In April 2022, FX released the limited series Under the Banner of Heaven. The series is based on the true story of the murders of Brenda Lafferty and her young daughter who were murdered by one Utah family’s spiral into LDS (Latter Day Saints) Fundamentalism. Detective Jeb Pyre (played by Andrew Garfield) investigates the unsettling murders and finds his faith as an LDS member being tested. The series mixes fact versus fiction and uses material adapted from Jon Krakauer’s non-fiction novel, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith.

The series stars Wyatt Russell as Dan Lafferty and looks into his descent into extreme fundamentalism, which leads him to ultimately help commit Brenda and her baby’s murders with the help of two of his brothers. The Lafferty family is part of the LDS community, but after Dan is left in charge of the family, Brenda, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones, finds herself at odds with his descent into fundamentalism. It’s up to Detective Pyre to find out what happened to Brenda and her daughter and how the entire Lafferty family comes into play with their murders. As he interrogates the different members of the family, his own faith is tested. A thrilling series, and one of the best of 2022, here are the best performances in Under the Banner of Heaven.

10 Seth Numrich as Robin Lafferty

     Hulu

Seth Numrich plays Robin Lafferty in Under the Banner of Heaven, a devoutly religious Lafferty brother. While his role in Brenda’s murder isn’t as large as Dan and Ron’s, he did play a part in her death. He is Dan’s right-hand man, but once Dan finds fundamentalism, he finds his own faith and love for his brother tested as he tries to decide between his LDS faith or if he too will follow his brother.

9 Denise Gough as Diana Lafferty

Denise Gough plays Diana Lafferty, the wife of Ron (Sam Worthington), in Under the Banner of Heaven. She was not raised in the Mormon faith, but converted upon marrying Ron and raised her children as Mormons. When her husband is passed up in favor for Dan as head of the family, she notices a change in him. Eventually, it’s revealed that Ron has decided to join Dan in his newfound fundamentalist beliefs, causing her to seek Brenda’s help. Unfortunately, it seems Brenda and Diana’s friendship helps lead to Brenda’s death.

8 Chloe Pirrie as Matilda Lafferty

Chloe Pirrie plays Dan’s wife Matilda in Under the Banner of Heaven. She had children with another man, but Dan took her in and raised the children as his own. Matilda is from Scotland, which is where she met Dan. Like Diana, she was not Mormon, but converted when she married Dan. As Dan spirals into fundamentalism, Matilda bears the brunt of it, and when he tries to make a pass at her eldest daughter, she finds herself faced with choosing between respecting her husband and protecting her daughters.

7 Rory Culkin as Samuel Lafferty

Rory Culkin plays the younger (and more outwardly unhinged) Lafferty brother Samuel in Under the Banner of Heaven. While his character is not directly involved in Brenda’s death, he hides from law enforcement and seems to have agreed to follow Dan into Fundamentalism. His performance earns Culkin a spot midway through the list as his scenes in the interrogation room with the detectives are haunting and truly showcase the actor’s talent.

6 Sam Worthington as Ron Lafferty

Sam Worthington plays the eldest Lafferty brother Ron in Under the Banner of Heaven, and is the only one to not follow their father in the practice of being a chiropractor. Ron is also the last member of the Lafferty brothers to accept Fundamentalism. After being passed over as head of the family, Ron seems to be clear of his family until he finds himself as devoted as Dan. It’s with Dan that he scares his wife into hiding and then helps to plot and kill Brenda for being too strong-willed for a woman.

5 Billy Howle as Allen Lafferty

Billy Howle plays Allen Lafferty, Brenda’s husband, in Under the Banner of Heaven. Allen is the primary suspect in Brenda’s murder, but while in custody he begins telling Detective Pyre the story of how his brothers fell deeper and deeper into fundamentalism. It’s his talks with Detective Pyre that help to solve Brenda’s case, but at the cost of Pyre questioning his own religious beliefs. Howle’s performance as Allen is brilliant. The actor launches into storytelling, all the while battling the love for his brothers, but confusion as to why his wife and infant daughter were murdered.

4 Gil Birmingham as Detective Bill Taba

Gil Birmingham plays Detective Bill Taba, Pyre’s partner. He is an outsider to the Utah Mormon community, not only because he is non-white, but also because he is not Mormon. His differences help keep a level head in the case while his partner starts to unravel. Birmingham’s performance helps Pyre understand what it means to be outside the Mormon church and how his questioning of beliefs is okay.

3 Daisy Edgar-Jones as Brenda Lafferty

     FX

2022 was an outstanding year for the young Daisy Edgar-Jones. In Under the Banner of Heaven, she expertly played Brenda Lafferty, the strong-willed woman who married into a corrupt Mormon family and suffered the price for daring to speak her own mind. Edgar-Jones’ portrayal of Brenda showed just how courageous and brave she was for not only being a woman, but for never settling for anything less than the best. What she wanted, she was not afraid to go for, even though the very way of life she married into threatened her at every turn.

2 Wyatt Russell as Dan Lafferty

     FX / Hulu

Wyatt Russell’s name has been all over limited series lately. His dedication to the roles along with memorable performances allow for his characters to stand out among casts of strong characters. Early on in Under the Banner of Heaven, it was made obvious that the character of Dan Lafferty was not a “good guy.” While it wasn’t explicitly stated until later in the series just how extreme his character would get, fans had a good idea that Dan had something to do with Brenda’s murder. As this rabbit hole was discovered, Russell’s commitment to the role made the view of Fundamentalists terrifying while shedding light on their way of life.

1 Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Pyre

     Hungry Jackal Productions

It should be no surprise that Andrew Garfield’s performance as Detective Jeb Pyre tops our list. It was his performance that earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. As a devout Mormon, his character had arguably the toughest time in the limited series, having to try and understand why another Mormon would ever find it acceptable to kill a mother and her baby. Garfield’s ability to show these different stages of grief as the investigation unfolded gave viewers an inside perspective on a strict religion and way of life.