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Frank Perry
Frank Perry
Played By: Brian Cox
A solid and phlegmatic character, he holds his own, but neither attracts nor creates any trouble. He is a lifer and has long accepted that he will never see the outside again.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Seems to be indicated by his general demeanor, the fact that he's serving a life sentence in prison, and his daughter being addicted to hard drugs.
- Determinator: Any time an obstacle to the escape plan comes up, he sets out in search of something to get around it.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Frank gives his life so that Lacey can escape punishment from Rizza and escape the prison.
- Knight in Sour Armor: He has little to be happy or optimistic about anymore, and it shows. but is a good man deep down.
- The Old Convict: He’s been in prison far longer than enemy of his companions and shows a decent amount of savvy, like when he quickly moves to hide the signs that Tony died in their cell.
James Lacey
James Lacey
Played By: Dominic Cooper
A newly arrived prisoner and Frank's cellmate.
- Break the Cutie: Is sent to a Hellhole Prison despite being very young and of a sweet nature. Sexual harassment, violent rape, a suicide attempt, an attempted rape, and a threat to his life all happen within a week. As his incarceration continues you can see his emotional state deteriorate from PTSD to near catatonia.
- Butt-Monkey: One terrible thing happens to him after another.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: On Tony.
- Prison Rape: Is heralded into the empty showers, by the prison's guards, so that Tony can have access to him.
Brodie
Brodie
Played By: Liam Cunningham
Perry's right hand man and closest friend.
- Deadpan Snarker: Wittier than Frank, and not afraid to comment when something seems absurd.
- Never Bareheaded: Often seen wearing a grey toboggan.
- Noodle Incident: What he did to get put in prison in the first place.
- The Lancer: Frank's sarcastic and amicable right-hand man.
- Tunnel King: He knows his way around the London underground very well and seems to have experience working in the sewers.
Lenny Drake
Lenny Drake
Played By: Joseph Fiennes
A former thief and boxer.
- The Big Guy: Frank and Brodie needed someone with muscle to help facilitate their break-out so they went to the prison's resident fighter.
- Death Glare: Seems to know no other expression.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He’s the only one to stop and relentlessly try to save Batista.
- Hot-Blooded: He has a temper befitting his stature and one of his first scenes has him storming into Franks cell, looking for Franks cell mate (who’d just rated him out for the stabbing of a prison gang member to get early release)
Viv Batista
Viv Batista
Played By: Seu Jorge
The prison chemist.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Generally seems like a fairly pleasant, unassuming guy but when Frank and Brodie offer to let him in on their escape if he makes more drugs for Tony, he suggests just poisoning Tony instead.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Not necessarily evil, but he has someone to come visit him, which caused him to witness Franks reaction after getting a visitor whose heavily implied to be bringing news that his daughter has died or her condition has otherwise worsened.
- Dreadlock Rasta: A black guy with long dreadlocks whose niche is making drugs (although his actor is Brazilian).
- The Smart Guy: Is capable of making all kinds of drugs and poisons without ever leaving his cell.
Rizza
Rizza
Played By: Damien Lewis
A ruthless convict who rules over the other inmates.
- Aloof Big Brother: Rizza is nonplussed and unfettered amidst the chaos of the prison, in contrast with Tony's erratic and manic ways.
- Big Bad: He's more frightening and powerful than Tony, but also more sinister because he's clearly in control of himself and without the excuse of drugs for his sadistic behavior.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Despite the both of them being evil, Rizza clearly cares for his younger brother Tony.
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: Terrifies the entire jail, including the staff, into compliance with his rule without raising his voice.
- The Stoic: He shows very little emotion even while forcing a man to cut off his own thumb, or threatening another man's child.
- Villainous Breakdown: His solid, stoic, smug demeanor is shaken when Frank fearlessly and casually informs him that outside the prison walls…he’s less than nothing.
Tony
Tony
Played By: Steven Mackintosh
Brother of Rizza, drug addled and the source of much conflict.
- Jerkass: Clearly enjoys tormenting Lacey, blackmailing Frank, and generally being a terrible person.
- Talkative Loon: Never shuts up, whether it's taunting Lacey, threatening Frank, or jabbering nonsense to his brother.
