The final installment of the After franchise, After Everything, delivers an emotional and introspective conclusion to the passionate love story between Hardin Scott and Tessa Young. While fans have come to expect drama, longing, and redemption from the series, After Everything takes a more mature and reflective approach, exploring personal growth, accountability, and closure. Much of the film’s resonance comes from the cast—both the returning core actors who have carried the emotional weight of the saga since the beginning, and new additions who add depth and perspective to Hardin’s final journey. This is a closer look at the actors who bring these characters to life and how they each contribute to the series’ poignant conclusion.
Hero Fiennes Tiffin reprises his role as Hardin Scott, the complex, emotionally scarred protagonist. In After Everything, we meet Hardin at a crossroads. He’s reeling from his breakup with Tessa and struggling to complete his next novel. Determined to make amends for his past mistakes, he travels to Portugal to confront the pain he once caused and seek forgiveness from someone he deeply hurt. Hero’s portrayal of Hardin has evolved remarkably over the five films. From a guarded and angry young man to a more self-aware, vulnerable adult, Hero skillfully portrays Hardin’s inner turmoil and quest for redemption. Best known before this franchise for playing young Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Hero has become synonymous with the role of Hardin, and in this final film, he delivers his most nuanced performance yet.
One of the most notable new characters introduced in After Everything is Natalie, played by Mimi Keene. As someone from Hardin’s past in Portugal, Natalie represents a key turning point in his journey of self-confrontation and atonement. Their complicated history is slowly revealed, showing a side of Hardin we haven’t fully seen before—a young man capable of cruelty, but also one willing to change. Mimi Keene, known for her standout role as Ruby Matthews in Netflix’s Sex Education, brings depth and honesty to Natalie. She strips away the confident façade fans may associate with her previous roles, offering a grounded and emotionally charged performance that challenges Hardin to finally grow up and take responsibility.
Kiana Madeira reprises her role as Nora, a friend who offers a much-needed dose of reality in Hardin’s chaotic world. While her role is small, she symbolizes the kind of stability and empathy that Hardin has often lacked. Known for her roles in Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy, Kiana brings warmth and groundedness that balances out the emotional intensity of the film. Arielle Kebbel, who plays Kimberly, also returns in a supporting role. Her character, as Vance’s partner, helps reinforce the film’s recurring theme that growth and forgiveness often take time, and that love is complicated but worth fighting for.
Although Chance Perdomo’s character Landon Gibson does not appear in new scenes, he is featured in flashbacks that remind viewers of the loyalty and wisdom he’s always brought into Hardin’s life. Landon’s influence remains a gentle voice of reason in Hardin’s mind. Chance, well known for playing Ambrose in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, was a fan-favorite throughout the After series, and his brief appearance in this final film serves as a nod to that enduring friendship. Similarly, Carter Jenkins’ character Robert appears in archival footage, a reminder of past complications in Tessa’s life and the emotional evolution both she and Hardin have undergone.
