Midway Cast & Real-Life Character Guide

From the director of Independence Day, Roland Emmerich's Midway is an underrated recent war film with an unbelievable cast of recognizable movie stars. Based on real-life events from World War II, including the attack on Pearl Harbor and the titular Battle of Midway, the 2019 film explores the lives of numerous characters fighting in the Pacific Theater. Like many of the best war movies of all time, Emmerich's film boasts an immensely talented list of names in its cast, from superhero franchise stars to actors from popular TV shows.

Roland Emmerich's Midway isn't the first movie to tackle the famous WWII naval battle, following up the 1976 film of the same name that starred Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Toshiro Mifune, and more. Despite having to compete with such legendary names, the 2019 film boasts higher reviews, including an impressive 92% score from over 10,000 audience members on Rotten Tomatoes. Screen Rant's Midway review praises the cast, saying they're "solid in their roles and honor the real people they're portraying." Most of their characters are distinguished figures with fascinating lives to explore.

Ed Skrein as Lieutenant Dick Best

Born March 29, 1983

• Active Since: 2012

Actor: Ed Skrein is a British actor and rapper who has appeared in various film and television projects since 2012. The first role that granted him worldwide recognition was playing Daario Naharis in season 3 of Game of Thrones. He's since found success in blockbuster movies like Deadpool, Alita: Battle Angel, and Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon franchise for Netflix. He was praised in 2023 for his role in the WWII drama All the Light We Cannot See, and in 2025, he'll appear in the cast of Jurassic World Rebirth.

Character: Ed Skrein's Midway character is Dick Best, a US Navy dive bomber pilot who led his squad two sink two aircraft carriers in the real-life Battle of Midway.

Patrick Wilson as Lieutenant Commander Edwin Layton

Born July 3, 1973

• Active Since: 1995

Actor: Patrick Wilson is an American actor from Virginia who began his career on Broadway shows like Oklahoma! His film and television career kicked off with an Emmy-nominated role in HBO's miniseries Angels in America, and he's since become widely recognizable for his characters in horror franchises and films based on DC comics. He's played leading roles in the Insidious series and The Conjuring universe, which included his 2023 directorial debut for Insidious: Red Door. In the world of comic book films, he's played Nite Owl in Watchmen as well as Ocean Master in the Aquaman movies.

Character: Patrick Wilson plays Edwin Layton, a rear admiral in the US Navy who's remembered for his work as an intelligence officer.

Luke Evans as Lieutenant Commander Wade McClusky

Born April 15, 1979

• Active Since: 2000

Actor: Luke Evans is a Welsh actor who began his career on stage before breaking into film with 2010's Clash of the Titans reboot. He's since found success in multiple film franchises, playing Bard the Bowman in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy, Owen Shaw in Fast & Furious 6, Gaston in the live-action Beauty and the Beast movie, and the titular vampire in Dracula Untold. On television, he found success with the AMC series The Alienist, and more recently, the action thriller series Echo 3.

Character: Luke Evans plays Wade McClusky, a US Navy aviator whose decision making was credited for "deciding the fate" of the Battle of Midway.

Aaron Eckhart as Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle

Born March 12, 1968

• Active Since: 1992

Actor: Aaron Eckhart is an American actor from Cupertino, California, who's been working on films and TV shows for over three decades. His first role to gain widespread recognition was in the Oscar-nominated film Erin Brockovich, and he received a Golden Globe nomination in 2006 for his role in Thank You for Smoking. However, his most widely recognized role is Harvey Dent, also known as Two-Face, in 2008's The Dark Knight, which is often considered one of the best movies of all time. In it, he delivered iconic movie quotes like "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

Character: Aaron Eckhart plays Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, an American military general and aviation pioneer who's among the most storied historical figures featured in Midway.

Related

Roland Emmerich Movies Ranked, Worst To Best

With the release of his new film Midway, we take a look back at Roland Emmerich's best and worst movies, from 10,000 B.C. to Independence Day.

Nick Jonas as Aviation Machinist's Mate Bruno Gaido

Born September 16, 1992

• Active Since: 1999

Actor: Nick Jonas is an American singer and actor best known for his music in the boyband, the Jonas Brothers, alongside his brothers Kevin and Joe. Before the band started, Nick Jonas found roles as a child actor on Broadway before breaking into movies and TV shows years later. He's appeared in 40 episodes of the TV show Kingdom, as well as the Jumanji movies alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. For a secondary career, his filmography isn't that bad.

Character: Nick Jonas plays Aviation Machinist's Mate Bruno Gaido. Gaido's real-life story is one of tragedy, having been taken prisoner during the Battle of Midway and later executed.

Dennis Quaid as Vice Admiral William "Bull" Halsey

Born April 9, 1954

• Active Since: 1975

Actor: Dennis Quaid is an American actor from Houston, Texas, who's been working on movies for nearly five decades. He's appeared in numerous hits throughout his career, from The Right Stuff to Dragonheart to Far from Heaven. Though his career has fluctuated in the 21st century, Dennis Quaid has returned to form in 2024 with prominent roles in The Substance and the titular role in the presidential biopic Reagan. On television, he's starred in shows like Goliath, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, and will appear in the series Happy Face in 2025.

Character: Dennis Quaid plays Vice Admiral William "Bull" Halsey, one of four officers who's attained the rank of five-star fleet admiral in the US Navy.

Midway Supporting Cast & Characters

Darren Criss as Lieutenant Commander Eugene Lindsey: Darren Criss is an actor and singer best known for his roles in the hit series Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, for which he was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe.

Alexander Ludwig as Lieutenant Roy Pearce: Alexander Ludwig is a Canadian actor whom most audiences will recognize as Cato from The Hunger Games. Recently, he's starred in the wrestling drama Heels alongside Stephen Amell.

Woody Harrelson as Admiral Chester W. Nimitz: Woody Harrelson is an American actor who's had roles in several iconic movie franchises, from Star Wars to The Hunger Games to Planet of the Apes. Some of his best roles include True Detective, No Country for Old Men, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Etsushi Toyokawa as Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto: Etsushi Toyokawa is a Japanese actor primarily known for his work in his home country, with his most celebrated roles including the movies Love Letter, No Way Back, and Hanako.

Tadanobu Asano as Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi: Tadanobu Asano is a Japanese actor who's had roles in the Thor franchise and, recently, the popular FX series Shogun.

Mandy Moore as Anne Best: Mandy Moore is an American singer-songwriter who's also appeared as an actor in titles like The Princess Diaries.

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Midway

Written by Wes Tooke and directed by Roland Emmerich, 2019's Midway is a 2019 feature film starring Ed Skrein, Luke Evans, and Patrick Wilson. The film revolves around the invasion of Midway island and follows the war struggles between the United States and Japan.

Release Date November 8, 2019

Runtime 138 minutes

Cast Dennis Quaid , Nick Jonas , Ed Skrein , Woody Harrelson , Aaron Eckhart , Mandy Moore , Luke Evans , Patrick Wilson