List of Sense8 characters


This is a list of characters of the Netflix television series Sense8.
Most characters in the main cast are called sensates and all are exactly the same age in the show, sharing the same birthday, August 8. During the Christmas special which shows the sensates celebrating their shared birthday, the candles on a birthday cake reveal their age to be 28. The actors selected are somewhere between mid-30s and early-40s.

August 8 cluster

The "August 8 cluster" are the main heroes of the series. Angelica Turing "gave birth" to this cluster shortly before her suicide. Jonas Maliki acts as their mentor. Throughout the first season, the sensates' new powers confuse them, as they frequently visit each other with no control via their newfound psychic link. Over the course of the season, they each get to know each other, eventually gaining more control over their abilities. By the end of season one, they may all visit each other and share their abilities at will, with everyone aiding Will when Riley is captured by the series' main villain, Whispers. During "A Christmas Special", they are all shown to be close friends now, frequently visiting the others, even when it's just to talk.

Capheus "Van Damme" Onyango

Portrayed by Aml Ameen in the first season and Toby Onwumere in the second. Gabriel Ouma portrayed a young Capheus.
Main skills and traits: endlessly optimistic outlook, inspiring positivity, unwavering moral advice, and expert driving skills.
A matatu driver in Nairobi, and a passionate fan of Jean-Claude Van Damme who is trying to earn money to buy AIDS medicine for his mother. Capheus owns his bus matatu business with his best friend Jela. Their business is failing, however, in competition with another matatu. One day, they drive through a shady part of a nearby city, where they are ambushed by a local warlord's men, who take their money and the medicine Capheus has bought for his mother. Capheus goes after them, and is about to be killed when he channels Sun, a sensate in his cluster with intensive kickboxing training, and who Capheus at first believes is the spirit of Van Damme. With her skills, they defeat the men, and his fighting skills gain his matatu business popularity, and draws the attention of Silas Kabaka, one of Nairobi's most powerful crime lords. He hires Capheus to drive his daughter Amondi every day to a CDC center for cancer treatment, as he cannot send his men to do it without drawing attention to her. When Silas is captured by his enemies, Capheus decides to save him, once again channeling Sun to defeat the men, saving Silas and reuniting him with his daughter. Capheus' driving skills often come in handy for the other sensates, and he is able to use this to help Nomi escape Whispers' men by taking over the drive through the streets of San Francisco.
His matatu is irreparable after his heist to save Silas, but Silas repays him by buying him a new one. Because of his reputation for taking down the superpower, his business is booming, and people begin seeing him as something of an idol. He is later approached to run for office, and run against the current politically corrupt president. His messages of hope and power ring true to the people in Nairobi however he is still targeted at one major rally and by people that think he is reckless. Silas even endorses him but it later turns out he is in love with Capheus' mother. After one rally goes terribly with riots breaking out as well as his staff turning against him, he is saved by the Superpower gang. He is also determined to quit, but his message and speeches go viral.

Sun Bak

Portrayed by Doona Bae. Jaein Lee portrayed a young Sun.
The daughter of a powerful Seoul businessman and a burgeoning star in the underground kickboxing world, with a master's degree in economics. When Sun's brother Joong-Ki is caught embezzling, Sun's father asks her to take the blame before the police and court find out, as Sun is already looked down upon by their partners for being a woman. Remembering her deceased mother's words to always look out for her brother, Sun agrees, and goes to jail for a crime she didn't commit. She becomes unpopular when she looks out for a woman who is often bullied by the other inmates. Sun helps her get revenge on the women picking on her, leading them to ambush Sun in the courtyard. Sun easily fends them off, but is locked in solitary confinement for fighting. Soon afterwards, her father comes to visit her, telling her that she has been a better child than her brother ever was, and that he will come forward about who really committed the crimes, as he wishes to free Sun. The next day however, Sun's brother visits and tells her that their father killed himself the night before. Sun is quickly able to realize that Joong-Ki killed their father after realizing he would come forward and that he would end up in jail. Sun is arguably the most useful of the sensates and is considered 'the muscle.' She often comes to rescue others in the cluster with her kickboxing skills whenever they are cornered, and especially when Will goes to free Riley from Whispers. She has the strongest bond with Capheus, and interacts with him the most.
During the next few months, Sun frequently visits the other sensates to escape from solitary confinement, while the women she defended bribe the guards to bring her presents. Eventually, Sun is let out of solitary and rejoins her friends in the main prison. Sun is eventually almost hung by some guards bought off by her brother but she is saved by a fellow prisoner, and they both break out with the help of her cluster. She finds a safe house but is frequently chased by law enforcement, most notably, Detective Mun. It turns out that he is looking to indict her brother and grant Sun with freedom but does not have enough evidence. Sun chooses to go undercover at a gala, serving cocktails with the help of Lito to confront her brother. At the night of the gala, Mun also captures Joong-Ki but he shoots him in the stomach and gets away. Sun pursues him in a high speed chase and pins him on the floor, she does not kill him and is arrested while Joong-Ki is escorted away by a politician friend. With the help of Nomi, who rigs the traffic light system and gets the police bandwagon to topside, Sun escapes and is rescued by Puck, who is somehow is Korea, and they are escorted away.

Nomi Marks

Portrayed by Jamie Clayton. John Babbo portrayed a young Nomi.
A trans woman hacktivist and blogger living in San Francisco with her girlfriend, Amanita. At a pride parade, Nomi falls unconscious. She ends up in the hospital, where her transphobic mother tells her that she won't let Neets see her. Nomi's doctor, Dr. Metzger, tells them that her brain has an illness that compromises her sense of reality, and she will need an operation that is essentially lobotomy. Believing Nomi is mentally unstable, they keep her in the hospital against her will. Nomi eventually finds out that her “doctor” works for BPO, an organization which hunts down sensates, owned by the series' villain, Whispers. Neets stages a breakout for Nomi, and the two begin investigating everything that's happening. They investigate the company, Dr. Metzger, his previous patients, and Whispers. The two find out that all of Dr. Metzger's previous patients who he had “diagnosed” with the same fake illness were sensates from other clusters, and they have all been lobotomized by BPO to the point that they are waking brain death patients. Nomi also discovers that Whispers can make their lobotomized zombie-like bodies do his bidding when he needs to eliminate threats so she and Neets attempt to stay off the company's radar for a while. Fellow sensate Will gets in direct contact with Nomi, and she uses her hacking skills to help Will save another sensate named Riley.
Now hiding from an FBI agent, Nomi and Neets eventually choose to move-in with her old hacking friend, Bug. She routinely helps out other sensates by being the eyes they cannot have by accessing security cameras in other rooms. She eventually gets tired of hiding from the FBI and gets a pass with the help of Bug. Bug gets the idea to give Nomi an 'E-death' meaning all her records and past crimes will be erased from the government records and she will be free. The E-death successfully works and she is finally able to be the maid of honour at her sister's wedding. During the ceremony however the FBI agent Bendix apprehends her, but without proof of warrant she is able to go free. At the end of season 2, Neets proposes to Nomi and in turn, Nomi proposes to Neets.

Kala Dandekar

Portrayed by Tina Desai. Yashvi Nagar portrayed a young Kala.
A university-educated pharmacist and devout Hindu in Mumbai engaged to marry a man she does not love. Her sensate cluster is born while she is stressed about her impending wedding. Through her new powers, Kala meets her fellow sensate Wolfgang. The two talk constantly, and Kala realizes she is beginning to fall in love with him. However, she was told on multiple occasions by Wolfgang to marry Rajan instead and forget about him, deeming himself as a monster just like his father and uncle. Kala often goes to the Temple of Ganesha to bring offerings and pray for advice. One day while visiting, she discovers her fiancé's father is trying to get the Indian government to enact a law that will restrict Hindu religious practice, which angered many fellow worshippers. After fainting at her own wedding by Wolfgang's nudity, she is later confronted by Rajan's father at the Temple of Ganesha to refuse the marriage where he is left in a coma after being stabbed by hooded figures. Kala's on-the-fly thinking and chemistry skills help free Riley, in the season one finale, from Whispers.
While on their honeymoon in Italy, Rajan confronts Kala about being a virgin, which makes her paranoid. While she does eventually decide to have sex with him, she is interrupted by Wolfgang, and does not go through with it. She spontaneously meets Ajay, one of Rajan's friends at an Art Gallery where they share a fondness for deity artwork. The battle for religious freedom is still an issue and Kala is still associated with the religious extremists, the crowd she does not want to be associated with. Rajan appears to be harboring secrets of his own and takes a trip to Paris, when it is revealed that he is investigating a political corruption case of Ajay and asks Kala to be escorted to a safe-house in Paris. Hoping to meet up with Wolfgang, she agrees until Wolfgang is taken by Whispers.

Riley Blue

Portrayed by Tuppence Middleton. Katrín Sara Olafsdóttir portrayed a young Riley.
An Icelandic DJ living in London who is trying to escape a troubled past. Riley begins the series by accidentally diving deep into the world of London's drug trade, and has many psychic encounters with Will, a sensate who is a part of her cluster. The two fall in love with each other. She finds that she cannot escape her tragic past and goes home to Iceland to confront it and reunite with her father, who is a famous Icelandic pianist. It is there that Riley's backstory is revealed. She was married once to a man named Magnus and was pregnant with his child. On the way to the hospital to give birth, a snowstorm hits and Magnus accidentally drives off the road. Her husband dies in the car crash and she is stuck in the overturned car. Her water breaks and she has to give birth in the wilderness. She takes her baby and tries to get to safety, but ultimately, her daughter freezes to death. In the present, Riley is haunted by survivor's guilt. While at her father's classical music concert, she falls unconscious and is taken to the hospital. Her unique brain scans garner the attention of the series’ villain Whispers, who leads an organization that hunts down sensates, and he abducts her. Aware of what is happening, Will goes to Iceland and uses his skills and those of other sensates to break her out. Before they escape however, Will looks into Whispers' eyes, which gives Whispers the ability to see and hear through Will's perspective. Riley helps Will use drugs to knock him unconscious to avoid Whispers learning their location. With this strategy, the two successfully escape, using a boat belonging to Riley's friend Sven to get out to sea.
Due to Whispers' being able to see through Will, she must constantly inject him with drugs to prevent the psychic link to revealing their location. Riley takes care of Will while in hiding and eventually the two decide to go to Chicago to visit Will's father.

Wolfgang Bogdanow

Portrayed by Max Riemelt. Lenius Jung portrayed a young Wolfgang in season 1, Mathis Wernecke a younger Wolfgang in season 2 et Lasse Bergmann a younger Wolfgang in the series finale.
A Berlin locksmith and safe-cracker who has unresolved problems with his late father and participates in organized crime. One night, he and his best friend Felix decide to rob Steiner, Wolfgang's cousin and enemy, of his most prized possession, a set of outstandingly expensive jewels. The two successfully rob him, and begin looking for buyers. While using some of their newfound fortune to go on a shopping spree, Felix is shot by the Steiner's men and is put into a coma. Throughout the series, the sensate who Wolfgang bonds the most with is Kala. Over time, the two fall in love. Wolfgang confronts and kills Steiner and his men with Lito's help, causing Sergei, Steiner's father and Wolfgang's uncle, to seek revenge. Wolfgang goes to Sergei's home to kill him and, with the help of Will and Kala, defeats all his men. Although, Sergei is left defenseless, wounded, and alone, Wolfgang shows no mercy, shooting him multiple times in the head. He then tells Kala that they cannot be together, because Wolfgang claims he is a monster. Wolfgang's skillful ruthlessness aids Will when Riley is kidnapped by Whispers.
Wolfgang is told that his actions may cause a dynastic war between Berlin's most powerful families. Sure enough, he is ambushed on New Year's, but he and Felix, who has woken up from his coma, survive thanks to the help of the other sensates.

Lito Rodríguez

Portrayed by Miguel Ángel Silvestre. Ramiro Cid portrayed a young Lito.
A closeted actor living in Mexico City with his boyfriend Hernando. Lito is pursued by his costar Daniela, whom he is using to make the public believe he is straight. One night, a tipsy Daniela visits his apartment, wishing to sleep with him and threatening to call the press in order to manipulate him into allowing her inside. Alone, Lito and Hernando reveal to her that they are lovers. She then agrees to help them keep this secret and quickly becomes one of their closest friends, sometimes participating with them sexually. While filming a movie, he meets the film's producer, whom he recognizes as Daniela's abusive ex-boyfriend and stalker, Joaquín. Later, Joaquín shows up at Lito's apartment, drunk and crying, and manages to steal Daniela's phone, which contains pictures of Lito and Hernando having sex. He threatens to reveal them to the public. Daniela wishes to protect Lito and Hernando and agrees to go back with Joaquín to prevent him from leaking the photos. Lito agrees to let Daniela do this. Hernando disagrees with the decision, becomes resentful of Lito for allowing Daniela to go back to her abuser, and breaks up with him. While grieving, Lito realizes he should not have let Daniela go back and decides to rescue her. He goes to Joaquín's house and channels Wolfgang's aggression, beating Joaquín to a pulp and taking Daniela home. After this, the three are reunited and he and Hernando get back together. Will is able to use Lito's acting skills to lie while in Whispers' facility.
After rescuing Daniela, Joaquín leaks the photos of Lito and Hernando to the world, ruining his career. He and Lito are evicted from their apartment, but Daniela allows them to stay with her.

Will Gorski

Portrayed by Brian J. Smith. Maxwell Jenkins portrayed a young Will.
A Chicago police officer haunted by an unsolved murder from his childhood. When the series begins, he tells his partner Diego about his supernatural experiences although he doesn't believe him. He begins investigating the unreported murder of Angelica, who keeps appearing to him in visions. Most of his initial sensate interactions are with fellow cluster-member Riley Blue and the two begin to fall in love. Soon Jonas Maliki, a sensate from Angelica's cluster, confronts Will in person about his role as a sensate. Will responds by turning Jonas in to the police and is viewed as a hero in his precinct. He begins to learn more about the other sensates in his cluster and how to utilize his new abilities. Eventually, he discovers that Riley has been captured by the series villain Whispers, whom Jonas has warned him about. According to Jonas, if Will looks into Whispers eyes, he will be able to see everything that he sees. Whispers is holding Riley in a private facility in Iceland, where she is to be experimented on. Will goes to Iceland and uses his skills, as well as the other sensates’ abilities, to save Riley. During their escape, however, Will accidentally looks into Whispers' eyes. Far from the facility, Will injects himself with drugs to lose consciousness to ensure that Whispers does not find them. Riley helps them successfully escape and gets Will to safety.
Because Whispers can now see through him, Will constantly inject himself with drugs in order to reduce Whispers' psychic influence. When awake, Will and Riley grow much closer. On Christmas Day, however, Whispers reveals to Will that his father has resumed drinking and is severely depressed without him. Will feels guilty, and Riley tells him they will go visit his father together.

Other series regulars

Amanita "Neets" Caplan

Portrayed by Freema Agyeman.
Nomi's girlfriend, who later becomes an ally for the new sensates.

Whispers

Portrayed by Terrence Mann.
A sensate who turned against his own kind for unknown reasons and leads an organization determined to neutralize or kill sensates. Despite his being a sensate and having a family of his own, he lacks empathy.

Sanyam Dandekar

Portrayed by Anupam Kher. Himanshu Powdwal portrayed a young Sanyam.
Kala's father, a chef and restaurant owner. He and his daughter are very close. Kala's fiancée Rajan constantly seeks his approval.

Jonas Maliki

Portrayed by Naveen Andrews.
A sensate from Angelica's cluster, who wants to help the newly-born cluster of sensates. By the end of season one, he is captured by the series' villain, Whispers.

Angelica "Angel" Turing

Portrayed by Daryl Hannah.
A sensate from an older cluster who becomes the "mother" of the cluster of eight new sensates as she activates their psychic connection. She kills herself before being captured by Whispers in order to protect the cluster she has birthed. Because she birthed the new sensates, her memories echo through them, and she can still somehow communicate with them. Jonas said "A genetic birth transfers genes. A sensate birth transfers sense experience and memory."

Recurring characters

The recurring actors are listed by the region in which they first appear.

In [Nairobi], [Kenya]

These are a few significant minor characters, such as celebrities making a cameo appearance.