This article includes brief mentions of murder and rape.
Minor spoilers for Happy Face are ahead!
The Paramount+ miniseriesHappy Faceincludes a mix of established actors and up-and-coming actors who help bring this horrifying tale to life. The 2025 true crime drama focuses on the story of the real-life Happy Face Killer, aka Keith Hunter Jesperson, from the perspective of his daughter Melissa Moore instead of the perpetrator. Rather than sticking to the true story, theserial killer TV showblends fact and fiction together in a way that’s challenging to unentangle.
Rather than all the characters having real-life counterparts, Happy Face includes some fictionalized versions of actual people and some characters created entirely for the show. The lead characters in theParamount+ original seriesare played by some incredible actors with a large background in Hollywood. However, Happy Face also allows cast members with limited experience to shine in their roles.
Annaleigh Ashford As Melissa Moore
Date of Birth: July 30, 2025
Actor:Annaleigh Ashford was born in Denver, Colorado, and she got her big break onscreen when playing Columbia in The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do The Time Warp Again. However, she’s primarily known for being an award-winning Broadway actress who starred as Essie in You Can’t Take It, Lauren in Kinky Boots, and Glinda in Wicked. Despite this, she’s gained a reputation for acting in some of thebest True Crime dramatizations.
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Welcome to the Chippendales
Irene
2022-2023
Character:ThroughoutHappy Face, Annaleigh Ashford plays Melissa Moore, the daughter of the Happy Face Killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson. She’s married to Ben and has two children named Hazel and Max. Melissa also works as a makeup artist on The Dr. Greg Show.
Dennis Quaid as Happy Face
Date of Birth: June 20, 2025
Actor:Dennis Quaid was born in Houston, Texas, and he got his big break in 1979 when he played Mike in Breaking Away. His best-known role is Nick Parker in the 1998 version of The Parent Trap, which is a stark contrast to his role as a serial killer in Happy Face.
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Wade Blackwood
Character:In Paramount+’sHappy Face, Dennis Quaid plays the eponymous Happy Face Killer, aka Keith Hunter Jesperson. He raped and murdered eight women, though he’s claimed over 160, and he’s in prison for his crimes.
James Wolk as Ben Moore
Date of Birth: June 21, 2025
Actor:James Wolk was born in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and he got his big break playing Robert “Bob” Allen in the 2010 show Lone Star. Since then, he’s appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, acting across different genres.
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Superman
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Character:James Wolk plays Ben Moore, Melissa Moore’s husband and the father to Hazel and Max, inHappy Face. He’s the fictional equivalent of Moore’s estranged husband, Sam.
Happy Face Cast & Real-Life Character Comparison Guide
Tamera Tomakili as Ivy:Tamera Tomakili is an up-and-coming actor who plays Ivy, the producer on The Dr. Greg Show, in Happy Face. Tomakili only has nine credits to her name before Happy Face, most of which are short films. Her most prominent roles are Cookie Kelly in Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty and Rachel Malick in Opus.
Khiyla Aynne as Hazel:Khiyla Aynne is an up-and-coming teen actor who plays Melissa’s daughter, Hazel, in Happy Face. Her biggest roles are Trish in Ponysitter’s Club and Charlotte in 13: The Musical.
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Benjamin Mackey as Max:Benjamin Mackey is an up-and-coming child actor who plays Max, the child of Melissa, in Happy Face. The young actor hasn’t had his big break yet, but his most significant role so far is Jeff Kessler in 2 episodes of The Morning Show.
David Harewood as Dr. Greg:Throughout Happy Face, David Harewood plays Dr. Greg, the star of the show on which Melissa Moore works. Harewood got his big break playing David Estes in Homeland from 2011 to 2012. His biggest roles since then are J’onn J’onzz, aka Martian Manhunter, in Supergirl from 2015 to 2023 and Arrowverse crossovers. He also played Oberon in Julie Taymor’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Dalaga in The Agency season 1.
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Damon Gupton as Elijah:Actor Damon Gupton plays Elijah, a man on death row, in Happy Face. The actor got his big break playing Adam Page in The Divide. Gupton’s best-known roles are Dr. Gregg Edwards in Bates Motel, and Mr. Kramer in Whiplash, and Bill Henderson in Black Lightning.
Momona Tamada as Eva:In Happy Face, Momona Tamada plays Eva, the true crime-obsessed best friend of Hazel. Tamada is an up-and-coming actor, but she’s certainly made a name for herself in the roles she’s taken. She’s best known for playing Claudia Kishi in thecast of The Baby-Sitters Club, Ty Lee in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Emiko Noizumi in The Spiderwick Chronicles.
Carolyn Adair as Texas Waitress:Carolyn Adair plays a character named Texas Waitress inHappy Face. Adair has an immense portfolio of acting projects, but most are unnamed extra roles. Her best-known performance is Waitress with Cleaver in Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief.
