The Burial is the latest legal drama coming to Prime Video, gathering a stellar cast to tell a moving underdog story. Loosely based on the most notorious case of Willie E. Gary, a renowned lawyer who became tangled up in a contract dispute between rival funeral parlors, the film commits to becoming one of 2023's most memorable crowd-pleasers.
The Burial is directed by Margaret Betts, an up-and-coming filmmaker who gained deserved recognition for her debut feature Novitiate in 2017, a period drama set in the Vatican II era, which follows Margaret Qualley as a nun struggling with her faith and sexuality. Betts' latest film is a clear indication that she's one to keep an eye out for, and The Burial's star-studded cast certainly helps her case.
Jamie Foxx as Willie E. Gary
Willie E. Gary, an American lawyer who inspired an impressive New Yorker piece written by Jonathan Harr about the captivating funeral home case, is played by Jamie Foxx. After going through a tough year that involved a serious medical complication and long hospitalization, Foxx is reportedly getting back on track. To honor that, the actor's been having a fantastic 2023 with high-quality movies such as They Cloned Tyrone, God Is a Bullet, The Strays, in which he delivers an adorable voice performance, and, of course, The Burial.
Foxx made his acting debut in 1992 starring opposite Robin Williams in the adventure comedy Toys, then gained popularity for joining the sketch comedy show In Living Color as a regular, a project created by the comedic Wayans family. Foxx's best movies include Django Unchained, Collateral, Baby Driver, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, the latter featuring his return as the villain Electro, first introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Amanda Warren as Gloria Gary
Gloria, Gary's high-spirited wife, is played by Amanda Warren. After small appearances in shows such as The Good Wife, Law & Order, and Gossip Girl, Warren starred in movies such as The Adjustment Bureau and Seven Psychopaths. Her role as Lucy Warburton in the HBO drama The Leftovers represented a major career step, and the actress went on to star in The Purge series, Madam Secretary, Dickinson, East New York, and the Gossip Girl remake in a new role.
Tommy Lee Jones as Jerry O'Keefe
Jerry O'Keefe, a funeral home owner on the brink of losing his family business for financial reasons, is played by the veteran actor Tommy Lee Jones. He's a four-time Oscar nominee, winning the statuette for his supporting performance in The Fugitive in one of the best and most unusual Oscar races of all time (per Variety).
Jones has been around since the 70s, when he kicked off his career in Arthur Hiller's Love Story as Ryan O'Neal's roommate. He went on to play a succession of popular roles such as Agent K in Men in Black, Warden Dwight McClusky in Natural Born Killers, Clay Shaw in JFK, Ed in No Country For Old Men, and Chester Phillips in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Pamela Reed as Annette O'Keefe
Annette O'Keefe, Jerry's wife who's about to discover her husband's mountain of debts, is played by Pamela Reed. She's yet another major veteran in The Burial's cast a versatile actress who likes to alternate between movie roles and TV appearances. Most commonly known forArnold Schwarzenegger's cop duo in Kindergarten Cop and Alison Langley in the Mr. Bean movie Bean, Reed also starred in the TV shows Jericho, Parks and Recreation, and NCIS: Los Angeles.
Alan Ruck as Mike Allred
Mike Allred, O'Keefe's dear friend and faithful attorney, is played by Alan Ruck. In 2023, faithful fans had to say goodbye to Ruck in the ending of the HBO hit show Succession, where the actor played Connor Roy, one of the infamous Roy siblings, a performance as tragic as it is comic. However, Ruck's most famous role dates way back to the 80s when he played Ferris Bueller's best friend Cameron Frye in John Hughes' iconic Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Other classics in his career include Speed, Twister, and Cheaper by the Dozen.
Jurnee Smollett as Mame Downes
Mame Downes, a Harvard-graduated lawyer hired by the half-billion-dollar corporation that intends to take over O'Keefe's business, is played by Jurnee Smollett. The actress started her career as a child actor, making appearances in sitcoms from the 90s such as Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Full House, On Our Own, and Cosby.
On the big screen, Smollett went on to star in movies such as Jack, Eve's Bayou, The Great Debaters, Spiderhead, and Birds of Prey, where she plays Black Canary. She continues to alternate between TV and film; more recently, she appeared in the updated version of The Twilight Zone and the horror series Lovecraft Country.
Mamoudou Athie as Hal Dockins
Hal Dockins, the young lawyer who introduces Gary and O'Keefe, is played by Mamoudou Athie. The actor first rose to prominence as Grandmaster Flash in the musical TV show The Get Down, following a ragtag group of teenagers in the 70s. Athie went on to play Carl in The Detour, Matt Greer in Sorry For Your Loss, and Dan Turner in Archive 81.
On the big screen, he's known for projects such as The Circle, Black Box, Unicorn Store, Underwater, and Jurassic World Dominion. Besides The Burial, Athie showed up in 2023 as the voice of Wade Ripple in Pixar's Elemental.
Bill Camp as Raymond Loewen
Raymond Loewen, the unscrupulous billionaire going after O'Keefe's funeral home business, is played by Bill Camp. One of the most prolific actors of his generation, Camp has a soft spot for dramas, starring in highly acclaimed and major awards players such as 12 Years A Slave, Birdman, Lincoln, Molly's Game, and Vice.
On TV, he starred in Netflix's hit show The Queen Gambit as Mr. Shaibel, the janitor who ignited in Beth Harmon the passion for chess, and in the HBO miniseries The Night Of as Detective Sergeant Dennis Box; a flawless performance that earned Camp an Emmy nomination.
Dorian Missick as Reggie Douglas
Dorian Missick joins the cast of The Burial as Reggie Douglas. The actor was at the top of his game in the 2000s, actively contributing to a variety of successful movies such as Two Weeks Notice, Lucky Number Slevin, Rachel Getting Married, Annie, and The Manchurian Candidate. Working sporadically during the 2010s with TV cameos and small movies. Missick seems to be getting back on track recently, playing Sam Reynolds in the TV show Tell Me A Story, Jamal Bishop in For Life, and set to star in John Ridley's upcoming biopic Shirley.
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