: Robert De Niro, Angela Bassett, Lizzy Caplan, Jesse Plemons & Connie Britton lead Netflix’s tense cyber-terror thriller.){kind=link}
Created by Eric Newman and Noah Oppenheim.
Zero Day premiered on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
Distributed exclusively by Netflix.
Series Review
Zero Day propels you straight into crisis mode as former President George Mullen (Robert De Niro) is summoned back to service to head a commission investigating a nationwide cyberterrorist attack.
Across six taut episodes, the series balances political brinkmanship with personal drama, De Niro’s gravitas anchors every scene, while Angela Bassett, Jesse Plemons and Lizzy Caplan deliver fierce counterpoints as power brokers caught in the crossfire.
Tense council-room showdowns, smoky late-night strategy sessions and moments of genuine vulnerability underscore the human cost of digital warfare.
Though the narrative sometimes buckles under its own ambition, standout performances and a timely, high-stakes premise make Zero Day a binge-worthy political thriller.
If you crave conspiracy, corporatocracy and classic character work, this Netflix miniseries serves up enough intrigue to keep you hooked until the final reveals.
Ratings
• IMDb: 7.0 / 10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 53%
• Google Audience Score: 50% liked this film.
Zero Day TV Series Actors
Robert De Niro as George Mullen
DOB: August 17, 1943
Bio: A towering figure in American cinema, Robert De Niro is a two-time Academy Award winner known for his transformative performances in classics like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Godfather Part II, and Goodfellas.
With a career spanning over five decades, he has played mobsters, outcasts, soldiers, and presidents with equal conviction.
Role: Former U.S. President tapped to chair the Zero Day Commission investigating a devastating cyberattack.
Episodes: 6 of 6
What to Expect: De Niro carries the series with gravitas, wrestling with national security, political fallout and the toll of leadership.
Favorite Things: Prefers roles that challenge him emotionally, and is known to unwind by listening to jazz and reading history books.
Notable Works: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Godfather Part II, Goodfellas, The Irishman.
Angela Bassett as Evelyn Mitchell
DOB: August 16, 1958
Bio: Angela Bassett is an Emmy-nominated powerhouse and one of Hollywood’s most respected performers.
With iconic roles in What’s Love Got to Do With It, Malcolm X, Waiting to Exhale, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Bassett has built a career portraying resilient, principled women with fire and grace.
Known for her commanding presence, she brings depth, intelligence, and emotional resonance to every performance.
Role: The sitting U.S. President who appoints Mullen and must balance crisis management with political realities.
Episodes: 6 of 6
What to Expect: A poised, decisive leader whose moral compass and resolve anchor every scene.
Favorite Things: Passionate about mentoring young artists and advocating for equity in Hollywood.
Notable Works: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, What’s Love Got to Do With It, 9-1-1, Waiting to Exhale, American Horror Story.
Jesse Plemons as Roger Carlson
DOB: April 2, 1988
Bio: Jesse Plemons has earned a reputation as one of the most quietly transformative actors of his generation.
Known for his work in Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, Fargo, Game Night, and The Irishman, Plemons brings a layered intensity and authenticity to every role.
He excels at playing characters whose stillness masks deep internal conflict.
Role: Mullen’s trusted aide whose loyalty is tested as secrets emerge.
Episodes: 6 of 6
What to Expect: A quietly riveting performance as a confidant who may be hiding his own agenda.
Favorite Things: Avid chess and board-game enthusiast who loves strategy puzzles.
Notable Works: Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, Fargo, The Irishman, Power of the Dog.
Lizzy Caplan as Alexandra Mullen
DOB: June 30, 1982
Bio: Lizzy Caplan rose to fame as Janis Ian in Mean Girls and quickly cemented her range with standout performances in Cloverfield, Castle Rock, and Masters of Sex.
Known for her fierce intelligence and emotional precision, Caplan brings layered complexity to roles that often straddle humor, trauma, and rebellion.
Role: Mullen’s daughter and congresswoman whose investigations collide with her father’s commission.
Episodes: 6 of 6
What to Expect: Sharp ideological clashes and family drama that cut to the heart of power and loyalty.
Favorite Things: Loves independent film festivals and writing poetry in her downtime.
Notable Works: Mean Girls, Cloverfield, Freaks and Geeks, Castle Rock, Masters of Sex.
Connie Britton as Valerie Whitesell
DOB: March 6, 1967
Bio: Connie Britton is a four-time Emmy nominee celebrated for her emotionally rich and commanding roles in Friday Night Lights, Nashville, American Horror Story, and The White Lotus.
With a signature blend of warmth and authority, she consistently brings gravitas to characters who manage chaos with both empathy and grit.
Role: Chief of Staff to the commission and former White House insider who keeps crises from spinning out of control.
Episodes: 6 of 6
What to Expect: Masterful behind-the-scenes maneuvering and emotional intelligence under pressure.
Favorite Things: Enjoys wine tasting and hosting weekend dinner parties with fellow castmates.
Notable Works: Friday Night Lights, Nashville, American Horror Story, The White Lotus.
Joan Allen as Sheila Mullen
DOB: August 20, 1956
Bio: Joan Allen is a three-time Oscar nominee renowned for her commanding performances in The Contender, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Upside of Anger.
Known for portraying fiercely intelligent and emotionally layered women, Allen brings depth and quiet strength to every role she inhabits.
Role: Former First Lady turned federal judge, offering counsel and moral support to her husband.
Episodes: 6 of 6
What to Expect: Expect heartfelt and grounded moments that explore the toll of leadership on marriage and personal identity.
Favorite Things: An avid gardener who finds peace in tending her rose bushes.
Notable Works: The Contender, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Upside of Anger.
Matthew Modine as Richard Dreyer
DOB: March 22, 1959
Bio: Matthew Modine is a celebrated actor whose breakout performance in Full Metal Jacket cemented him as a major Hollywood talent.
With a diverse career spanning decades, including roles in Stranger Things, independent films, and theater.
Modine brings gravitas and complexity to both heroic and morally gray figures.
Role: Speaker of the House whose political rivalry with Mullen drives much of the commission’s mandate.
Episodes: 6 of 6
What to Expect: A study in political brinkmanship as Dreyer battles for power and influence.
Favorite Things: Photography buff who shoots black-and-white landscapes.
Notable Works: Full Metal Jacket, Stranger Things.
Bill Camp as Jeremy Lasch
DOB: October 22, 1964
Bio: Emmy-nominated and widely regarded for his ability to disappear into roles, Bill Camp has become a go-to actor for emotionally charged and intellectually layered performances.
From The Queen’s Gambit to Lincoln, Camp consistently delivers gravitas and nuance.
Role: As CIA Director Jeremy Lasch, he’s a key architect of the government’s response to the devastating cyberattack.
Episodes: 5 of 6
What to Expect: Look for scenes dripping with tension, secure rooms, coded language, and ethically murky decisions.
Favorite Things: Loves crosswords and late-night jazz clubs.
Notable Works: The Queen’s Gambit, Lincoln.
Dan Stevens as Evan Green
DOB: October 10, 1982
Bio: British actor Dan Stevens rose to international fame as Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey, later redefining himself in genre-bending projects like Legion and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
With his stage background and sharp delivery, Stevens excels at roles that blend charm with cerebral tension.
Role: Media pundit whose biting commentary and hidden ties add layers of intrigue.
Episodes: 5 of 6
What to Expect: Expect razor-edged monologues, scene-stealing interviews, and a web of hidden alliances.
Favorite Things: An avid cyclist who tackles century-long rides on weekends.
Notable Works: Downton Abbey, Legion, Beauty and the Beast.
McKinley Belcher III as Carl Otieno
DOB: March 23, 1984
Bio: A Belmont University and USC MFA alum, McKinley Belcher III is acclaimed for his riveting turn in We Own This City and his award-winning work onstage.
Known for bringing quiet strength and layered complexity to every role, he’s a rising force in both legal dramas and prestige ensembles.
Role: Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Otieno spearheads the Zero Day Commission’s legal investigations.
Episodes: 5 of 6
What to Expect: Methodical courtroom scenes and tense negotiation with intelligence agencies.
Favorite Things: A passionate home chef, he often hosts friends for elaborate Pan-Asian dinners, using cooking as both creative outlet and stress relief.
Notable Works: We Own This City, Ozark, Mercy Street.
Gaby Hoffmann as Monica Kidder
DOB: January 8, 1982
Bio: A child actor turned indie mainstay, Gaby Hoffmann has earned critical praise for roles in Transparent, Girls, and Field of Dreams.
Her ability to convey raw vulnerability and intellectual intensity makes her a standout in emotionally charged roles.
Role: Tech CEO under antitrust and security scrutiny, at the eye of the Zero Day storm.
Episodes: 3 of 6
What to Expect: Poised yet edgy scenes as she defends her company and reputation.
Favorite Things: Avid painter whose abstract canvases have been exhibited locally.
Notable Works: Transparent, Field of Dreams, Girls.
Clark Gregg as Robert Lyndon
DOB: April 2, 1962
Bio: Best known for his portrayal of Agent Phil Coulson across the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Clark Gregg is also an accomplished playwright, director, and voice actor.
His work spans comedy, drama, and action with effortless gravitas.
Role: Billionaire influencer whose financial clout and insider status make him a key player.
Episodes: 3 of 6
What to Expect: Charismatic boardroom showdowns and whip-smart dialogue revealing hidden agendas.
Favorite Things: A lifelong comic book enthusiast, Gregg collects rare issues and writes sci-fi short fiction in his spare time.
Notable Works: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The New Adventures of Old Christine, Iron Man.
More Actors
• Mark Ivanir as Natan
• Mozhan Navabi (also listed as Mozhan Marnò) as Melissa Kornblau
• Cuyle Carvin as Agent Tom McCarthy
• Eden Lee as Special Agent Angela Kim
• Ryan Spahn as Leon Felton
FAQ – Zero Day TV Series
What does “Zero Day” mean here?
Refers to a concerted cyberattack exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities across multiple systems, disabling critical national infrastructure in a single coordinated event .
Does George Mullen have health issues?
Yes, President Mullen struggles with early-onset dementia, which complicates his reliability and judgment throughout the crisis.
Will there be a Season 2?
Currently planned as a limited series, though creators and De Niro have expressed openness to continuing if Netflix and audiences respond positively.
Who was responsible for the cyberattack?
The first episodes suggest a foreign state (Russia), but the full conspiracy reveals domestic collusion.
Tech CEO Monica Kidder and figures like Speaker Dreyer and Alexandra Mullen orchestrated it to reshape political power.
Why was Roger Carlson killed in Zero Day?
Roger Carlson (played by Jesse Plemons) is murdered because he uncovers and refuses to cooperate with the powerful conspirators behind the Zero Day attack.
Conclusion
In the end, Zero Day succeeds on the strength of its cast, with Robert De Niro’s world-weary gravitas and Angela Bassett’s steely resolve elevating a sometimes overambitious script.
Its six-episode run offers lean pacing and high-stakes intrigue, even if a few subplots feel undercooked.
For fans of political thrillers, the series delivers richly drawn characters, taut council-room drama, and a timely exploration of digital vulnerability.
While not flawless, Zero Day remains a compelling watch, proof that great performances can power through narrative overload and keep you invested right to the final twist.