28 big actors you didn't realize were in 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' -

One of the series' greatest strengths is its cast of colorful, absurd, and creatively named characters from Quigley Quagmire to Person Of Indeterminate Gender. You probably already know Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf, the scheming evil actor who tries to whisk away the fortune of the Baudelaire orphans, and Patrick Warburton as Lemony Snicket, Handler's authorial alter ego and the on-screen narrator of the series. There are alsoMalina Weissman, Louis Hynes, and Presley Smith who play Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire.

The rest of the show's cast from Justice Strauss to Dr. Montgomery Montgomery are played by surprisingly major actors cameoing in the series.

Here's a list of who they are, as well as a handful of characters who don't appear in the book.

Joan Cusack plays Justice Strauss, Count Olafs neighbor who tries to help the children in "The Bad Beginning."

Strauss helps foil Olaf's first plot to steal the children's fortune. You might kow Cusack from "Working Girl,""In & Out," and providing the voice for Jessie in the "Toy Story" movies.

Broadway star and character actor Ken Todd Freeman plays Mr. Poe, the ineffectual banker in charge of the Baudelaire estate.

Freeman has two Tony Award nominations, from 1993 for "The Song of Jacob Zulu" and 2015 for "Airline Highway."

Former "Daily Show" comedian Aasif Mandvi plays Doctor Montgomery Montgomery, AKA Uncle Monty.

He's aherpetologist who takes care of the orphans in "The Reptile Room."

You might know Alfre Woodard from "12 Years a Slave" or "Luke Cage."

She plays Aunt Josephine, the orphans' cowardly guardian in "The Wide Window."

Comedian Catherine OHara plays Dr. Georgina Orwell.

She's a hypnotist and Count Olaf's ex-girlfriend. Orwell plays a big role in "The Miserable Mill" segment of the series.

"Miami Vice" legend Don Johnson plays Sir, the mononymous manager of the Miserable Mill.

More recently, Johnson had roles in "Django Unchained" and "Eastbound & Down."

Sunny Baudelaire is a baby played by Presley Smith, but her quasi-nonsensical lines are voiced by Tara Strong.

Chris Frawley/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. via Getty Images

Strong hasdone voice acting in everything from "Rugrats" to "Powerpuff Girls."

Gustav Sebald is mentioned only in passing in Handlers books. But in the Netflix series, hes played by Luke Camilleri.

In the first season of the show, his role is expanded from the books as a member of a secret society who tries to help the Baudelaires. You might recognize Camilleri from "Percy Jackson" and "Hemlock Grove."

Hes working with Jacqueline Scieszka, played by Vampire Diaries actress Sara Canning.

Canning's character isn't in the books at all.

In the book series, the Baudelaire parents are definitely dead. In the show, theres a parallel story of two parents escaping from somewhere. "Father" is played by Will Arnett.

By the end of the first season, all become clear.

"Mother" is played by Cobie Smulders, who starred in "How I Met Your Mother" with Neil Patrick Harris.

Are they really the Baudelaire parents, or someone else? The answer becomes more clear as the show's first eight episodes unfold.

Roger Bart, of "Desperate Housewives" fame, plays Vice Principal Nero.

He oversees the Baudelaire orphans' care on the "Austere Academy" episodes at the beginning of the second season. Bart also had a recurring role on "How I Met Your Mother."

Sara Rue, who fans may know from "Mom" or "American Housewife," plays Olivia Caliban.

Joseph Lederer/Netflix

She first appeared on season two as the librarian and later joined VFD.

"In Living Color" comedian David Alan Grier plays Hal.

Hal is the records keeper at the Heimlich Hospital, where the Baudelaires escape to after things don't work out at the Village of Fowl Devotees.

On the second season, were introduced to Esm Squalor, played by Lucy Punch.

Punch made her name as a comedic actress in"Hot Fuzz," "Bad Teacher," and "Into the Woods."

"Arrested Development" and "Veep" actor Tony Hale plays Jerome Squalor.

He's Esm's husband,a wealthy society man who adopts the orphans in the "Ersatz Elevator" segment.

The Village of Fowl Devotees Elders are played by Carol Mansell, Mindy Sterling, and Ken Jenkins.

Mansell was on "Down To Earth" in the '80s and has had few roles since.

Sterling is known for starring in the "Austin Powers" movies as Frau Farbissina and was on "iCarly," "Desperate Housewives," and "The Goldbergs."

Jenkins is best known for playing Dr. Kelso on "Scrubs."

Nathan Fillion plays Jacques Snicket, the brother of Lemony.

You might know Fillion from the cult classic TV shows "Castle," "Firefly," and "Serenity." Jacques is yet another member of the secret society VFD trying to help the Baudelaires on the second season.

Robbie Amell plays Kevin.

Eike Schroter/Netflix

Amell is in a bunch of shows from The CW, including "The Tomorrow People" and "The Flash." As Kevin, he's an ambidextrous "freak" at the Caligari Carnival.

Barry Sonnenfeld, showrunner of "A Series of Unfortunate Events," plays Ike Anwhistle, Aunt Josephines husband.

Eike Schroter/Netflix

Sonnenfeld has directed some episodes of the series.

Allison Williams is briefly shown at the end of season two and later introduced as Kit Snicket on season three.

Eike Schroter/Netflix

Kit is Lemony and Jacques' sister.

Richard E. Grant and Beth Grant (no relation) play the villains Man with a Beard but No Hair and Woman with Hair but No Beard, respectively.

Richard E. Grant may be recognized for his roles in "Logan" or on "Downton Abbey" and "Game of Thrones." He was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?." Beth Grant is known for starring on "The Mindy Project" and "Jericho."

Max Greenfield plays the Denouement brothers Frank, Ernest, and Dewey.

Greenfield is well-known for playing Schmidt on "New Girl." He was also on "Veronica Mars" and "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story."

Morena Baccarin plays none other than Beatrice Baudelaire, the childrens mother.

Eike Schroter/Netflix

Baccarin is known for starring in the "Deadpool" movies and in "Gotham."

Peter MacNicol is barely recognizable in his beard to play Ishmael.

MacNicol has been on a number of shows, including "Ally McBeal," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Veep." He was also in "Addams Family Values."

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