WHO IS “ARGYLLE”? GET TO KNOW THE CHARACTERS IN DIRECTOR MATTHEW VAUGHN’S LATEST ACTION-PACKED SPY MOVIE (Part 2)

AHEAD of the film’s opening on January 31, get to know the rest of the characters of “Argylle.” Take it from John Cena, who plays one of the book characters in the film. 

REAL WORLD (IN THE MOVIE)

Ruth (Catherine O’Hara)

Elly Conway’s long-suffering mother and de facto book editor, Ruth is proud of her daughter’s success, but worries about Elly’s obsessive devotion to her fictional world. “Every twenty pages another anvil drops,” O’Hara says of the film’s script, written by Jason Fuchs. “It’s really exciting, and I couldn’t stop reading.”

Alfred Solomon (Samuel L. Jackson)

Alfred Solomon is the former deputy director of the CIA, now living in exile, shunned from the spy world. “Alfred is kind of the master behind the screen,” Jackson says.

Saba Al-Badr (Sofia Boutella)

In the real world of Elly’s and Aidan’s race around the globe to protect Elly from The Division, Saba Al-Badr is the mysterious “Keeper of Secrets,” who resides in a fortress-like palace.

Alfie (Chip, real-life cat of supermodel Claudia Vaughn [née Schiffer])

Alfie is Elly Conway’s cat and her closest friend. She never leaves home without him, so when Aidan drags Elly on a life-or-death race around the globe – with Elly’s future and the future of the world hanging in the balance – Alfie is also hanging on Elly’s back, in a feline-couture backpack with a domed viewing window. “I drew inspiration from my kids, who had me watch a Taylor Swift documentary featuring Taylor wearing a cat pack,” shares Vaughn. “I made a mental note to use it in the future.”

BOOK CHARACTERS

Argylle (Henry Cavill)

Handsome, charming, with a flattop haircut, Argylle is, as imagined by Elly Conway in her novels, a world-class spy who will stop at nothing to bring justice to those who deserve it. He is the epitome of espionage cool. “I felt Henry could give me all the classic spy stuff,” says Vaughn. “He can give me a wink; he can do all the things I want from a spy.” Agrees John Cena, who also plays a spy in the film, “Henry has everything you want from a leading man,” says Cena. “Poise, charisma, professionalism. The man is just a flat-out stud.”

Legrange (Dua Lipa)

Elegant, beguiling, lethal and Argylle’s nemesis, Legrange is an international terrorist, working for the highest bidder. “The role needed someone instantly recognizable and glamorous,” says Vaughn. “My kids introduced me to Dua Lipa through her music and then I saw her on a chat show… she looked glamorous and exactly like what we were looking for in the role.”

Wyatt (John Cena)

Serving as the self-described “muscle,” Wyatt is the best-friend and main accomplice to agent Argylle. “John reached out to me expressing his interest in any role that might be right for him in my films,” Vaughn shares. “You often hear that in Hollywood, but with John, it was genuine. I offered him a small part, just a two-week commitment, and he enthusiastically said yes.”

Keira (Ariana DeBose)

In Elly Conway’s imaginary world of the Argylle novels, Keira is a field tech who often teams up with agent Argylle and Wyatt – usually to bail them out of trouble. “It’s one of those pinch-me moments,” DeBose says of sharing the screen with the film’s all-star cast. “I’m honored to be even a small part of this universe.”