The Queen's Gambit Review - 8 Ups & 1 Down

3. Great Performances By The Supporting Players

The Queen’s Gambit may be Beth’s story and a showcase for Taylor-Joy’s magnificent talents, but an honourable mention should definitely be given to the electric cast of supporting players.

Some of the young and budding cast that portray Beth’s friends and confidants include Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts, a cool, Cowboy hat-wearing Chess wiz; Harry Melling as Harry Beltik, Beth’s awkward friend-turned-lover; Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Townes, Beth’s quiet and reserved love interest, and Moses Ingram as Jolene, Beth’s orphanage friend.

All four cast members remain just on the outskirts of stardom (outside Brodie-Sangster starring in The Maze Runner and Melling starring as the spoilt cousin, Dudley in Harry Potter), and hopefully, their brilliant performances in this will take them over the edge and make them superstars.

Outside of this, some of the older and more experienced cast members include Bill Camp (The Outsider, The Night Of, Molly’s Game) as Beth’s mentor, Mr. Shaibel and Marielle Heller (director of many critically acclaimed gems such as Can You Ever Forgive Me and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood) as Beth’s adoptive mother, Alma.

The Queen’s Gambit remains a high point of production values and cinematography, however, in fact, it might actually be the series’ large ensemble cast that are possibly its strongest asset.

Speaking of which, that brings us onto…