The Bombing of Pan Am 103 tells the story of the deadliest act of terrorism in the history of Great Britain and what came after — a global manhunt that drew people and nations together in the service of justice.
Director Michael Keillor and lead writer Jonathan Lee both remember where they were in 1988 when the explosion of Flight 103 made national news. “I vividly remember catching snippets of the story on TV,” Lee tells Netflix. “It’s probably the first news story I really remember seeing play out on our boxy TV as a kid.”
The story has a particular resonance for Scotland; Pan Am 103 exploded above the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, drawing its residents into the crime. “I’m drawn to stories of injustice, and I thought it was a chance to make a big, bold project in Scotland, telling a very Scottish story,” Keillor says.
That resonance flows through to the cast. “We do have a very Scottish cast, which I think gives it a great local soul,” Keillor says. “A lot of those actors also remember what happened and knew where they were on that night.”
Now they’re retelling the story, from its heartbreaking beginning to its bittersweet conclusion. The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is now streaming on Netflix — read on to meet the cast bringing the new series to life.
Detective Sergeant McCusker is a Scottish police officer who finds himself at the heart of the investigation into Flight 103’s explosion. A staunch family man, Ed’s stiff upper lip makes it difficult for him to admit the impact the case is having on him.
Swindells was able to turn to the real Ed McCusker for advice. “Meeting Ed was great. He’s an incredibly warm, friendly man who was so generous with his time,” Swindells tells Netflix. “He had me around to lunch at his house. He was so generous with trying to recount as much as possible the events that occurred, lifting me up with as much support as he could.”
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FBI Special Agent Marquise leads the US response to the bombing, investigating whether the plane’s American citizens died in a terrorist attack. Marquise works to coordinate with his Scottish counterparts in spite of pushback from his superiors.
Like many of the cast and crew, the Canadian-American Adams remembers the explosion of Flight 103 well. “I was 7 years old when it happened, and I was living in the UK at the time,” he says. “As soon as I heard there was a series being made about the events, my first reaction was, ‘How has this never happened before?’ It’s such a monumental story and a historic moment.”
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A special assistant to Pennsylvania senator John Heinz, Turman becomes a champion for victims’ families, pushing the FBI for greater transparency and support for the bereaved.
While Wever wasn’t able to meet the real Turman, she dove deep into resources surrounding the case. “I remember in one interview, she said she knew when she was young that she wanted her life to be something other than long, and I think she certainly accomplished that,” Wever tells Netflix. “These events are a precursor to what ends up being her life’s work. She is able to take what she learns post-Lockerbie and apply it to her own home country after 9/11 — chillingly only mere months after the trial ends.”
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FBI Special Agent Thurman is an explosives expert who’s dispatched from the United States to Lockerbie to investigate the crash site. His forensic analysis of the scene is critical to proving the plane was taken down by an explosive.
Marsan found the story of Flight 103 almost as inspiring as it was horrifying. “The perseverance, care, and conscientious nature of the investigating team and the forensics specialists were incredible,” he says. “The way the community came together, internationally, to help the families of the victims was remarkable. It’s a very sad story, but it’s very inspirational.”
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After the crash, Lockerbie local Moira jumps into the recovery effort with both feet. She volunteers to help return belongings to bereaved relatives and even hosts families of the deceased when they visit the crash site.
The involvement of the women of Lockerbie piqued Logan’s interest in the project. “The women took the belongings of the victims and cleaned them up as best they could before repatriating the items to families and loved ones of the victims,” she says. “It was a really heartwarming thing for them to do. I was intrigued by that part of the story.”
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Detective Chief Superintendent Orr is the head of the Scottish side of the Flight 103 investigation. Orr is in charge of scouring the 850 acres of crime scene for evidence, as the world watches.
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Detective Chief Inspector Bell is a crucial investigator in the bombing case. He follows a trail of evidence to Malta, where the authorities may just have a breakthrough.
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Other cast members include:
