Oz (TV series)

Characters

Inmates

• Augustus Hill played by Harold Perrineau Jr. Physically disabled, but socially astute. Narrator of the series, Hill represents reason and logic.
• Miguel Alvarez played by Kirk Acevedo. Alvarez goes through a process of losing masculine credibility within the latino gang.
• Kareem Said played by Eamonn Walker. A Muslim leader with a lust for power and a conviction that other people's racism will absolve him.
• Ryan O'Reilly played by Dean Winters. An Irish hoodlum, who does what it takes to survive. He is the only Irish inmate for most of the series and survives because he is an astute political player.
• Tobias Beecher played by Lee Tergesen. Beecher was a middleclass lawyer in denial until landing in prison forced him to confront himself and become self-sufficient.His relationship with Keller is also a main part in many episodes.
• Vernon Schillinger played by J.K. Simmons. Leader of the Aryan Brotherhood (Nazis), Schillinger commits atrocities against other inmates because of race or sexual orientation. His behaviour demonstrates the prison system's indifference to humanity.
• Simon Adebisi played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Adebisi is a strong anchoring character. His flirtations with insanity and religion are transient.
• Christopher Keller played by Christopher Meloni. Perhaps the most amoral figure in the entire milieu, he is a master of emotional manipulation and only seems to really enjoy himself when those who care about him are made to suffer.His relationship with Beecher is also a big part in many episodes.
• Cyril O'Reilly played by Scott William Winters. Mentally incapacitated in a gang fight, the treatment of Cyril reflects a monstrous aspect of the prison system.
• Robert Rebadow played by George Morfogen. An elderly inmate serving life for murder. He is fantastically intuitive, which in the first couple of seasons he explains by nonchalantly saying "God told me"; later he begins to doubt the source and the veracity of his insights.
• Agamemnon Busmalis played by Tom Mardirosian. Known as "the Mole", he is an expert tunneller and escape artist.
• Chucky Pancamo played by Chuck Zito. Takes over as leader of the Italian inmates after the deaths of Nino Schibetta and Antonio Nappa. A pragmatist, he forms alliances with other gang leaders...subject, of course, to revision as the circumstances warrant.
• Jaz Hoyt played by Evan Seinfeld. Leader of the bikers in Em City.
• James Robson played by R.E. Rodgers. An Aryan. Does little of consequence early in the series (aside from making an ill-advised advance on Beecher) but in later seasons becomes Schillinger's boon companion.

Prison staff

• Warden Leo Glynn played by Ernie Hudson
• Tim McManus played by Terry Kinney
• Sister Peter Marie played by Rita Moreno
• Diane Wittlesey played by Edie Falco
• Father Ray Mukada played by B.D. Wong
• Dr. Gloria Nathan played by Lauren Velez
• Claire Howell played by Kristin Rohde
• Sean Murphy played by Robert Clohessy