The Cast & Characters of Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, Explained
The limited series drops October 16, exclusively on Peacock.
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For those intrigued by stories based on true crime cases, including those who lived through the stunning revelations surrounding the infamous discovery of serial killer John Wayne Gacy in the 1970s, you'll want to tune into Peacock's dramatic series Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, debuting on October 16.
Based on the 2021 Peacock docuseries of the same name, the limited scripted series was created by showrunner Patrick Macmanus (Dr. Death). Peacock teases the new series "peels back the twisted layers of Gacy’s life while weaving in heartrending stories of his victims; exploring the grief, guilt, and trauma of their families and friends; and exposing the systemic failures, missed opportunities, and societal prejudices that fueled his reign of terror." Though based on a true story, the series does feature fictionalized elements in adapting Gacy's all-too-real case.
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One of the first widely covered modern day serial killers in the United States, this dramatization of Gacy's story shines a light on the investigators, the victims, and their families who toiled to bring the killer to justice.
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy boasts an incredible ensemble of actors who humanize and bring context to the era and the early days of psychological profiling, while also refocusing on the lives lost in Gacy's murderous pursuits. Below is a primer of the main cast and who they play in the series.
Meet the cast of Peacock's Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
Michael Chernus as John Wayne Gacy
New York City theater aficinados and/or Orange Is the New Black fans will immediately know the incredible talents of actor Michael Chernus, who embodies the role of John Wayne Gacy. His range of film roles includes everything from Mistress America to Spider-Man: Homecoming. On television, he was Cal Chapman in Orange Is the New Black, and currently plays self-help author Dr. Ricken Lazlo Hale in Severance.
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Gacy was a life-long resident of Illinois, brought up in the suburbs of Chicago with his two sisters. He had a complicated relationship with his alcoholic father. As he hit adulthood, Gacy's behavior began to hide his deviant behaviors from his parents and then his first wife, Marlynn Myers. His position as vice president of the Springfield Jaycees allowed him to live a double life, one where he presented himself as a pillar of the community while simultaneously treading in drugs, pornography and prostitution. His behavior eventually led to his first sexual assault in 1967. It took more than a decade before the eventual discovery in 1978 of his murder and sexual assault of at least 33 young men and boys.
Gabriel Luna as Detective Rafael Tovar
A familiar face in sci-fi and fantasy films and television series, actor Gabriel Luna plays Des Plaines, Illinois Detective Rafael Tovar. Luna also started in theater as a founding member of the Austin, Texas based Paper Chairs Theatre Company. His breakout television role was playing Tony Bravo in Matador, and then his prominent role as Ghost Rider in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Most recently, he's played Tommy Miller in HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us.
Detective Tovar was the first Spanish-speaking police officer in the Chicago suburbs in 1970, and the Gacy case would become the most prominent case in his long career as an investigator. He worked tirelessly with his team of investigators to unravel the stories behind the bodies found in Gacy's home.
Chris Sullivan as Bill Kunkle
This Is Us fans know actor Chris Sullivan as Toby Damon on the long-running NBC family drama. A Chicago theater actor and improv player, Sullivan is a character actor known for his variety of memorable roles in film and television. He first made his mark as Tom Cleary in the period medical drama The Knick.
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Sullivan plays William J. "Bill" Kunkle Jr., the chief trial prosecutor in the John Wayne Gacy case. He built a case that eventually secured the death penalty for Gacy. The 2021 Peacock docuseries about Gacy revealed the complicated saga of Gacy's crimes and the timeline of his arrest and prosecution.
James Badge Dale as Joe Kozenczak
A frequent face in cop and military-themed shows, actor James Badge Dale plays Lt. Joe Kozenczak. Dale first made an impression as Simon in the 1990 film adaptation of Lord of the Flies. He followed that up with roles in Iron Man 3, World War Z, and The Walk. On television, he played Chase in Season 3 of 24, Samson in The Black Donnellys, and Ray in Hightown.
Kozenczak was a Lieutenant and Chief Investigator of the John Wayne Gacy serial murder investigation in 1978. Their investigation of the disappearance of Robert Piest led the police to Gacy, his home, and the cellar which revealed the bodies of his many victims. Kozenczak served as chief of police of Des Plaines from 1985 to 1989, and he eventually wrote a book about the Gacy case, The Chicago Killer.
Marin Ireland as Elizabeth Piest
A familiar face in indie features and Broadway plays, actress Marin Ireland plays desperate mother, Elizabeth Piest. On film, she was most recently seen in The Boogeyman and Materalists. On television, she played Julia Bowman in Sneaky Pete, Sissy Cooper in The Umbrella Academy, and Nora in Y: The Last Man.
Elizabeth Piest was the mother of Gacy's final victim, 15-year-old Robert Piest. It was her 46th birthday when her teenage son went missing. It was her call for help about his disappearance that reached Lt. Joe Kozenczak, who started the investigation that eventually led to Gacy and his many crimes.
All eight episodes of Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, the limited series, will be available to stream exclusively on Peacock beginning October 16.
