There’s a reason the show is called Animal Kingdom — right from exploring humankind’s more wild, raw instincts to depicting our dog-eat-dog world, the Cody family truly sheds new light on the criminal world.
With so many mysteries set-up and a flurry of flashbacks and present stories intertwined, the character dynamics can get a bit confusing. (Plus, with all those incestuous vibes, you certainly need a guide to double check when someone is crossing a line.)
So without further ado, here are the main characters of Animal Kingdom. Sit back and read more about their roles and how they’re related to each other and the overall plot.
1Janine “Smurf” Cody
Smurf is the powerful, strict and calculative matriarch of the Cody family. The show focuses on how she got into this line of work, her motivations for keeping her business thriving, how she runs it and the methods she employs to control her family.
As the main protagonist, we get to look at her life both in the present and the past.
2Joshua “J” Cody
J can be termed as the secondary protagonist of the show. He’s Smurf’s grandson, through her daughter Julia. Animal Kingdom begins with J finding out that his mother has died, and now has to move in with his extended family, the Codys.
He is first caught up in the dilemma of questioning his family’s criminal enterprise and whether or not he should try to fit in. But he soon finds his place in this dangerous world.
3Barry “Baz” Blackwell
Baz is not related to the Codys by blood at all. Smurf adopted him when he was 12, as a way to get him away from his abusive home. As he grows up, he becomes the most sensible one in the family and takes on the role as head of operations.
However, he also poses as a throne in Smurf’s path when he questions her plans and the morality of the situation.
4Andrew “Pope” Cody
Pope is Smurf’s oldest son, through her relationship with Colin. He’s also twins with Julia, who is J’s mother.
Pope suffers from some mental ailments including OCD, and it is implied that he may have gotten it from his father who also suffered from PTSD. At the beginning of the series, he returns from prison for a robbery gone wrong.
5Julia Cody
As mentioned above, Julia is Pope’s twin sister and Smurf’s second-oldest and only daughter. She is said to have overdosed before the events of the pilot episode, which causes her son J to look for his estranged family, the Codys.
One big revelation that comes later in the show is that Julia and Baz had a relationship, and J is actually their son.
6Craig Cody
Drug addict and seller Craig is Smurf’s middle child, through her relationship with Jake Dunmore. Craig is often described as fearless and strong, but those traits also go hand in hand with being careless, erratic and having no concern for the consequences of anything he does.
7Deran Cody
Deran is Smurf’s youngest kid, through her relationship with Billy. When Deran comes out as gay, he challenges Smurf’s authority over the kids that hinges on a psychological incestuous approach. He also doesn’t approve of the family’s criminal activities and tries to distance himself from all of it.
8Catherine Belen
Catherine Belen is Baz’s girlfriend, with whom she has a daughter, Lena. Smurf has never liked Catherine being around and is always on the move to get her disposed off.
Pope, on the other hand, has had an obsessive infatuation with her despite the fact that Baz and Cath were dating since they were teens.
9Lucy
Lucy is another one of Baz’s girlfriends (who has known him since she was 16) and it is suspected that her son Carlos is their kid. She and her brother Marco also head a Mexican criminal group.
Lucy’s determination, intelligence, and cool demeanor makes her Smurf’s rival, who could one day even overtake the matriarch.
10Nicky Belmont
Nicky is J’s high school sweetheart, who is aware of his family’s background and even unwittingly gets sucked into it a little bit. Thankfully, she’s one of those characters who truly has a light shining at the end of the tunnel.
11Mia Trujillo
Mia, who is introduced to the show through a collaboration with Smurf, becomes J’s second paramour after Nicky. However, as she’s part of a gang too, she’s known to be vicious and has schemes and motivations of her own.
This makes her romance with J very secondary and at times, antagonistic.
12Jake Dunmore
Jake is Smurf’s hot and cold boyfriend, with whom she has her son Craig. We see a lot more of him in the past storylines than the present. As an active member of Smurf’s gang between 1977 to 1984, he’s known to be quite tough and ruthless.
About Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is an American drama television series developed by Jonathan Lisco. It is based on the 2010 Australian film of the same name directed by David Michôd, who is executive producer for the series, alongside Liz Watts, who also produced the 2010 film.
The series follows a 17-year-old boy, who, after the death of his mother, moves in with his estranged relatives, the Codys, a criminal family clan governed by the matriarch Smurf.
The crime drama stars Ellen Barkin, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Danielle Alonso, Molly Gordon, and Denis Leary. Season 6 will be the final season of the show.
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