It’s no exaggeration to say that Ghosts—CBS’s popular sitcom about a couple inheriting a country house inhabited by spirits of the past—thrives on the chemistry of its ensemble cast. The success of the show hinges on the dynamic performances of the actors who play its eight main ghosts, each bringing a unique charm to their character’s afterlife.
For these actors, Ghosts has been a career game-changer. Sheila Carrasco, who plays the free-spirited hippie Flower, shares how the show transformed her life: “I used to juggle multiple part-time jobs just to make rent and still audition. Now, I wake up every day and pinch myself—and I get weekends off!”
Henrietta “Hetty” Woodstone (Rebecca Wisocky)
Rebecca Wisocky’s portrayal of Hetty, the refined yet rigid wife of a robber baron, brings a Gilded Age essence to the Woodstone estate. Through interactions with other ghosts, her descendant Sam (played by Rose McIver), and even a temperamental washing machine, Hetty has grown to embrace both pleasure and change.
In the episode “Holes Are Bad,” Hetty reveals she took her own life out of despair and dissatisfaction with societal constraints, using the same phone cord that later saves Flower from a well. Wisocky explains, “Bringing to life a character who’s had 150 years in the afterlife to reflect on that choice and then uses it to save a friend—it’s a lot for a half-hour comedy, but Ghosts always finds a beautiful balance between humor and depth.”
Alberta Haynes (Danielle Pinnock)
Danielle Pinnock shines as Alberta, the Prohibition-era jazz singer inspired by icons like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. Alberta is brassy, bold, and unapologetically confident. This season, Pinnock explored Alberta’s romantic side following a shocking revelation: Hetty’s son was responsible for Alberta’s murder, poisoning her moonshine with strychnine.
Pinnock relished Alberta’s journey toward romance, particularly in the episode “Polterguest,” where she shares a connection with a Negro Leagues baseball player (played by Lamorne Morris). “Roles for plus-size women are often occupational or comedic side characters,” Pinnock says. “Playing Alberta as a romantic lead in this episode gave me the confidence to embrace that role.”
