Summary

• A Simple Favor was a hit in 2018, with a Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and $97 million worldwide gross.
• The movie's ensemble cast, including Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, received high praise for their chemistry.
• A sequel, A Simple Favor 2, was greenlit in 2024 with the original cast set to return, building anticipation for fans.

The American black comedy crime thriller A Simple Favor was released in 2018, and its cast are extremely recognizable. The film, directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay written by Jessica Sharzer, is a suspenseful story based on the 2017 novel of the same name, written by Darcey Bell. The movie stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, among other notable ing actors like Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Jean Smart, Rupert Friend, Eric Johnson, and Dustin Milligan. The plot centers on a small-town video blogger who attempts to solve the mystery behind her friend's disappearance.

A Simple Favor 2 was announced in 2022, and in 2024, it was greenlit, with the original cast confirmed to be returning.

Blake Lively As Emily/Hope/Faith

August 25, 1987

• Year Active: 1998

Blake Lively was born in Los Angeles and earned her first on-screen role in the 1998 movie, Sandman. However, viewers likely know Lively best from her breakthrough performances in iconic teen dramas such as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Gossip Girl. In more recent years, Lively has appeared in projects like The Age of Adaline, The Shallows, Café Society, and All I See Is You. In A Simple Favor, Lively plays the mysterious lead known as Emily, Hope, or Faith.

In 2024, she will star as Lily Bloom in the movie adaptation of It Ends With Us.

Anna Kendrick As Stephanie Smothers

August 9, 1985

Year Active: 1998

Anna Kendrick, born in Portland, Maine, has been working in Hollywood for several years. Her very first role was in 2003 in the movie, Camp, but her true breakout came after she starred as Becca in 2012's Pitch Perfect. Some more of Kendrick's best movies include Up In The Air, the Twilight franchise, What to Expect When You're Expecting, Drinking Buddies, Cake, and Into the Woods. She is also a part of the Trolls franchise. In A Simple Favor, Kendrick plays Stephanie Smothers, a mother and avid vlogger.

Andrew Rannells As Darren

August 23, 1978

• Year Active: 1995

Andre Rannells, born in Omaha, Nebraska, began his on-screen career in television. He voiced characters in children's shows, starting with 1995's Street Sharks. Rannells' breakthrough when he ed the cast of Girls from 2012 - 2017, playing Elijah Krantz. This role led him to other big parts in projects such as Big Mouth, The Boys in the Band, The Prom, and Black Monday. In A Simple Favor, Rannells plays Stephanie's friend, Darren.

Andrew Rannells has created an amazing career on Broadway, appearing in shows like The Book of Mormon, The Falsettos, and Gutenberg! The Musical.

Linda Cardellini As Diana Hyland

June 25, 1975

• Year Active: 1996

Linda Cardellini, born in Redwood City, California, first began acting in 1996 when she appeared in the TV series, Bone Chillers. She later became a household name in 1999, when she starred as Lindsay Weir in the cult television series Freaks and Geeks. Over the years, she appeared in projects like Boy Meets World, ER, Mad Men, New Girl, and the Scooby-Doo movies. In 2019, Cardellini began portraying Judy Hale in the Netflix series Dead to Me, opposite Christina Applegate. In A Simple Favor, she plays Diana, Emily's potential lover.

Paul Feig, who directed A Simple Favor, was a writer on Freaks and Geeks.

Henry Golding As Sean Townsend

February 5, 1987

• Year Active: 2009

Henry Golding, born in Malaysia, began his acting career in 2009 with a brief appearance in the Malaysian mystery comedy, Pisau Cukur. His breakthrough in Hollywood, however, came in 2018 when he appeared in the hit 2018 movie Crazy Rich Asians, for which he won a Teen Choice Award. More recently, he has taken on roles like Tom in the 2019 romantic-comedy holiday flick Last Christmas, Snake Eyes in Snake Eyes, and Freddy Alvarez in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. In A Simple Favor, Golding plays Sean, Emily's husband.

Jean Smart As Margaret McLanden

September 13, 1951

• Year Active: 1975

Jean Smart, born in Seattle, Washington, got her start in the 1980 film, Hoodlums, however she is best known for playing Lana Gardner on the NBC sitcom Frasier - a role for which she won two Primetime Emmy Awards. Her other notable movies and series include Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, Sweet Home Alabama, Fargo, Arrested Development, Halt and Catch Fire, Watchmen and, most recently, Hacks. In A Simple Favor, Smart plays Margaret, the mother of the "twins," Hope and Faith.

Rupert Friend As Dennis Nylon

October 9, 1981

• Year Active: 2004

Rupert Friend, born in Cambridge, England, began his career with the 2004 movie, The Libertine. He became a familiar face when he took on the role of Mr. Wickham in Pride & Prejudice. Since then, he has been in several other significant projects, including Outlaw, The Last Legion, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Young Victoria, and Homeland. In A Simple Favor, he plays Emily's boss.

A Simple Favor ing Cast

Eric Johnson as Davis: played Flash Gordon on the eponymous 2007 - 2008 television series, as well as Whitney Fordman on the show Smallville and Jack Hyde in the Fifty Shades franchise, among other roles.

Dustin Milligan as Chris: played Ethan Ward on the teen drama show 90210. Most recently, of course, the majority of television watchers know him as Ted Mullens from Schitt's Creek.

Bashir Salahuddin as Detective Summervile: appeared in the movies Snatched and Gringo, and since then has been in Marriage Story and The 24th. He's also known as a writer on Maya and Marty and for portraying Keith Bang on GLOW and Office Goodnight on South Side.

Kelly McCormack as Stacy: known for playing Zeph in the sci-fi show Killyjoys and for playing Betty Anne on the show Letterkenny. Most recently, she wrote, produced, and starred in the feature film Sugar Daddy.

Sarah Baker as Maryanne Chelkowsky: was previously in the movies The Campaign and Mascots, as well as shows like The Kominsky Method and Louie.

Melissa O'Neil as Beth: first gained fame for winning the third season of Canadian Idol in 2005. She's also known for her roles as Two/Rebecca/Portia Lin on the sci-fi series Dark Matter and as Officer Lucy Chen on the police drama show The Rookie, aside from her appearance in A Simple Favor.