Indiana Jones 5 – aka Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – is out now, so this is your guide to the main cast, with both characters, and the actors who play them.
The Indiana Jones movies always have fantastic ensembles, the films relying less on superstars – aside from Harrison Ford – and more on character actors who are right for the film’s many heroes and villains.
Dial of Destiny is no different, with new actors joining the franchise, and familiar faces returning.
So these are the main characters in Indiana Jones 5, as well as the actors who play them.
Contents
- Indiana Jones: Harrison Ford
- Helena Shaw: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Renaldo: Antonio Banderas
- Basil Shaw: Toby Jones
- Teddy: Ethan Isidore
- Jürgen Voller: Mads Mikkelsen
- Colonel Weber: Thomas Kretschmann
- Marion Ravenwood: Karen Allen
- Sallah: John Rhys-Davies
- Klaber: Boyd Holbrook
- Mason: Shaunette Renée Wilson
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny cast and characters
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny kicks off in 1944, at the tail-end of WWII. The film then jumps forward 25 years to the late 1960s, when America was in the midst of the space race.
Meaning Dial of Destiny features a de-aged Indiana Jones, as well as characters from his past. Plus new heroes to cheer, and new villains to boo. So the following are the main cast of Indy 5, featuring lead characters, and the actors who play them.
Indiana Jones: Harrison Ford
Indiana Jones is a triple-hyphenate, being professor, archeologist, and adventurer. He’s something of a “ladies man” (though his heart belongs to Marion – more on her below). The whip is his weapon of choice. He’s scared of snakes. While the only thing he hates more than slithering reptiles is Nazis.
Harrison Ford is one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. He first became a household name playing Han Solo in the Star Wars flicks, before donning Indy’s iconic brown fedora. Since then he’s played Jack Ryan in a pair of blockbuster movies, and starred in the likes of Witness, The Fugitive, and Air Force One. While more recently he’s made the move to TV via 1923 and Shrinking, and will soon be venturing into the Marvel Cinematic Universe through Thunderbolts.
Helena Shaw: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Helena Shaw is the daughter of Basil Shaw (see below) and the goddaughter of Indiana Jones. Although he hasn’t been in her life for years, Helena and Indy have much in common, in that both hunt for ancient artefacts. Though Shaw is more interested in selling them for a profit than putting them in a museum.
“She’s fiercely independent, knows what she needs to survive, and she’s going to go and get it,” actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge says. “All while she’s being very witty and funny.”
Waller-Bridge wrote and performed a one-woman stage-show called Fleabag, which was turned into one of the most acclaimed TV comedies of the last decade. Waller-Bridge also created Killing Eve, contributed to the No Time to Die script, and played a droid in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Renaldo: Antonio Banderas
Ronaldo and Indiana Jones go way back. An expert diver, he’s been called “Spain’s greatest frogman.” While he’s always there when Indy needs him.
Says actor Antonio Banderas: “Renaldo is a fisherman now, but he was probably a partisan who fought for freedom, maybe in the Spanish Civil War, maybe later in the Second World War. Renaldo is a courageous man, a little bit crazy but in a good way. And he’s a loyal friend to Indy. I think at this particular time in history, Indy needs that.”
Antonia Banderas is probably best known for playing Zorro and voicing Puss in Boots. He’s also starred in a series of acclaimed films for Pedro Almodóvar, and delivered memorable performances in Philadelphia, Interview with the Vampire, and Evita.
Basil Shaw: Toby Jones
Basil Shaw is an archeology professor from Oxford. He’s also a friend of Indy’s, and sometime adventurer, the pair of them teaming up to save history.
“There’s genuine affection between them,” says actor Toby Jones of Basil and Indy’s rapport. “They obviously share a fascination with the past but also there’s enough emotion in the scenes that I have to show that he has great concern for me.”
Toby Jones is one of Britain’s foremost character actors. He’s starred in serious fare like Infamous, Frost/Nixon, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Empire of Light. While he’s not averse to the odd blockbuster, popping up in The Hunger Games, Captain America, and the Harry Potter movies, as Dobby.
Teddy: Ethan Isidore
Teddy is a pick-pocket and small-time thief who works with Helena Shaw, a collaboration that draws him into the search for the Dial of Destiny.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Actor Ethan Isidore describes his character as “resourceful andkind of cool, and he knows how to act and how to be in every situation. He thinks he’s an adult and that he’s the best guy in the world, which is real. He doesn’t like Indiana Jones at first because he’s best friends with Helena. I think he has a crush on her.”
Isidore is a relative newcomer, his previous credits being a pair of TV series – Sam, and Mortel.
Jürgen Voller: Mads Mikkelsen
Jürgen Voller is a Nazi scientist who is desperate to find the Dial of Destiny. Voller believes the artefact possesses magical powers, that could win WWII for the Nazis.
“We tried to avoid the cliché of the German or the Nazi with the extreme accent and the extreme madness,” star Mads Mikkelsen explains. “We wanted him to be a man who kind of blended in once he moved to America because he’s predominantly a scientinst. Voller’s pragmatic. He’s a restrained character. He’s a man you would pass on the street.”
Mikkelsen is a Danish actor who first came to prominence in the brilliant Pusher trilogy. Since then, he’s become best-known for playing villains, pulling protagonist duty in Casino Royale, Doctor Strange, Fantastic Beasts, and Hannibal.
Colonel Weber: Thomas Kretschmann
“He’s evil, evil, evil”: Thomas Kretschmann teases of his #IndianaJones and the #DialOfDestiny character, Colonel Weber pic.twitter.com/xrUi1nExmI
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) June 15, 2023
Colonel Webber is a Nazi officer whom actor Thomas Kretschmann calls “evil, evil, evil.” Webber goes to-to-toe with Indiana Jones, prompting the German star to add: “Harrison puts him in his place.”
Kretschmann has appeared in arthouse movies Stalingrad and Downfall, while like many of the Indy cast, he’s made the move to Marvel, as Baron Wolfgang von Strucker in Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron.
Marion Ravenwood: Karen Allen
Marion Ravenwood is first introduced during Raiders of the Lost Ark, running a bar in Nepal, where she drinks her punters under the table. While there she’s reunited with old flame Indiana Jones, and their paths keep crossing in his search for the Ark of the Covenant. Marion returns in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, where we learn that their relationship has been rocky, and she’s had Indy’s son.
Karen Allen appeared in National Lampoon’s Animal House early in her career, while during the 1980s she starred in Starman and Scrooged.
Sallah: John Rhys-Davies
Sallah is an Egyptian excavator who helps Indy find the Well of Souls in Raiders of the Lost Ark. A larger-than-life character who loves to sing and has lots of children, Sallah re-teams with Jones in Last Crusade, and returns in Dial of Destiny.
John Rhys-Davies received acclaim for his work on TV series I, Claudius, before becoming instantly recognisable for two roles – Sallah, and Gimli in the Lord of the Rings movies.
Klaber: Boyd Hollbrook
The official production notes describe Klaber as Voller’s “neo-Nazi lackey.” While actor Boyd Holbrook says of the character: “He becomes Voller’s lapdog, but he’s also a bit of an opportunist, wanting to get in on the ground floor of this great enterprise that Voller is starting up. Klaber is there to serve those purposes.”
Holbrook previously collaborated with director James Mangold on Logan. His film credits include Gone Girl and The Predator, while he had TV roles in Narcos and The Sandman.
Mason: Shaunette Renee Wilson
In the same production notes, Mason is described as “a CIA Agent hunting for Indy.” And what’s all we’re going to say about her for fear of spoilers.
Shaunette Renée Wilson has appeared in Billions on TV, and the Black Panther movie, while she’s probably best-known for playing a doctor in Fox series The Resident.
For more Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny info, check out the below articles:
Indiana Jones 5 review | Cast and characters | What is the Dial of Destiny? | Number of Indy movies | Helena Shaw explained | Soundtrack and songs | Indiana Jones streaming details | Dial of Destiny runtime | Lance of Longinus explained | Where is Indy’s son? | Filming locations | How to watch the Indy movies in order | Is Short Round in Dial of Destiny? | Ranking the Indiana Jones movies | Villain explained | Does Dial of Destiny have a post-credits scene? | Best Easter Eggs | Ending explained | Deaths in Dial of Destiny? | Will there be an Indiana Jones 6?