In partnership with Universal Pictures UK
The Bikeriders roars audiences back to the 1960s and ’70s and a fictional Midwest motorcycle club, the Chicago Vandals, where rebellion rules and attitude is essential. In their leathers and denim, these bikers are born to be wild, the coolest things you’ll find on the cinematic highway this summer…
Johnny
Played by: Tom Hardy
The leader of the gang, truck driver Johnny formed the Chicago Vandals after seeing Marlon Brando in The Wild One. Tough and resilient, he may have a family back home but he’s not about to be knocked off his perch by anyone else.
If they were a musician: Lemmy, Motörhead’s Ace in the pack.
Benny
Played by: Austin Butler
Hard-as-nails, the blonde-haired Benny is a smouldering badass who will never remove his gang colours, even when he’s taking a beating. The romantic of the group, he’s the one that truly embodies the Vandals’ no-holds-barred ethic.
If they were a musician: Billy Idol, screaming with a rebel yell.
Kathy
Played by: Jodie Comer
The outsider who bonds with Benny, Kathy is the suburban girl who gets sucked into the Vandals’ way of life. She used to be “respectable”, she says, but as she strains against that, she finds her tribe in this gang of outliers.
If they were a musician: Suzi Quatro, the real wild one.
Cal
Played by: Boyd Holbrook
There has to be one in the group. Thanks to his knack with an engine, Cal is the chief mechanic of the Vandals, a man who loves bikes more than people. Introverted, shy and a real machine-head, no wonder they all trust him with their lives.
If they were a musician: The Chemical Brothers, good with tech.
Brucie
Played by: Damon Herriman
With his slicked-back hair, Brucie is Johnny’s loyal lieutenant, a man to be trusted. A sensible guy who works as an electrician by day, he’s been there since the club started and sees Johnny as vital to keeping the Vandals together. The perfect second-in-command.
If they were a musician: The Edge, standing coolly alongside the main man.
Zipco
Played by: Michael Shannon
Looking like a shaggy-haired caveman, scruffy Zipco is a biker who never made the draft for the Vietnam War and feels rejected by his country. Now he’s a “pinko”-hating outsider, who just wants to straddle his ride and tear off into the distance.
If they were a musician: Richard Ashcroft, difficult to handle.
The Kid
Played by: Toby Wallace
Desperate to be a part of the Vandals, this 19-year-old punk sees the biker culture as a way to escape the violence of his home life. But when he fronts up to Johnny to join, he doesn’t make the grade. Like a dog whose bark is worse than his bite.
If they were a musician: anarchist forever Sid Vicious.
Funny Sonny
Played by: Norman Reedus
Hopping up from California to join the gang, the bearded Funny Sonny oozes biker chic, with his leather jacket adorned with trinkets – from skulls to a hand-grenade. He’s got the worst teeth you’ll ever see, and gets paid to sit outside a cinema on his Harley advertising showings of Easy Rider.
If they were a musician: The Pogues’ own legendary hell-raiser Shane MacGowan.
Wahoo
Played by: Beau Knapp
Some of the Vandals are searching for more than just a hang-out. For Wahoo, a wild, funny but vulnerable rider, he’s in desperate need of this gang. As Knapp says, “He’s looking for an outlet and a place in the world to figure out who he is.”
If they were a musician: Jim Morrison, the ultimate rider on the storm.
Corky
Played by: Karl Glusman
Alongside Wahoo, Corky is always to be found. Wearing a cool-looking bandana, he’s deeply faithful to Johnny and decidedly uncomplicated: he loves girls, he loves to drink and smoke and above all, he loves to ride.
If they were a musician: The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, purely for bandana reasons.
Cockroach
Played by: Emory Cohen
With his leather jacket and perfectly tailored mutton chop sideburns, the beefy Cockroach is actually the sweet-natured funny one of the group. According to Cohen, “the bike and the gear and the club are all ways for him to express his individualism”.
If they were a musician: the loveable Kyle Gass from Tenacious D.
Danny
Played by: Mike Faist
The observer in this party, Danny is the photojournalist who listens, interviews and records these hairy bikers. He may not be as cool as the others, but he has the chops to mix with them, never standing out.
If they were a musician: Anton Corbijn: more photographer than musician, he’s chronicled U2, Depeche Mode and more.
‘The Bikeriders’ is in UK cinemas June 21
The post ‘The Bikeriders’ cast – a guide to the insanely cool characters appeared first on NME.
