AppleTV+’s ‘Shrinking’ Cast and Where You’ve Seen Them Before
Shrinking, the newest comedy from Jason Segel and the team behind Ted Lasso, has arrived on AppleTV+. The series follows a therapist who struggles at work after the death of his wife. He finally breaks down and starts telling his patients exactly what he thinks, which turns out to be life-changing for many people — including himself. The star-studded cast of Shrinking includes some faces that might look familiar, so here’s a breakdown of the stars and who they play.
Jason Segel plays Jimmy Laird
In addition to helping create Shrinking, Jason Segel stars as James “Jimmy” Laird. The death of Jimmy’s wife has caused him to isolate himself from his friends and family, and he can’t get his head straight at work. He finds a new, unorthodox method of giving advice to his client, and to his surprise, it’s actually helpful.
Segel is no stranger to comedy, as he starred in How I Met Your Mother as lovable and quirky Minnesota native Marshall Eriksen. Before that, he appeared in shows like Freaks and Geeks and films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Five-Year Engagement. More recently, Segel starred in Netflix’s Windfall.
Harrison Ford plays Paul Rhodes
Harrison Ford stars alongside Segel as Dr. Paul Rhodes, Jimmy’s mentor, who has Parkinson’s disease. The older therapist shows concern for Jimmy as he unravels. Along the way, Paul also grows closer to Jimmy’s daughter.
Ford is perhaps one of the most recognizable actors in the series, although he’s mostly known for his film work. He starred as Han Solo in Star Wars and played Indiana Jones in the adventure film franchise. Ford has also starred in the Blade Runner series and Tom Clancy movies. Recently, Ford took on a role in the Yellowstone prequel, 1923, and he’s set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thunderbolt Ross in two films next year.
Jessica Williams plays Gabby
Another fellow therapist in the series is Gabby, played by Jessica Williams. Gabby has known Jimmy for years, although she doesn’t quite agree with the ethics of Jimmy’s new therapy methods. However, like Jimmy, she has a few personal challenges to overcome.
Williams joins the Shrinking cast with her own comedy chops courtesy of her 2 Dope Queens podcast, the Love Life TV series, and the film Booksmart. She was also a senior reporter on The Daily Show and starred in the Fantastic Beasts films.
Luke Tennie plays Sean
Luke Tennie stars in Shrinking as Sean, a new patient of Jimmy’s. Sean is coping with anger issues and severe PTSD as a result of his time in the military. Jimmy finds a new way for Sean to release his anger, but will it change Sean for the better?
Tennie is most known for starring in Deadly Class as Willie Lewis and Players as Rudy Elmore. He also appeared in CSI: Vegas and On the Verge. Tennie has also worked in the film industry, having appeared in films like Safety and Thriller.
Michael Urie plays Brian
Taking on the role of Jimmy’s best friend, Brian, is Michael Urie. Brian is an attorney who only wants to see Jimmy back as his old self.
Urie gained recognition for starring as Marc St. James in Ugly Betty and Mode After Hours. He also starred as Steve in The Decoy Bride and appeared in Younger. In 2021, Urie starred as Peter in the Netflix Christmas film Single All the Way.
Christa Miller plays Liz
Christa Miller stars in Shrinking as Jimmy’s upbeat neighbor, Liz. She takes Jimmy’s daughter under her wing while he copes with the loss of his wife.
Miller has appeared in several TV comedies, including Cougar Town, Scrubs, and The Drew Carey Show. She has also appeared in the films Breaking In and Hot Air. Fun fact: Miller is married to Shrinking co-creator Bill Lawrence and has appeared in many of his projects.
Lukita Maxwell plays Alice
Finally, Lukita Maxwell stars as Alice, Jimmy’s 17-year-old daughter. Alice struggles to rebuild her relationship with her father, so she turns to Liz for guidance and support.
Maxwell is relatively new to the world of professional acting, but she did star in HBO’s Generation and the series Speechless.
Other ‘Shrinking’ cast members and their characters
The cast of Shrinking also includes a few guest stars. Here’s a breakdown of the guest actors and who they play:
- Lilan Bowden (Murderville, Andi Mack) as Tia, Jimmy’s late wife
- Heidi Gardner (Saturday Night Live) as Grace, Jimmy’s patient who is seeking help for emotional abuse from her husband
- Ted McGinley (Married… with Children, Revenge of the Nerds) as Derek, Liz’s husband
New episodes of Shrinking drop every Friday, exclusively on AppleTV+.
