‘Escape at Dannemora’: The TV Characters vs. Their Real-Life Counterparts (PHOTOS)
Paul Dano as David Sweat
Dano portrays Sweat, who famously escaped the prison in June of 2015. He also shares an intimate relationship with prison worker “Tilly” in the series.
David Sweat
Real-life convicted killer Sweat was in prison for life without parole, but escaped with fellow inmate Richard Matt in 2015. It took authorities more than 20 days to find him.
Benicio Del Toro as Richard Matt
Del Toro portrays convicted killer Richard Matt, the so-called “head-honcho” of his cell block. He gives off some serious mobster vibes in this role, with his slicked-back hair and eerily calm but threatening demeanor.
Richard Matt
Fellow escapee Matt was serving a 25-to-life sentence at Clinton Correctional before making a break in 2015.
Patricia Arquette as Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell
In the series, Arquette portrays middle-aged wife, mother, and adventure-seeker “Tilly.” She dabbles in illegal affairs with inmates Sweat and Matt.
Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell
The real-life “Tilly” famously met with the police multiple times to give tips on the men, but landed herself in hot water when they caught on to her involvement.
Eric Lange as Lyle Mitchell
Known for his roles in Narcos, Lost, and Waco, Lange plays husband to Arquette’s “Tilly.” Observing her odd behavior, Lange captures the simple but perceptive temperament of the upstate dweller.
Lyle Mitchell
Husband to Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell, Lyle stood by his wife following the scandal claiming she was forced to do the things against her will even if one of those included a plot to kill him.
Bonnie Hunt as Catherine Leahy Scott
As the New York State Inspector General, Hunt’s character is tasked with uncovering the mystery behind Sweat and Matt’s escape by questioning “Tilly.”
Catherine Leahy Scott
One of the leads in the case’s investigation, Scott worked closely with “Tilly” on gathering information about the escape.
David Morse as Gene Palmer
One of the prison guards at Clinton Correctional, he has a close relationship with Matt and traded a painting in exchange for provisions and favors.
Gene Palmer
The real-life Palmer wound up in prison, much like “Tilly,” for his admitted involvement in the escape.
Showtime‘s miniseries Escape at Dannemora tells the true story of the 2015 prison break of two inmates at Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York, painting an intricate portrait of the people involved, and the title is now officially available for streaming on Netflix.
With an all-star cast that includes Oscar-winners Patricia Arquette and Benicio Del Toro as well as Golden Globe nominee Paul Dano, the series has managed to find the perfect people to play these roles. And a side-by-side comparison only confirms the wonderful casting.
Click through the images above to see how the actors in character vs. their real-life counterparts measure up!
Escape at Dannemora, Streaming now, Netflix and Paramount+
Conversation5 Comments
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O
I think the movie was great,and they matched up the right actors to look like the real people
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B
I can't even see Patricia Arquette in the real picture. Doesn't look anything like her.
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O
Many people blame her, I see it as another case of "corporate greed". S civilian should have never been out in a position to be alone with a prisoners, not only that, but alone with personal or any contact. This prison should have been made responsible for the cost of the man-hunt for the scapees, a wrongful death benefits for the daughter of the dead prisoner, and disability benefits to Patricia's family. Maybe if these Prison Corperations are held accountable financially for escapees and for any civilians injured on site, they may take security more of a priority.
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G
Excellent cast and they played the roles to the tee.
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R
David Morse Gene Palmer...you can't fool me...that is the SAME person!!??!!
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