The Better Sister Cast: Where Are The Stars Of The Prime Video Thriller Now?

The gripping limited series The Better Sister, which premiered in May 2024 on Prime Video, has captivated audiences with its intense psychological thriller plot and a stellar ensemble cast. The eight-episode adaptation of Alafair Burke’s best-selling 2019 novel pits two estranged sisters against each other as they are forced to confront their past following a shocking murder in Manhattan’s elite circles. This article provides a comprehensive, up-to-date guide to the incredible actors who brought the complex characters of this riveting drama to life, detailing their roles and where you’ve seen them before.

The series, created by Olivia Milch, hinges entirely on the volatile dynamic between the two lead actresses. The story immediately plunges into darkness with the death of a prominent lawyer, forcing the successful sister, Chloe, and her estranged sibling, Nicky, to reunite under the worst possible circumstances.

The Central Cast: From Estranged Sisters to Murder Victim

The core of The Better Sister is the relationship between Chloe and Nicky, a dynamic powerhouse brought to life by two of Hollywood's most recognizable stars. Their intertwined lives and the secrets they keep are the engine of the entire mystery.

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Jessica Biel as Chloe Taylor Macintosh

• Date of Birth: March 3, 1982
• Notable Works: 7th Heaven (as Mary Camden), The Sinner (as Cora Tannetti), Cruel Summer (Executive Producer), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
• Role in The Better Sister: Chloe is the seemingly "better" sister—a polished, successful magazine executive and publisher living a high-society life in New York. She is married to the murder victim, Adam Macintosh, and is the stepmother to Ethan. Biel also served as an executive producer on the limited series.

Elizabeth Banks as Nicky Macintosh

• Date of Birth: February 10, 1974
• Notable Works: The Hunger Games trilogy (as Effie Trinket), Pitch Perfect franchise (as Gail Abernathy-McKadden and Director/Producer), Love & Mercy.
• Role in The Better Sister: Nicky is the ex-wife of Adam Macintosh and the biological mother of Ethan. She is the estranged, "difficult" sister who lives a less conventional life, working as a bartender in the Hamptons. Banks is known for her impressive resume as an actress, director, and producer.

Corey Stoll as Adam Macintosh

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• Date of Birth: March 14, 1976
• Notable Works: House of Cards (as Congressman Peter Russo), Ant-Man (as Darren Cross/Yellowjacket), The Strain, Billions.
• Role in The Better Sister: Adam is the wealthy, prominent Manhattan lawyer whose murder sets the entire plot in motion. Although he dies in the first episode, Stoll's character is crucial to the series, appearing heavily in flashback sequences that reveal the complex, dark history between the two sisters and their connection to him. Adam was married to Nicky before divorcing her to marry Chloe.

The Interrogators and Inner Circle: Key Supporting Roles

The mystery of who killed Adam Macintosh is unraveled not just by the sisters, but by a formidable group of supporting characters, including a relentless detective and members of the New York publishing elite.

Kim Dickens as Detective Nancy Guidry

• Notable Works: Fear the Walking Dead (as Madison Clark), Deadwood, Gone Girl, Treme.
• Role in The Better Sister: Detective Guidry is the sharp, persistent police investigator in the Hamptons bureau who immediately suspects both Chloe and Nicky in Adam's murder. Her role is pivotal as the main interrogator, constantly pushing the sisters to reveal the truth.

Matthew Modine as Bill Braddock

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• Date of Birth: March 22, 1959
• Notable Works: Stranger Things (as Dr. Martin Brenner), Full Metal Jacket, The Dark Knight Rises.
• Role in The Better Sister: Bill Braddock is one of Chloe’s friends from the high-society world of New York. He is a key figure whose presence in their social circle proves crucial to the unfolding mystery.

Lorraine Toussaint as Catherine Lancaster

• Notable Works: Orange Is the New Black (as Yvonne "Vee" Parker), The Equalizer, Selma.
• Role in The Better Sister: Catherine Lancaster is Chloe's elegant, calculating boss and mentor in the publishing world. Described as a "queen maker," she helps Chloe navigate the strategic rollout of her business, but also harbors a vulnerable and petty side.

The Next Generation: The Macintoshes' Son and The Detectives

The limited series is structured as an eight-episode electric thriller, which allowed for a deep dive into the emotional fallout of the murder, especially on Adam's son, Ethan, and the team of detectives working the case.

Maxwell Acee Donovan as Ethan Macintosh

• Notable Works: That '90s Show (as Nate), Good Kids.
• Role in The Better Sister: Ethan is the son of Adam and Nicky. His emotionally intense journey is a central focus of the drama, as he is caught between his biological mother and his stepmother following his father's death. Donovan’s portrayal of Ethan was his first major dramatic role.

Bobby Naderi as Matt Bowen

• Notable Works: Under the Banner of Heaven, The Taqwacores.
• Role in The Better Sister: Matt Bowen is Detective Guidry's partner on the murder case, assisting in the investigation and the interrogation of the suspects.

Gabriel Sloyer as Jake Rodriguez

• Notable Works: Narcos, Orange Is the New Black.
• Role in The Better Sister: Jake Rodriguez is another key figure in the investigation, working alongside Guidry and Bowen.

The Twisty Narrative and Alafair Burke's Original Novel

The Better Sister is a direct adaptation of Alafair Burke's 2019 novel. The series remains faithful to the book’s core premise: two estranged sisters—one a successful Manhattan publisher (Chloe) and the other a free-spirited Hamptons bartender (Nicky)—are forced to reconnect when the man they both loved and married is murdered.

The plot, which is an electric thriller, is structured around the murder investigation, but the true drama lies in the slow, painful reveal of the sisters' complicated past and the terrible things that drove them apart. The central question of "Who killed Adam?" is answered in a deeply satisfying, albeit twisted, finale that ties back to the sisters' decades-long rivalry and a secret they've kept since childhood.

The success of the series, which fully covered the book's plot in its first season, has led to speculation about a potential Season 2, as the finale left the door open for more mysteries involving the family.

Topical Authority: Why This Cast Works

The casting of Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks was a masterstroke in psychological thriller television. Both actresses are veterans of the genre and have a proven track record of playing characters with deep, complex, and often dark secrets. Biel’s experience as an executive producer on thrillers like The Sinner and Cruel Summer ensured a high-quality, taut narrative structure for the limited series.

The supporting cast, featuring heavy hitters like Corey Stoll, Kim Dickens, and Matthew Modine, provides the necessary gravitas to anchor the high-stakes drama of New York's legal and publishing worlds. Dickens, in particular, excels in playing the no-nonsense detective, a role she has perfected in previous acclaimed series. This combination of star power and proven dramatic talent is what made The Better Sister one of the most talked-about limited series releases of 2024.