The First Omen cast: All actors & characters

With The First Omen out in cinemas now, we’ve broken down the cast of the horror movie prequel, including the actors and the characters they play. 

Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, The First Omen is one of the most exciting new horror movies of 2024 so far, taking us back to the events leading up to the birth of Damien, aka the Antichrist. 

As we said in our four-star review, the movie is “a tense, slow burn that builds to some truly horrifying moments — and when it hits, it goes straight for the jugular.”

As well as being well-written and beautifully shot, The First Omen benefits from an impeccable cast. 

Contents: 

• Margaret: Nell Tiger Free
• Father Brennan: Ralph Ineson
• Carlita: Nicole Sorace
• Cardinal Lawrence: Bill Nighy
• Sister Silva: Sonia Braga
• Luz: Maria Caballero
• Father Gabriel: Tawfeek Barhom
• Father Harris: Charles Dance

The First Omen cast & characters

Below, you’ll find a rundown of the main cast of actors and the characters they play. Before we get into it, here’s the synopsis for The First Omen: 

“When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.”

Margaret: Nell Tiger Free

20th Century Studios

Nell Tiger Free plays Margaret, a young American nun-to-be who travels to Rome to become part of the staff at the Vizzardeli Orphanage, and also take her vows. She is brought there by Cardinal Lawrence, a priest who worked at the US orphanage she grew up in. 

Speaking about working with Nell, Arkasha told Dexerto: “She was just such a filmmaking partner… I would just do anything Nell wanted to do. If she was like, ‘Let’s make a Muppet movie,’ I’d be like, ‘Sure.’”

Nell is best known for her role as Myrcella Baratheon in Game of Thrones and Leanne Grayson in Servant. She’s also starred in Settlers, Too Old to Die Young, and Endeavour. 

Father Brennan: Ralph Ineson

20th Century Studios

Ralph Ineson joins The First Omen cast as Father Brennan, a name you might recognize, as he was played by Patrick Troughton in the 1976 original. Brennan is a priest who tries to warn Margaret about the sinister secret within the church.

In real life, Ralph bore the brunt of the Omen curse. As Arkasha told us: “Ralph had to be taken to hospital because a dog bit him. And Ralph’s the friendliest person in the world – he’s the last person to be bitten by a dog.”

This is far from Ralph’s first horror rodeo, having appeared in The Witch and voiced the demon in The Pope’s Exorcist. A number of his other acting credits include The Office (the UK version), the Harry Potter movies, and The Creator.

Carlita: Nicole Sorace

20th Century Studios

Nicole Sorace plays Carlita, a teenage orphan at Vizzardeli Orphanage who Margaret grows close to. Despite being posed as the “problem child,” Margaret sees herself in Carlita, and begins to realize there’s something more sinister going on. 

Other than The First Omen, Nicole has appeared in the TV series Summer Limited Edition. 

Cardinal Lawrence: Bill Nighy

20th Century Studios

Bill Nighy plays Cardinal Lawrence, a mentor of sorts to Margaret who helped her through darker times and is now accompanying her to take the veil in Rome. 

For Nell, working alongside Bill was a dream come true. “Bill Nighy is one of my absolute all-time heroes,” she told Dexerto. “I love him, so getting to work with him and have him around was just a dream for me.”

Nighy has a wide range of acting accolades under his belt, from Hot Fuzz and Love Actually to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and Shaun of the Dead. 

Sister Silva: Sonia Braga

20th Century Studios

Sonia Braga joins The First Omen cast as Sister Silva, a stern and intimidating nun who helps run the orphanage. 

A number of Sonia’s other roles include Shotgun Wedding, Luke Cage, and Sex and the City. 

Luz: Maria Caballero

20th Century Studios

Maria Caballero plays Luz, another nun-to-be who ends up working and living with Margaret.

Caballero is known for The Girl in the Mirror, The Longest Night, and Olvido. 

Father Gabriel: Tawfeek Barhom

Universal Pictures

Tawfeek Barhom takes on the role of Father Gabriela in The First Omen cast, a young priest who Margaret becomes friends with. But like everyone else around her, she’s not entirely sure if she can trust him. 

Barhom has also starred in Cairo Conspiracy, The Looming Tower, and The Letter for the King.

Father Harris: Charles Dance

HBO

Charles Dance plays Father Harris, a Catholic priest who knows Father Brennan. 

Dance is a famed actor on the circuit, having appeared in the likes of Game of Thrones, The Crown, The Sandman, and The Imitation Game. 

That’s everything we know about the main cast and characters of The First Omen, which is in cinemas now. You can also check out our breakdown of the movie’s ending, as well as how to watch it. And for more movies, here are all the streaming releases this month.