For All Mankind Spinoff Adds First Cast Member With House Of The Dragon Star

For All Mankind spinoff Star City has added its first cast member with a House of the Dragon star, alongside a description for their new character. In April 2024, when For All Mankind season 5 was announced, it was revealed a spinoff series, Star City would also be going into production. This show follows the same alternate history timeline as the original, offering the Soviet Union's perspective on events from the beginning of the timeline. This includes them putting the first man on the moon, alongside the space race that ensued in the decades afterward.

Now, Varietyhas confirmed Rhys Ifans has been cast in Star City, the first cast member to be announced in the For All Mankind spinoff. Ifans, known for his role as Otto Hightower in House of the Dragon, will be joining the cast as a currently unnamed Chief Designer, having a major role in the Soviet space program. Though not much is known about his character, he will have a starring role, making him a key facet of the series.

What Rhys Ifans' Role Means For Star City

His Important Role Explained

Ifans has been in many high-profile roles across his acting career, with his time on the cast of House of the Dragonjust being his most recent. He also starred as Dr. Curt Connors, or the Lizard, in The Amazing Spider-Manand Spider-Man: No Way Home, Rasputin in The King's Man, and Martin Moon in Venom: The Last Dance. As for his TV roles, he's best known for his recurring role as Mycroft Holmes in CBS' Elementary, and as Hector DeJean in Epix's Berlin Station. His seasoned career makes him a fitting addition to Star City.

With Ifans' role being a Chief Designer for the Soviet Union's space program, his prominence is already clear from the very beginning. Even though his casting didn't specify him as the lead character, his starring role, coupled with his description, means he's going to have an important part to play in the developments his country makes after getting to the moon first. While it's unclear if this means he'll be interacting with the cast of For All Mankind, it does indicate his contributions are part of the progress the Soviets made across the original series.

Our Take On Ifans' Star City Casting

A Promising Start For The Spinoff

Rhys Ifans' Sam talking while sitting at a restaurant table in Inheritance

Ifans has proven himself a talented TV actor, making his role in Star City all the more fitting. His role as Otto showed he can portray characters who carefully plot out their goals, something required of a Chief Designer for such a massive operation. This may make his role feel familiar when the series arrives, echoing his latest portrayal as its sci-fi setting offers new opportunities to differentiate from his prior characters.