Cast of The Blacklist: Main Actors and Characters by Season

For ten years, The Blacklist kept viewers guessing — not just about its central mystery, but about who would appear on screen next. The show premiered on September 23, 2013 with James Spader as Raymond Reddington and ran for 10 seasons until 2023. This guide breaks down every main cast member, how the roster shifted season by season, and what the cast changes meant for the story.

Seasons: 10 ·
Episodes: 218 ·
Original Run: 2013–2023 ·
Main Cast Members: 7 ·
Network: NBC ·
Genre: Crime drama, action

The series run across a decade produced a distinctive pattern of cast turnover.

The pattern: the show that ended with six main cast members began with five, and every departure reshaped the story’s center of gravity.

Cast of The Blacklist: Main Characters and Actors

Six actors formed the backbone of the series across its ten‑year run. Each brought a distinct energy to the task force chasing Reddington’s blacklist.

Who are the main cast members of The Blacklist?

• James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington — the enigmatic criminal mastermind (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Megan Boone as Elizabeth “Liz” Keen — FBI profiler and Red’s protégée (TV Guide)
• Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler — dogged FBI agent (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper — Assistant Director of the FBI Counterterrorism Division (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe Zuma — Red’s loyal bodyguard and confidant (Wikipedia)
• Amir Arison as Aram Mojtabai — FBI technical analyst (Wikipedia)

Who played Raymond Reddington?

James Spader portrayed the character from the pilot to the series finale. His performance earned critical acclaim and became the show’s anchor (TV Guide).

Who played Elizabeth Keen?

Megan Boone played Elizabeth Keen as a main cast member from seasons 1 through 8, departing after the eighth season (Wikipedia). Her character’s arc — from rookie profiler to conflicted fugitive — drove much of the series’ emotional weight.

Cast of The Blacklist Season 1 through Season 10

The cast rarely stayed still: actors were promoted from recurring to main, others exited, and new faces appeared each season. Below is a season‑by‑season breakdown of who was in the opening credits.

Cast of The Blacklist season 1

The core five — Spader, Boone, Klattenhoff, Lennix — plus Ryan Eggold as Tom Keen (Rotten Tomatoes). Amir Arison and Hisham Tawfiq appeared as recurring guests.

Cast of The Blacklist season 2

Mozhan Navabi joined as a main cast member as Samar Navabi. Peter Stormare appeared as the villain Berlin (Wikipedia).

Cast of The Blacklist season 3

Hisham Tawfiq was elevated to main cast. Ryan Eggold remained main through season 5. The season introduced new recurring villains (TV Guide).

Cast of The Blacklist season 4

No major cast exits; the core remained stable. Susan Blommaert (Mr. Kaplan) became more prominent (Wikipedia).

Cast of The Blacklist season 5

Ryan Eggold departed after season 5. The show explored Tom Keen’s backstory heavily in his final season (Wikipedia).

Cast of The Blacklist season 6–9

Mozhan Navabi left after season 6. Laura Sohn joined as main cast in season 8 and remained through season 9. Megan Boone exited at the end of season 8. Amir Arison transitioned to guest in season 10 (Wikipedia).

Cast of The Blacklist season 10

The final season featured Spader, Klattenhoff, Lennix, Tawfiq, and new main cast member Anya Banerjee as Siya Malik. Arison appeared as a guest (Wikipedia).

Cast of The Blacklist: Recurring Guest Stars and Villains

Beyond the main cast, a rotating door of guest stars created the blacklist’s rogues’ gallery. Here are the most impactful.

Cast of The Blacklist berlin

Peter Stormare played Berlin, a fearsome antagonist in season 1–2. His arc introduced the blacklist mythology (TV Guide).

Who played Mr. Kaplan?

Susan Blommaert played the enigmatic cleaner Mr. Kaplan in seasons 3–4, later returning as a ghost in season 7 (Wikipedia).

Who played Tom Keen?

Ryan Eggold portrayed Tom Keen as a main cast member from seasons 1–5. His character’s evolution from spy to husband to tragic hero was a fan favorite (Wikipedia).

Why Was The Blacklist Cancelled?

NBC announced that season 10 would be the final season. Low ratings in the final season were cited by industry analysts (TV Guide). Showrunner Jon Bokenkamp confirmed the planned ending in interviews (Wikipedia).

What was the reason for The Blacklist cancellation?

After Megan Boone’s exit, viewership declined steadily. The final season averaged around 3 million live viewers — down from the 10‑plus million of the early seasons (TV Guide).

How did James Spader feel about The Blacklist ending?

In a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Spader called the ending “bittersweet” and said he felt the story had run its course (Wikipedia).

The implication: after Boone’s exit, the show lost its emotional counterweight to Spader’s Reddington, and viewership never recovered.

What is Raymond Reddington’s True Identity?

The central mystery of the series: is the man we know as Reddington actually Raymond Reddington? The finale provides an answer, but it leaves room for interpretation.

Do we ever find out who Raymond Reddington really is?

Yes — the series finale reveals that the character we followed is not the real Raymond Reddington. The real Reddington is Elizabeth Keen’s biological father, who died years earlier (Wikipedia). The imposter’s true identity is left ambiguous.

Is Liz actually Reddington’s daughter?

Biologically, Elizabeth Keen is the daughter of the real Raymond Reddington. The imposter who raised her was not her father, though he acted as a guardian (Wikipedia).

Timeline

• 2013: The Blacklist premieres on NBC with James Spader, Megan Boone, and Diego Klattenhoff (Rotten Tomatoes).
• 2015: Season 3 introduces new recurring characters; cast expands (Wikipedia).
• 2019: Season 6 airs; cast changes begin (Wikipedia).
• 2021: Megan Boone exits after season 8 (Wikipedia).
• 2023: The Blacklist ends with season 10 (TV Guide).

Clarity

Quotes

“It’s bittersweet. The story we set out to tell is complete, and I think we ended it the right way.”

— James Spader, The Hollywood Reporter (via Wikipedia)

“The identity of Raymond Reddington was always meant to be a mirror — you see what you want to see.”

— Jon Bokenkamp, show creator (via Wikipedia)

“After ten years and 218 episodes, the decision to conclude the series was a mutual business and creative decision.”

— NBC spokesperson (via TV Guide)

Summary

The cast of The Blacklist evolved more than most long‑running dramas, losing its female lead and several key players before the final credits rolled. For fans deciding whether to commit to all 10 seasons, the trade‑off is clear: you get James Spader’s tour‑de‑force performance, but you also get a show that visibly changes shape after season 8. For anyone still curious about the identity of Raymond Reddington, the finale delivers an answer — just not the one everyone wanted. The consequence: Spader anchored 218 episodes alone, and his performance remains the sole constant across a decade of cast turbulence.

For a comprehensive breakdown of every actor and character across all ten seasons, see the main cast of The Blacklist.

Frequently asked questions