Netflix is no stranger to creating fun and wildly entertaining original films, and the recently released coming-of-age teen comedy Incoming is no exception, with the raunchy farce following four eager freshmen as they tackle their insecurities and anxieties head-on and attend their very first high school party. Naturally, getting to the party proves to be tricky for the close pals and those who make it to the big shindig experience their own side-splitting hurdles as they face bullies, crushes, and pesky older siblings.
Incoming marks the directorial debut of writer/filmmaking brothers Dave and John Chernin, who had previously written episodes for the hit black comedyIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and created the sitcom The Mick. The uproarious comedy quickly became the top-streamed movie on Netflix upon its release on August 23, 2024, and featured some familiar faces among the young up-and-coming cast like Kaitlin Olson and Bobby Cannavale. Let’s take a look at where you’ve seen the cast of Incoming.
10 Mason Themes as Benj Nielsen
Young and talented up-and-comer Mason Themes stars as excited freshman Benj Nielsen, who is anxious to reinvent himself as he prepares to begin his high school experience with his close pals Connor and Eddie and navigate the unsettling and awkward world of adolescence. Themes made his feature film debut when he appeared alongside Hollywood heavy hitter Ethan Hawke in the 2021 supernatural horror hit Black Phone, portraying the teenage boy abducted by the serial killer The Grabber in the spine-tingling movie.
Themes Has Exciting Projects in the Works
Themes had previously appeared on the small screen in episodes of For All Mankind and the action crime drama Walker, the latter of which he portrayed a younger version of the legendary Texas Ranger.
The actor will be starring opposite Mel Gibson, Lorraine Bracco, and Kevin James in the upcoming adventure horror film Monster Summer, and will also be portraying Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III in the live-action adaptation of the DreamWorks animated success How to Train Your Dragon, in a role originated by Jay Baruchel.
9 Ramon Reed as Eddie
The entertaining Eddie is one of Benj’s long-time buddies who isn’t able to make it into the first epic party of the school year that his best friends Benj and Connor find themselves at. Ramon Reed is just starting out his career and Incoming is without a doubt the biggest entry in his acting resume and is just the actor’s second big-screen acting credit, as he had primarily appeared in TV roles prior to starring in the Netflix teen comedy.
Reeds Shows Off His Range
Reed showcased both his acting and singing skills when he coincidentally portrayed a character named Eddie in the 2022 coming-of-age musical dramedy 13: The Musical, which featured stars like Josh Peck, Debra Messing, and Rhea Perlman and was based on the popular stage musical. Reed played the lead role in the Disney Channel family comedy Just Roll with It, and also landed notable appearances in TV shows including The Goldbergs, 9-1-1: Lone Star, and That Girl Lay Lay.
8 Raphael Alejandro as Connor
Raphael Alejandro stars as the third and final member of the lead trio Connor, who like his pals wants nothing more than to take high school by storm and make a name for himself. Alejandro began his acting career at the age of 4 years old and made numerous appearances in television shows like Almost Human, Olympus, Once Upon a Time, and Raven’s Home. From 2018 to 2024, he played Matteo Silva in the Disney Channel original comedy Bunk’d, a spin-off of the popular series Jessie.
Alejandro’s Impressive Hollywood Resume
Alejandro has kept himself quite busy in recent years, landing roles in shows like Acapulco and Netflix’s That ’90s Show, while also finding success on the big screen in Jungle Cruise, The Boss Baby 2: Family Business, and How to Be a Latin Lover. He is set to lend his voice to the upcoming Chris Sanders sci-fi animated filmThe Wild Robot, which will feature the talents of Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, and Mark Hamill, in addition to a role in the animated action series Invincible Fight Girl.
7 Kaitlin Olson as Ms. Nielsen
Seasoned actress and comedian extraordinaire Kaitlin Olson portrays Benji’s mother Ms. Nielsen, and the side-splitting leading lady is perhaps most celebrated for her career-defining performance as Dee Reynolds in the long-running black comedy sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Olson has played the selfish and delightfully over-the-top character since 2005 and for 16 seasons, during which she met her co-star and future husband Rob McElhenney, who appears as the equally deplorable Mac.
A Big & Small Screen Comedic Threat
Olson has continued dominating the small screen and hilariously starred as Mackenzie “Mickey” Molng in the criminally underrated comedy The Mick as well as Cricket Melfi in Flipped, with the latter series earning the actress a Primetime Emmy nomination.
She currently appears in the recurring role of DJ Vance in the dramedy Hacks (for which she earned another Emmy nod), and is set to flex her more serious acting skills in the upcoming drama High Potential. Olson’s impressive film credits include The Heat, Finding Dory, Arizona, and most recently Champions.
6 Bobby Cannavale as Mr. Studebaker
Bobby Cannavale was an absolute riot as the wildly unprofessional, accident-prone chemistry teacher Mr. Studebaker, who just can’t seem to help himself and crashes the teenagers’ party. Cannavale has been a staple in the entertainment industry ever since he landed his breakthrough role as paramedic Bobby Caffey in 1999’s Third Watch, a series that led to countless other acting opportunities such as Will & Grace, Nurse Jackie, and Gyp Rosetti in the HBO period crime drama Boardwalk Empire, for which he earned a Primetime Emmy.
Cannavale Shines as a Leading Man
Cannavale’s other illustrious television credits include Mr. Robot, Homecoming, Nine Perfect Strangers, and The Watcher, and the charismatic actor effortlessly transitioned to the big screen and delivered dazzling performances in films like Blue Jasmine, I, Tonya, The Irishman, and Jungle Cruise.
He joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2015 when he appeared as Jim Paxton in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp, and will next appear in the upcoming action thriller Trap House and biographical musical Blue Moon, directed by Richard Linklater and co-starring Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley.
5 Isabella Ferreira as Bailey
Isabella Ferreira plays the object of Benj’s desire, Bailey, the friend of his older sister Alyssa whom he has a big crush on and hopes to woo and date. Ferreira is no stranger to appearing in the coming-of-age genre, as she had previously starred as Pilar Salazar in the smash-hit Hulu teen romantic drama Love, Victor from 2020 to 2022, a spin-off of the award-winning 2018 film Love, Simon.
Ferreira Dominates the Teen Genre
Ferreira had the recurring guest role of Eva Diaz on the Netflix juggernaut dramedy Orange Is the New Black and also had supporting roles in the anthology series Social Distance and as Sofia in Marvel’s Wastelanders: Wolverine. She appeared alongside Rowan Blanchard and Auliʻi Cravalho in the endearing coming-of-age romantic comedy Crush and sci-fi thriller Gray Matter, and is slated to star in the forthcoming comedy Almost Popular and drama No Address.
4 Bardia Seiri as Danah ‘Koosh’ Koushani
Bardia Seiri plays fellow insecure freshman and classmate Danah ‘Koosh’ Houshani, who wants nothing more than to fit in and make a smooth transition into high school life. Seiri began his acting career at a young age after his family moved from Iran to the United States, with the boy beginning in commercials before nabbing his major breakthrough role as Farouk Shami Hunt in the trailblazing medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, a portrayal that nabbed him a Young Entertainment Awards nomination.
Seiri Shows Off His Acting Chops
Seiri would star as Farouk in ten episodes of the long-running program from 2017 to 2022, and he also appeared in a slew of colorful shows like the sitcom Life in Pieces, The Chosen, SEAL Team, and Here and Now. The talented 17-year-old performer has also ventured into the world of cinema, starring in the crime drama Psychos & Socios and the short films Little Fig and Hidden, and his winning performance in Incoming will likely lead to more exciting acting opportunities.
3 Ali Gallo as Alyssa Nielsen
Starring as Benj’s older sister and the best friend of Bailey is Ali Gallo, who has crafted an eclectic television resume for herself and appeared in shows like Virtual Morality, Bunk’d (alongside co-star Raphael Alejandro), and in a guest role in Mindy Kaling’s critically acclaimed teen dramedy The Sex Lives of College Girls, which follows a group of freshman roommates who attempt to navigate the struggles of college and becoming an adult.
Gallo’s Amusing Zombie Farce
Gallo had a minor role in Before I Go and starred in the 2022 teen horror comedy Unhuman, which centers on a group of high school teenagers who must join forces and take on a hoard of zombies after their bus crashes. She currently has a few film projects in the works and will appear in the upcoming drama Everything I Ever Wanted as well as the comedies The Late Night Creep and I Hate Myself and Want to Die. Gallo will also be featured in the romantic drama TV series Forever.
2 Loren Gray as Katrina Aurienna
Singer and actress Loren Gray portrays Katrina Aurienna in the raucous teen comedy, one of the school’s most popular girls who has some unfortunate bodily mishaps in the film and is taken care of by Connor and Eddie. Gray is perhaps best known by younger audiences for her impressive social media presence on Instagram and TikTok, as she has more than 50 million followers on the popular platform.
Gray Transitions From Singing to Acting
Gray released her debut album Guilty in April 2023, and was nominated for the Social Star Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. She is just beginning to try her hand at acting, having only appeared in the 2021 sci-fi thriller Outsiders and the animated adventure comedy 100% Wolf, and her appearance in Incoming is the most prominent of her career thus far.
1 Thomas Barbusca as Ruby
Rounding out the core cast members of Incoming is Thomas Barbusca, who plays the trouble-making senior Ruby that gets Benj swept up in a fake drug sale much to his anger and dismay. Barbusca starred alongside Kaitlin Olson in the tragically short-lived comedy The Mick, portraying one of the three kids her character is tasked with taking care of after her sister and their mother flees the country.
Thomas & Olson Reunite
Barbusca has had a solid presence on the small screen in addition to his work in The Mick, making appearances in a myriad of shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Shameless, American Horror Story: Hotel, and Preacher. He starred as the camp bully Drew in the comedy miniseries Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, Alex Piper in S chooled, and as Werner in the dark comedy Black Monday. Barbusca also nabbed roles in movies such as North Hollywood, Luckiest Girl Alive, and Missing.
Incoming
is currently available to stream on Netflix.
