Kevin Can F**K Himself has turned the concept of the sitcom on its head, juxtaposing traditional sitcom scenes and laugh tracks with a darker, more ominous feel as Allison transitions in and out of her physical home and her mental mindset.
The series, which some say pokes fun at the Kevin James sitcom Kevin Can Wait, features a main cast of actors along with recurring characters, some of whom might look familiar from other projects. The actors have experience ranging from comedy to drama, stage acting, and more. But what prior projects might fans recognize each from most?
10 Annie Murphy (Schitt's Creek)
Murphy, of course, rose to fame with her role in Alexis in the Canadian sitcom Schitt's Creek, the spoiled rich daughter of a businessman who had tons of hilarious, often unbelievable, stories from her past. The role, which Murphy secured as her first major acting gig, also earned her a Primetime Emmy Award alongside all of her co-workers, marking a sweep in the comedy category.
The series, which only picked up steam worldwide once it was made available for streaming on Netflix, showed that Murphy has strong comedic chops. She gets to demonstrate these as Allison in Kevin Can F**K Himself, but she also shows a much darker side, not to mention a convincing fake Boston accent.
9 Mary Hollis Inboden (The Real O'Neals)
Playing Patty, Inboden also puts on a fake accent: she was actually born in Arkansas. The actor is best known prior to this series for her role in The Real O'Neals, where she was a series regular. That show, which aired for two seasons in 2016 and 2017, was about an Irish American family living in Chicago whose reputation as strict Catholics was shattered when secrets were revealed about each one of them that threatened their picture-perfect image.
Inboden played Jodi O'Neal, the ex-sister-in-law of the main character Pat. Inboden has also had small appearances in episodes of series like Nathan For You, Superstore, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Shrill, as well as the main role on American Princess and a recurring role on The Righteous Gemstones.
8 Eric Petersen (Corner Gas)
As the title character Kevin, Petersen perfectly pulls off the goofy husband that fans can't help but cringe whenever they see, sensing the disdain Allison feels about her partner right along with her. Petersen actually got his start as a stage actor in his home country of Canada.
Not surprisingly, then, he is best known for his role in a Canadian sitcom, Corner Gas as Oscar Leroy, the father of Brent Butt's lead character Brent. He played a similarly annoying role on that show, this time as a retired father who had nothing to do with his time but bother everyone in the small town. He also played a lawyer in Street Legal.
7 Alex Bonifer (Superstore)
As Kevin's best friend Neil, Bonifer pulls off the dimwitted young man with ease. Bonifer has only just started acting, with his first roles having been in video shorts in 2015 and 2016.
The only notable credit to his name prior to Kevin Can F**K Himself was in two episodes of Superstore, where he played a character named Russell back in 2019.
6 Brian Howe (The Pursuit of Happyness)
As Kevin's father Pete, who puts up with his son's shenanigans, and was probably just like him when he was younger, Howe brings the laughs whenever he appears in a scene. Howe has been acting since the '90s, but his most memorable role was that of Jay Twistle, a stockbroker, in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness, which starred A-lister Will Smith and is one of the best Netflix movies based on a true story.
But Howe has made appearances in many movies, including K-PAX, Catch Me If You Can, Evan Almighty, and Gran Torino. He also has an extensive resume in television with main roles in Bonnie, A Minute with Stan Hooper, and Journeyman, as well as in several episodes of Law & Order, playing different characters each time. He is yet another actor from the series who has been on Superstore, with a role in two episodes back in 2018 as Neil Pederson.
5 Candice Coke (Bones)
Detective Tammy Ridgeway, who investigated the illegal sale of drugs in Worcester, is played by actor Candice Coke, who is a theater-trained actor. But fans might recognize her from Bones, where she played Dr. Nora Oldhouse in two different episodes between 2009 and 2011. She might also look familiar as Agent Clark from Days of Our Lives, a role she played in a recurring capacity in 2010.
Having danced with musical icons like Michael Jackson and Prince through her dancing career, she also had a role as Dr. Charlotte Walker in six episodes of Indemnity.
4 Raymond Lee (Mozart in the Jungle)
What might Allison's life have looked like had she continued dating or being friends with Sam? That's a lingering question on the show, making viewers all the more curious thanks to the wonderful performance by Lee.
If he looks familiar, that's because Lee has been acting since the early 2010s. But his most high-profile role was as Arlen Lee in Mozart in the Jungle, one of the best original shows on Amazon Prime Video, which he played from 2016-2018. He was also in the 2018 series Here and Now and the HBO show Made for Love. He has had small guest roles in many other popular shows, including It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Modern Family, Scandal, Magnum P.I., and Prodigal Son, to name a few.
3 Justin Grace (Blue Bloods)
The relationship and dangerous prank wars between Allison and the mechanic/drug dealer Marcus add both comedy and dark undertones to the show. The character is played by Justin Grace, who has only had small guest roles on a variety of series since he began acting in 2005.
He might be recognizable from any one of them, from Third Watch to Law & Order, New Amsterdam (the original series), Nurse Jackie (one of the best medical dramas, aside from Grey's Anatomy), Criminal Minds, White Collar, Blue Bloods, Person of Interest, and Dietland. His most recent role before securing this one was in an episode of The Dark End of the Street as Officer Harrington.
2 Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham)
Playing Nick, even though Taylor has a signature style about him, fans might not even recognize him in the role. He gained recognition for his role as Penguin in the Fox TV series Gotham, praised for his scene-stealing performances. He is one of many actors to have played the character but remains a stand-out.
But given the high-profile nature of the show, fans might recognize him from his short-lived stint on The Walking Dead as well back in 2013 as the character Sam.
1 Jamie Denbo (Orange Is the New Black)
While Allison struggles with the monotonous and unfulfilling nature of her life, her aunt D seems just fine working in a convenience and liquor store and tending to her husband. Denbo pulls off the character wonderfully, thanks, in part, to her lengthy experience in acting.
She has mainly had small roles on shows like How I Met Your Mother, Happy Endings, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Her longest role was that of Maggie Lefferts in the 2010 series Terriers. But fans probably recognize her as Shelly Ginsberg on Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black, the inmate who helped Cindy convert to Judaism.
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July 16, 2021 at 12:00AM
