Kenneth Branagh William Shakespeare Director, Actor, Producer Judi Dench Anne Hathaway Actor Lydia Wilson Susanna Hall Actor Hadley Fraser John Hall Actor Jack Colgrave Hirst Tom Quiney Actor John Dagleish Rafe Smith Actor Sean Foley John Lane Actor Ian McKellen Henry Wriothesley Actor Gerard Horan Ben Johnson Actor Sam Ellis Hamnet Shakespeare Actor Kathryn Wilder Judith Shakespeare Actor Matt Jessup Frank Actor Ben Elton Screenwriter Ted Gagliano Producer Tamar Thomas Producer Laura Berwick Executive Producer Becca Kovacik Executive Producer Judy Hofflund Executive Producer Matthew Jenkins Executive Producer Zac Nicholson Cinematographer Úna Ní Dhonghaíle Film Editing Patrick Doyle Original Music James Merifield Production Design Michael O'Connor Costume Design Lucy Bevan Casting Emily Brockmann Casting