Saw X cast: All actors & characters

Jigsaw’s back, baby. With Saw X just around the corner, here’s your guide to the cast, including the actors and the characters they play. 

Saw X is truly a return to form for the long-running horror franchise. As we said in our four-star review, the movie is “a perfect blend of homage and innovation, while putting the one and only John Kramer front and center (without having to deal with flashbacks.)”

Director Kevin Greutert manages to do so by setting Saw X just after the events of the very first Saw and before Saw 2, meaning we go back in time so we can learn more about Kramer and see an entirely new side to him. But let’s be real – the film is also as brutal as ever. 

Amid its impending release, we’ve broken down all of the actors and characters you need to know in the Saw X cast, which features some familiar faces and some franchise newcomers. Don’t worry – this cast guide is spoiler free. 

Contents

• John Kramer / Jigsaw: Tobin Bell
• Amanda Young: Shawnee Smith
• Dr Cecilia Pederson: Synnøve Macody Lund
• Parker Sears: Steven Brand
• Henry Kessler: Michael Beach
• Gabriela: Renata Vaca
• Mateo: Octavio Hinojosa
• Valentina: Paulette Hernandez
• Diego: Joshua Okamoto

Saw X cast & characters

Before we get into it, here’s the official synopsis for Saw 10, aka Saw X: “Set between the events of Saw I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer – only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. 

“Armed with a newfound purpose, John returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through a series of ingenious and terrifying traps.”

John Kramer / Jigsaw: Tobin Bell

Lionsgate

The one and only Tobin Bell returns to his sinister roots as John Kramer, aka the Jigsaw killer. Kramer is the mastermind behind the entire Saw saga, engineering intricate and relentlessly grim traps to teach his victims life’s value. 

Driven by a terminal cancer diagnosis, his morally ambiguous methods aim to rebirth appreciation in those he deems ungrateful. Methodical, intelligent, and deeply philosophical, his games challenge perceptions of right and wrong.

Saw X shows us a side to Kramer we’ve never seen before. As Saw producer Mark Burg told Dexerto: “Not everybody in this movie dies in the traps… It shows John’s humanity and John cares about the people and those who have survived the traps, and he wants them to live and live a better life. He’s way more empathetic; you care about him.”

While Kramer is his most famous role, Bell has appeared in a number of movies and TV shows over the years, including The Firm, GoodFellas, The West Wing, and 24.

Amanda Young: Shawnee Smith

Lionsgate

Given the timeline of Saw X, it’s no surprise that Shawnee Smith reprises her role as Jigsaw’s apprentice Amanda Young. Amanda first appeared as one of Kramer’s victims, making her way out of arguably the most famous Saw trap: the Reverse Bear Trap. 

Initially ensnared for her self-destructive habits, she adopts John Kramer’s philosophy but skews it with a darker intent. Complex and damaged, her traps lack the chance of survival, reflecting her own internal struggles with redemption and despair.

Just like Kramer, we see a different side to Amanda in Saw X. Speaking to Total Film, Greutert said, “She’s a major character in this story and I really wanted to explore that area between what we see in Saw 1 where she’s a very vulnerable recovering drug addict and the kind of sassy rebel in Saw 3 but Saw 2 in a way doesn’t really count as character development for her except to show that she’s working with Jigsaw but she’s playing the role for the other characters that are trapped… so this is an opportunity to sort of develop her character more.”

While Amanda is one of her most famous roles, Smith has also appeared in City on Fire, Anger Management, The Island, and Becker.

Dr Cecilia Pederson: Synnøve Macody Lund

Lionsgate

Synnøve Macody Lund plays Dr Cecilia Pederson, a new character to the franchise and one who’s described as an “antagonist.” As you’ll see in the trailer, she’s the leader of the scam Kramer gets caught up in and is a nasty piece of work – and, as we all know, Jigsaw doesn’t take too kindly to injustice. 

Lund is best known for her roles in Headhunters, Ragnarok, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, and Riviera.

Parker Sears: Steven Brand 

Lionsgate

Steven Brand joins the Saw X cast as Parker Sears, a fellow patient of the fraudster Pederson Project. 

Brand’s other acting accolades include The Scorpion King, Teen Wolf, Vikings: Valhalla, and The Sandman. 

Henry Kessler: Michael Beach 

Lionsgate

Another Saw newcomer is Michael Beach, who plays Henry Kessler, a cancer survivor who Kramer meets in a support group. Kessler’s story is compelling, and he’s the one who tells Kramer about the “miracle” Pederson Project. 

Beach is a seasoned actor, having starred in Tulsa King, Dahmer, SWAT, The 100, Aquaman, If Beale Street Could Talk, Animal Kingdom, and True Romance, to name a few. 

Gabriela: Renata Vaca

Lionsgate

Renata Vaca takes on the role of Gabriela in the Saw X cast, a character who comes across as shy and coy. She greets Kramer when he arrives at the clinic in Mexico, and has nothing but kind words to say about Pederson. But as the trailer shows, she’s clearly been up to no good and gets caught up in Jigsaw’s games. 

Fun fact: Vaca was one of two finalists for the role of Snow White in the upcoming live-action remake, which was later given to Rachel Zegler. Her other acting accolades include Rosario Tijeras, History Lessons, and La Reina Soy Yo.

Mateo: Octavio Hinojosa

Lionsgate

Octavio Hinojosa plays Mateo, the Pederson Project’s supposed anesthesiologist who is present for Kramer’s surgery. He’s also present when Kramer catches on to the scam – and, let’s just say, when the tables are turned, it wipes the smile off his face.  

Hinojosa is best known for Cómo Sobrevivir Soltero, Sobreviví, Por la Máscara, and La Fiscal de Hierro.

Valentina: Paulette Hernandez

Lionsgate

Paulette Hernandez joins the Saw X cast as Valentina, who’s introduced as a “nurse” during Kramer’s surgery. Yes, she’s in on the ploy and yes, she pays the price – but can she survive Kramer’s sick and twisted form of redemption?

A number of Hernandez’s other acting credits include Crown of Tears, Cuna de Lobos, My Demons Never Swore Solitude, and Locos Por La Herencia.

Diego: Joshua Okamoto

Lionsgate

Joshua Okamoto takes on the role of Diego in the Saw X cast. He’s the outgoing taxi driver who picks Kramer up from the airport – but his warm smiles turn to chilling screams when Kramer catches up with him. 

Okamoto has starred in El Club, Narcos: Mexico, and Control Z, among others. 

That’s everything we know about the main cast and characters in Saw X, which drops in cinemas on September 29. You can check out the rest of our coverage below: 

• Saw X review: A glorious, gory return to form
• Saw X: Everything you need to know
• How many Saw movies are there?
• Saw does spoof of Nicole Kidman’s AMC ad
• Saw fans slam takedown of AMC parody
• Saw X post-credits scene explained
• Saw producers reveal most “horrific” trap
• Saw 11 could happen thanks to “cliffhanger” ending
• Is Saw X based on a true story?
• Why Saw X is the longest movie in the franchise
• Saw X producers clear up timeline confusion