Luther: Characters

Find out more about the characters in Luther and what makes them tick.

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John Luther (Idris Elba)

DCI John Luther works for London's Serious Crime Unit where he demonstrates his impressive powers of deduction and strong intuition. His work always comes first, but he pays a heavy price for his dedication with his own personal demons putting him at odds with loved ones and colleagues alike.
Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson)

Alice Morgan was a child genius who got a PhD in astrophysics at the age of 18. Cold and volatile, she was suspected, but never proven to have murdered both her parents.

Luther becomes her friend and foe, and she becomes his greatest temptation.
DCI Ian Reed (Steven Mackintosh)

John Luther's long-standing, loyal friend has suffered three failed marriages as a result of his job and sympathises with the turmoil in Luther's personal life.

Reed is a superb detective, who likes to bend, but not break rules, making him the ideal companion for Luther.
Zoe Luther (Indira Varma)

Zoe married John Luther while they were both still at university. After years of watching him become consumed by his work, eventually the marriage broke down and she fell in love with Mark North.
Mark North (Paul McGann)

Mark is a human rights lawyer for an international non-government organisation and is the antithesis of Luther. His relationship with Zoe inevitably brings him into conflict with Luther.
Justin Ripley (Warren Brown)

A young, ambitious policeman with textbook knowledge of the last fifty years of crime-solving. He is eager to be partnered with Luther and his unquestionably loyal, but has a strong moral compass of his own.

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John Luther (Idris Elba)

Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson)

DCI Ian Reed (Steven Mackintosh)

Zoe Luther (Indira Varma)

Mark North (Paul McGann)

Justin Ripley (Warren Brown)