The 100 has a fantastic main ensemble, but did you know it counts Stranger Things, The Good Place and Anne With an E stars among its guest cast?
That’s right, Jason Mendoza from The Good Place used to be one of The 100. (Maybe that’s the real reason he ended up in the Bad Place, spoiler alert.)
And Manny Jacinto is not the only former The 100 bit player currently making big waves on a hugely successful TV show.
Obsessed The 100 ~stans~ probably won’t find any surprises on this list, but if you’re a casual fan (or if it’s just been a while since your last rewatch), you might be surprised by just how many familiar faces have cropped up in minor roles on the post-apocalyptic drama.
Launch the time machine and let’s take a look at some of the many faces that rise from the ashes…
Finn Wolfhard (Zoran)
You probably know him from: Netflix’s Stranger Things, in which he stars as Mike. (“MIKE!”)
When the heck was he in The 100? Before his life got twisted upside-down, Finn Wolfhard appeared in the second season of The 100 as a young Grounder named Zoran who met and befriended Jaha (Isaiah Washington) in the desert.
The character was a so-called ‘frikdreina,’ born with deformities caused by the Earth’s heightened radiation levels and cast out by his own people. His parents left their clan behind to save his life, and then lived in the desert in search of the City of Light.
Manny Jacinto (Boy Bullied by Murphy)
You probably know him from: NBC’s The Good Place, in which he plays the forgetful yet unforgettable Jason Mendoza.
When the heck was he in The 100? The Vancouver native had a lot of bit parts before landing the role of Jason on The Good Place, and one of them was an unnamed delinquent in season 1 of The 100.
Jacinto appeared in 1×04 “Murphy’s Law” and 1×10 “I Am Become Death,” credited only as ‘Boy Bullied by Murphy.’ Death, indeed, becomes him.
Izabela Vidovic (Charlotte)
You probably know her from: Izabela Vidovic’s career has skyrocketed since her stint on The 100, so you’ve probably seen her in more than one thing! Career highlights include Wonder, About a Boy, The Fosters and iZombie (which also features Jessica Harmon, aka Niylah). Vidovic also plays young Kara on Supergirl, and will have a starring role in the upcoming Veronica Mars revival.
When the heck was she in The 100? It’s hard to forget about Vidovic’s turn on The 100, even though you might not make the connection: she played Charlotte, the traumatized delinquent who killed Wells Jaha (Eli Goree) and then threw herself over the side of a cliff.
Hiro Kanagawa (Council Member #3)
You know him from: SO MANY THINGS. Hiro Kanagawa has had major recurring roles in Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, iZombie, The X-Files (both new and original), Heroes Reborn, The Man in High Castle, Altered Carbon… to name a few.
When the heck was he in The 100? Kanagawa recurred in The 100 season 1 as an unnamed member of the Ark council. Considering the renown and talent of Kanagawa, it remains a mystery to me why his part on The 100 was so small; it is possible that, like Kelly Hu’s Callie Cartwig, he was originally meant to have a larger role which was scaled back due to plot restructuring.
Nesta Cooper (Shay)
You probably know her from: Netflix’s Travelers, on which she stars as Carly Shannon. She’s also appeared in Supergirl and The Magicians, among many other genre shows.
When the heck was she in The 100? Nesta Cooper only appeared in one episode, but had a significant impact: in the season 3 episode “Red Sky at Morning,” Cooper played the Floukru girl Shay whom Jasper briefly connected with before she was killed by ALIE’s cronies. Her death would further fuel Jasper’s mounting despair and hopelessness.
Cory Gruter-Andrew (Aden)
You probably know him from: Anne With an E season 2, in which he played original character Cole. No spoilers, but Cole turns out to be an important addition to the series and a powerful presence in Anne’s life.
When the heck was he in The 100? Cory Gruter-Andrew recurred in season 3 as Aden, one of the Nightblood novitiates who was being mentored by Lexa.
Aden was Lexa’s favorite and her presumed successor, and after her death, he promised Clarke that he (or whoever else became Commander) would continue to look after her interests. But Aden and the other novitiates were brutally murdered by Anakin Skywalker Ontari (Rhiannon Fish).
Dalila Bela (Leigh)
You probably know her from: Believe it or not, but Anne With an E has more than one The 100 player on its board. Dalila Bela of course plays Anne’s best friend Diana Barry.
When the heck was she in The 100? I know right?! Dalila Beate has a literal blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in the season 1 episode “Unity Day” as the child named Leigh — yep, the one who recited the Unity Day pledge and is promptly blown up.
Darren Mann (Chivalrous Boy #3)
You probably know him from: Like so many others on this list, Darren Mann has been swept up by the Netflix maelstrom. He is currently making a name for himself on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina as Ambrose (Chance Perdomo)’s love interest Luke. He also appeared on Wayward Pines as Kyle.
When the heck was he in The 100? Mann played a many-faced man, alternately credited as “Kid 1”, “Dying Kid #2,” and “Chivalrous Boy #3.” What do you mean, you don’t remember that guy?!
Tanaya Beatty
You probably know her from: Tanaya Beatty starred on The Night Shift as Dr. Shannon Rivera, and currently features on Yellowstone with Kevin Costner. She’ll play the pivotal role of Sacagawea in the upcoming Lewis and Clark miniseries.
When the heck was she in The 100? Ah, what might have been. Tanaya Beatty’s character Mel was introduced in season 2, the only survivor of an Ark lifeboat, whom Sterling (Keenan Tracey) died trying to save. Mel was almost certainly meant to have a bigger role, but randomly disappeared after only one more episode. Perhaps to go star in one of the many others shows Beatty has on her reel.
Shawn Mendes (Macallan)
You probably know him from: …Being Shawn Mendes.
When the heck was he in The 100? Perhaps a better question is: why the heck was this international superstar randomly in an episode of an (admittedly great) CW drama?!
Shawn Mendes actually showed up in the series’ third season at his own request, being a huge fan of the show (same, Shawn, same — hey, where’s my singing cameo?!). His character, ‘Macallan,’ traded some stolen stuff for a song, and got punched in the face by Jasper. Good times.
By the way, he is reportedly still alive, so who knows? Maybe Shawn Mendes can return to sing our heroes into the new world in season 6.
If you scour The 100 for recognizable background actors, you will also find what appears to be half the supporting cast of Man in High Castle, Heroes Reborn, Supernatural and Girlfriends Guide to Divorce (it’s almost like the Vancouver shows pull from the same bowl).
Osric Chau, Quinn Lord, Eliza Faria, Keenan Tracey, Vincent Vie and Elfina Luk are just some of the many recognizable faces that have appeared on The 100 over the five seasons.
We can’t wait to go back and watch it all with one eye trained on the crowd shots!
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