The Waterfront First Look From Netflix
Netflix has shared a first look at The Waterfront, the new drama series from Kevin Williamson (Scream, Dawson’s Creek, The Vampire Diaries). The eight-episode series will premiere on June 19, 2025.
For decades, the Buckley family has ruled Havenport, North Carolina, dominating everything from the local fishing industry to the town’s restaurant scene. But their fishing empire has started to crumble as patriarch Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany) recovers from two heart attacks, and his wife, Belle (Maria Bello), and son, Cane (Jake Weary), venture into the deep end to keep the family businesses afloat.
As their attempts spiral out of control and into treacherous waters, Harlan steps back in to take command. Facing her own demons, Buckley daughter Bree (Melissa Benoist) — an addict in recovery who’s lost custody of her son — finds herself entangled in a complicated relationship that could threaten the family’s future forever.
Inspired by true events and set against the backdrop of coastal North Carolina, The Waterfront comes from prolific showrunner Kevin Williamson. The twisty drama plays out over eight episodes that are as much about family dynamics as they are about the lengths people will go to when their legacy is on the line.
“This is about a working man who’s trying to make a go of it for his family. They’ve pulled themselves up from nothing, and they’ve built this mini fishing empire in their small little town,” writer, executive producer, and showrunner Williamson told Netflix blog Tudum.
“Now it’s being taken away from them bit by bit. They’ll do anything to hold onto it because it represents their family.”
Williamson says the series is ultimately about trying to find the “lesser evil” in a treacherous situation. “It’s just about a bunch of people who make mistakes. They do some bad things, and then they get in deeper and deeper and deeper.
“Sometimes they keep making worse mistakes and sometimes they find their way out and do the good thing.”
The executive producers include Ben Fast for Outerbanks Entertainment, Michael Narducci, and Marcos Siega. The guest stars include Topher Grace, Dave Annable, Michael Gaston, Gerardo Celasco, and Zach Roerig.
From Universal Television, The Waterfront was filmed in Wilmington and Southport, North Carolina. You can read more about the cast and their characters below.
THE WATERFRONT CAST AND CHARACTERS
Holt McCallany as Harlan Buckley: Is Harlan a hero? A villain? It’s a hard call. He’s a man who loves his whiskey and worked with his dad to build up the Buckley fishery in the ’80s — sometimes veering into illegal territory.
Since having two heart attacks, Harlan hasn’t changed much about his personal life, but his departure from the family business means that it’s now in the hands of his wife, Belle, and his son, Cane.
Maria Bello as Belle Buckley: A complex woman who is running the fishery in very questionable ways while trying to save the family. Between Belle and Cane’s desperation and foolish decision-making, Harlan is left with no choice but to take the reins once again.
Jake Weary as Cane Buckley: Cane is Harlan Buckley’s only son, and the two have a complicated relationship. But Cane never stops trying to do the right thing by his dad and also can’t seem to say no to him.
Married to Peyton, with whom he shares a young daughter, Cane likes the money his family business affords him — a Band-Aid for the life he got instead of the life he wanted.
Melissa Benoist as Bree Buckley: The intelligent and hot-tempered Buckley daughter who formerly oversaw the fishery’s finances and, like her father, has allowed alcohol to ruin her bright future. After losing custody of her son, she struggles to maintain a relationship with him while maintaining her sobriety.
Rafael L. Silva as Shawn Wilson: A newly employed bartender for the Buckleys, Shawn is intrigued by the family and carries a secret that could upend them forever.
Humberly González as Jenna Tate: A journalist who leaves the city to tend to her ailing father. Returning to her hometown, she’s confronted with past relationships, including her high school sweetheart, Cane, who still holds a flame for her.
Danielle Campbell as Peyton Buckley: A proper Southern woman, Peyton is built to sparkle. The wife of Cane and mother of their 8-year-old, she loves Cane and understands his complex relationship with his dad.
Brady Hepner as Diller Hopkins: Brady is Bree’s son, who now lives with her ex-husband. Diller is a resentful teenager, a product of having an alcoholic mother. Although Bree is looking to mend their relationship, Diller treats her with hostility and turns to his grandfather Harlan, whom he idolizes.
