triggering his journey of self-discovery and independence from a life controlled by the UNSC.
In the show, Ha provides a bit of humanity for the almost robotic Master Chief, as well as a bit of a foil for the stoic character. Ha stepped into the role of Kwan, which is something of a breakout role for her.
5James Ackerson - Joseph Morgan
Titans & The Vampire Diaries
After the conclusion of season one of Halo, the UNSC needed a new director for the Spartan program after the betrayal of Dr. Catherine Halsey, and that man is James Ackerson. He is almost immediately placed in an antagonist role, refusing to approve of Master Chief and the rest of Silver Team as being ready for combat.
Ackerson is played by Joseph Morgan, a character that previously wasonly seen in comic book and novel adaptationsof the greater Halo universe. Bringing him into the greater Halo story, and having him interact with Master Chief directly is a great way to recognize some of the fantastic work done that many fans might not have access to otherwise.
4Soren-066 - Bokeem Woodbine
Ghostbusters: Afterlife & Spider-Man: Homecoming
Not all Spartans can be like Master Chief and Soren-066 is one of the unfortunate candidates of the Spartan program who was unable to complete the final stages of the process after various biological enhancements performed on his body took a turn for the worse.
Soren comes to the Halo universe thanks to his portrayal by Bokeem Woodbine, an Emmy-nominated actor who gives us a look at just some of what was stolen from Master Chief as a government controlled soldier. In an effort to reclaim his life, Soren has built a life as something of an outlaw, living on a colony hidden in a series of asteroids.
3Captain Jacob Keyes - Danny Sapani
Black Panther & Killing Eve
One of the most prominent characters from the first Halo game, Captain Jacob Keyes is a big pair of shoes to fill and Danny Sapani is a fantastic actor to step into them. In the games, Captain Keyes is in command of the Pillar of Autumn, a massive cruiser that stumbles across the Halo ring.
Sapani brings out a whole new level of characterization to Captain Keyes, revealing him to be a caring father and staunch soldier, which often has him caught between his duties and his family. He has a daughter with Dr. Halsey, Dr. Miranda Keyes, whom he has effectively raised as a single father given the single-mindedness of Dr. Halsey.
2Makee - Charlie Murphy
Peaky Blinders & Love/Hate
Another completely original character for the Halo show, Makee is a human orphan who is picked up by the Covenant forces because of her connection to ancient technologies. She is raised among the Covenant, being called a Blessed One, sharing a connection with the Master Chief in this way.
Makee is brought to life by Charlie Murphy, an Irish actor who has a long history of portraying characters in period pieces, making the science fiction setting of Halo a fairly big departure for the actor. Makee returns in Halo’s second season despite being seemingly killed towards the end of the first season, so hopefully there are some major opportunities for Makee to learn more about these ancient artifacts.
1Dr. Miranda Keyes - Olive Gray
Half Moon Investigations & Save Me
The daughter of Captain Jacob Keyes and a brilliant scientist and military strategist in her own right, she is a researcher of Covenant artifacts, language, and culture, though she has a strained relationship with her mother, Dr. Catherine Halsey.
Olive Grey slips right into the role of Dr. Miranda Keyes, a character first introduced in Halo 2 after the death of her father to the Flood and the destruction of the first Halo ring found in the games. Grey plays a vital role in the show as Dr. Keyes, working to uncover the meaning of the Covenant’s actions and even working to guide those in the Spartan program to be slightly more human in their own way.
