Fire Country is the action-packed drama that Virgin River fans are raving about, and I understand why. The gorgeous California setting, the intense wildfires, and the compelling storyline are just a few of the show’s biggest strengths. But if you ask me, it’s the cast of Fire Country that really makes the series shine.
Max Thieriot, co-creator and star of the show, told Collider, “With this show, we have an incredible cast, all of whom want to make the show better. It all starts on the page, and then everyone approaches it the same way, which is they want to elevate it and take it to the next level. Everyone brings so much to their characters, and really embraces who they are and what they’re doing in every moment, whether they’re in front of the camera or behind the scenes.”
With all the great performances, I wholeheartedly agree. And that’s why I created a complete guide to the cast of Fire Country, from Gilmore Girls alum Jared Padalecki to Black Lightning star Jordan Calloway.
1. Max Thieriot as Bode Leone
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Other credits: Jumper, The Pacifier, SEAL Team, Bates Motel
The California native made his acting debut as Gus in the 2004 film Catch That Kid, and has since appeared in films like Nancy Drew, Jumper, Foreverland, SEAL Team, and Bates Motel—marking his first TV series appearance. Also, fun fact: Thieriot is passionate about wine. He’s a wine grower and co-founded Senses Wines with two childhood friends in 2011.
For his role in Fire Country, Thieriot plays Bode Leone, a young convict who gets a rare chance at redemption when he volunteers in the California Conservation Corps Program in his former hometown.
2. Kevin Alejandro as Manny Perez
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Other credits: Arrow, True Blood, Southland, Lucifer
Alejandro has had quite a few notable roles, such as Nate Moretta on TNT’s Southland and Detective Daniel Espinóza on Lucifer—and that’s just scratching the surface. He’s appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, Arrow, Bones, Parenthood, Ugly Betty, and Weeds, to name a few. Additionally, Alejandro has directed several short films and TV episodes for Lucifer and Fire Country.
Alejandro’s character, Manny Perez, is a Cal Fire firefighter and former captain of Three Rock. He’s also a proud father who struggles with his dark past.
3. Jordan Calloway as Jake Crawford
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Other credits: Black Lightning, Riverdale, ER, Countdown
If you grew up on Nickelodeon, you’ll probably recognize Calloway as Addie’s best friend Zach Carter-Schwartz from Unfabulous. But this child star has come a long way. He studied film and television production at Azusa Pacific University and landed small roles on shows like Switched at Birth and House of Lies. He then landed a recurring role as Painkiller/Khalil on Black Lightning (one of my favorites).
Currently, on Fire Country, he plays Jake, a charming firefighter who is at odds with Bode because of his involvement in the death of Bode’s sister.
4. Stephanie Arcila as Gabriela Perez
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Other credits: Don’t Breathe 2, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Jenni Rivera: Mariposa de Barrio
Arcila has guest-starred on Black-ish, NCIS, Here and Now, and Supergirl, but she’s best known for Don’t Breathe 2 and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. She joins the cast of Fire Country as Gabriela, the daughter of Manny, a fellow firefighter and talented diver who finds herself caught in a complicated love triangle.
When discussing her character’s questionable choices in season three, she told TV Insider: “Gabriela has been keeping her secret all season one and two, and season three is when that secret is about to come out. But by the end, her whole life changes. She moves to the small town where she grew up, never really lived there, and her life completely changes.”
5. Jules Latimer as Eve Edwards
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Other credits: Rustin, Guilty Party
The proud Juliard graduate has appeared in stage productions like Paris, Angela’s Mixtape, and Romeo and Juliet. But she’s best known for her role as Joyce in the Oscar-nominated biopic Rustin, as well as Paramount+’s black comedy Guilty Party, starring Kate Beckinsale.
Latimer, by the way, plays Eve, Bode and Jake’s best friend—and she was partially inspired by the actress. She told ScreenRant, “I met with the writers right before we started the season… and I was like, ‘I really want to show that she’s a country girl.’ Personally, I’m from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and when I had the opportunity to come on this show and get to know Max [Thieriot], I was like, ‘We’re both rural people, and I don’t think we have a lot of images of Black people on farms or ranches.'”
6. Diane Farr as Sharon Leone
First appearance: Season 1, Episode 1, “Pilot”
Other credits: Roswell, Numb3rs, Californication
Farr is an actress, producer, and screenwriter best known for Numb3rs, Californication, and Rescue Me—in which Farr played a firefighter. Her other credits include White Collar, The Mentalist, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Two and a Half Men. Currently, as a member of the cast of Fire Country, she plays Sharon, Bode’s mother and Fire Chief Cal.
Speaking to Cinemablend about Sharon and Eve’s relationship, she said: “[Eve] was another woman at the company who had status, who had a chance to really shine in a male-dominated field, but she was also the little girl who used to come to my house. She had a motherly streak, and Sharon had a tendency to over-mother. So it was the perfect place for her to practice.”
In Fire Country, Padalecki plays Camden, a character with a traumatic past and a seemingly carefree personality that makes him one of the film’s most compelling characters. Thieriot told Cinemablend: “Jared was really serious about his approach… and the character and the story behind the character, and he spent a lot of time delving into this lone wolf concept. [He] brought in personal life experiences and things that meant a lot to him.”
