Peacock’s mystery thriller All Her Fault has become a major talking point, setting records as the streamer’s biggest series launch ever with over 46 million hours watched. The show centers on a mother’s nightmare when her son vanishes after a playdate, unraveling a web of family secrets. With a talented cast bringing these complex characters to life, viewers are strongly divided on who to root for and who to despise. Here is a definitive ranking of every major character from the best to the worst.
The Definitive Ranking of Every Character
The characters in All Her Fault drive a tense story filled with twists. This ranking is based on their narrative impact, moral complexity, and the strength of the performances behind them.
1. Marissa Irvine (Sarah Snook)
Sarah Snook delivers a powerful performance as Marissa, the emotional anchor of the series. From the first moment she realizes her son is missing, her panic and desperation feel intensely real and ground the entire story. The show unfolds largely from her perspective, making every revelation and setback personal. While some critics found her emotional state relentless, many viewers were captivated by Snook’s ability to portray a mother pushed to her absolute limit. Marissa’s journey from terrified parent to a woman confronting hard truths about her own family is the core reason to watch.
2. Detective Jim Alcaras (Michael Peña)
As the detective on the case, Michael Peña provides the show with its moral center. Detective Alcaras is not a detached cop; he is deeply affected by the case, partly due to his own struggles as a father to a developmentally disabled son. This personal storyline adds layers to his character, showing the compromises he considers to secure his child’s future. Peña’s performance is often highlighted as a standout, with one viewer noting, “Michael Peña is absolutely outstanding in this role… His acting was superb”. He balances professional duty with raw empathy, making him one of the most grounded and compelling figures in the story.
3. Jenny Kaminski (Dakota Fanning)
Dakota Fanning’s Jenny starts as the other mother in the crisis but evolves into Marissa’s most crucial ally. She represents a different, deeply relatable kind of pressure as a working mother trying to balance her career with a dismissive husband. Fanning plays her with a subtle strength that makes Jenny’s growing confidence and ultimate decision to stand up for herself one of the show’s most satisfying arcs. Her friendship with Marissa provides an emotional backbone, with many fans praising their chemistry and the grounded presence Fanning brings to the role.
4. Peter Irvine (Jake Lacy)
Jake Lacy plays Peter, Marissa’s husband, and crafts one of the series’ most challenging characters to understand. On the surface, he is a concerned father, but he is often absent when most needed and shrouded in secrecy. The show uses Peter to explore how neglect and hidden truths can be as damaging as direct malice. Lacy skillfully maintains this ambiguity, keeping viewers and his own family guessing about his motivations until explosive secrets about his past come to light.
5. Carrie Finch (Sophia Lillis)
As the nanny at the heart of the kidnapping, Sophia Lillis has the difficult task of making Carrie both unsettling and sympathetic. The character is initially painted as a monster, but glimpses into her traumatic past complicate that picture. The series frames her not as pure evil but as a product of neglect, forcing viewers to grapple with their own judgment. Lillis’s performance is frequently mentioned as a strong point, effectively wearing “various masks” to fulfill her plan.
6. Colin Dobbs (Jay Ellis)
Colin, played by Jay Ellis, is Marissa’s best friend and business partner. He immediately steps in to support her professionally when her life falls apart, showing clear loyalty. However, the series hints at his own flaws and secrets, including a hidden gambling addiction that intersects with the plot. While his role is smaller, it adds necessary depth to Marissa’s world and presents another character caught between good intentions and bad decisions.
7. Brian Irvine (Daniel Monks)
Daniel Monks plays Brian, Peter’s younger brother who uses a wheelchair following a childhood accident. His character brings long-buried family history to the surface, and the truth about his injury exposes deep emotional damage. A scene where he learns this truth and reacts with angry despair is described as particularly powerful. Brian’s storyline is a quiet but impactful commentary on independence, guilt, and the ways families can both support and smother their members.
8. Lia Irvine (Abby Elliott)
Abby Elliott portrays Lia, Peter’s sister, who carries immense guilt from the accident that disabled Brian. As a recovering addict, her fight adds a layer of emotional trauma to the family dynamic. Her role is largely supportive, reflecting the long-term effects of family trauma rather than directly driving the main plot. Elliott brings a palpable sense of loss and a desire for redemption to the character, making her struggles resonate.
9. Richie Kaminski (Thomas Cocquerel)
Richie, Jenny’s husband, exists primarily to highlight the lack of support she faces at home. Thomas Cocquerel plays him as a laissez-faire, often arrogant high school teacher who views his wife’s demanding career as an inconvenience. His dismissive behavior reinforces the show’s themes of societal pressure on mothers but offers little character development beyond that function. He serves as a clear antagonist to Jenny’s growth, making his eventual comeuppance satisfying for viewers.
10. Ana Garcia (Kartiah Vergara)
The Irvine family’s nanny, Ana, has a very limited role. She is briefly positioned as a suspect due to her friendship with the missing nanny, Carrie, but ultimately has minor influence on the story’s outcome. Her presence mainly serves to deepen the initial mystery before the plot moves on to other characters and secrets.
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