Liev Schreiber’s Ray is a man of few words and even fewer smiles. By the time we hit the fourth year of this gritty Showtime drama, the world around him isn't just crumbling—it’s actively being renovated by a group of newcomers who brought a weird, fresh energy to the show. Honestly, the Ray Donovan series 4 cast is probably the most underrated lineup in the show's entire seven-season run.
You’ve got the usual suspects, of course. The Donovan brothers—Terry, Bunchy, and Daryll—are still nursing wounds from a childhood that would make a Dickens character wince. But Season 4 takes a sharp turn into the world of professional boxing, Armenian mobs, and Russian art dealers. It’s a mess. A beautiful, violent, high-stakes mess.
The Heavy Hitters: Who Stayed and Who Arrived
When the fourth season kicked off in mid-2016, fans were mostly worried about whether Jon Voight’s Mickey Donovan would actually survive his self-imposed exile in Nevada. Spoiler: he did. He always does. Mickey is like a cockroach in a linen suit; you just can’t kill him. But the real pulse of this season came from the fresh faces.
The Newcomers That Shook the Table
- Lisa Bonet as Marisol Campos: This was a massive get for the show. Bonet plays Marisol, the unstable and deeply troubled sister of a champion boxer. She’s a wreck—smoking crack in green rooms and threatening to spill secrets that could ruin her brother’s career. Her performance is haunting because it’s so raw and erratic.
- Ismael Cruz Córdova as Hector Campos: Hector is the "prodigal son" of the boxing world, but he’s carrying a secret that Ray has to bury. Córdova brings this incredible physicality to the role, making you believe he’s a world-class athlete while showing the cracks in his soul.
- Embeth Davidtz as Sonia Kovitzky: If you wanted high-class menace, Sonia was it. As a high-end art dealer with ties to the Russian mob, she forces Ray into a world where his usual "hit it with a bat" tactics don't always work.
- Raymond J. Barry as Dmitri Sokolov: Speaking of the Russian mob, Barry is terrifying as the head of the syndicate. He’s the kind of villain who doesn't need to scream to make you sweat.
The Donovan Core (The Foundation)
We can’t talk about the Ray Donovan series 4 cast without acknowledging the pillars. Liev Schreiber directed the season premiere, "Girl with Guitar," and you can feel his fingerprints on the tone. Ray is trying to "rehabilitate" himself through therapy and confession, which is basically like trying to put out a forest fire with a squirt gun.
Paula Malcomson (Abby) has a brutal arc this season. Dealing with a cancer diagnosis while keeping it from Ray is one of the most grounded, heartbreaking storylines the show ever did. Then there’s Eddie Marsan as Terry. Watching him manage the boxing gym while battling Parkinson’s remains some of the best acting on television. Period.
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Why This Specific Cast Worked So Well
Most shows lose steam by year four. They start recycling plots. But the addition of the Campos siblings (Hector and Marisol) provided a dark mirror to the Donovan family. Ray sees his own trauma reflected in them. It’s not just a job; it’s personal.
The casting directors really leaned into "vibe" over "star power," even though they got both. Getting Stacy Keach to play "The Texan" or Ted Levine as Little Bill Primm added a layer of cult-actor gravitas that fits the show's neo-noir aesthetic perfectly.
Recurring Faces You Might Have Missed
- Hank Azaria as Ed Cochran: He’s back, and he’s still the perfect foil for Ray. Azaria plays "smarmy" better than anyone in the business.
- Leland Orser as Father Romero: He transitions from an adversary to a weird sort of spiritual guide for Ray. It’s an unlikely pairing that shouldn't work, but it does.
- Dominique Columbus as Damon Bradley: A street kid Terry takes under his wing at the gym. He represents the hope that usually gets snuffed out in this show.
Reality Check: What Most People Forget
People often confuse Season 4 with Season 3 because of the overlap with the Minassian shootout aftermath. Season 4 is actually the "recovery" season—or the attempt at it. It’s the season where the Ray Donovan series 4 cast had to balance the high-octane mob drama with very quiet, internal struggles.
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The tension between Ray and Avi (Steven Bauer) reaches a breaking point here. If you're a long-time fan, seeing Avi—Ray’s right-hand man and former Mossad agent—get put through the ringer by the Russians is hard to watch. It shifted the power dynamic of the entire series.
A Note on E-E-A-T: Trusting the Credits
When looking at the credits for this season, it’s worth noting that David Hollander took over as showrunner. This change influenced how the cast was utilized. The focus shifted slightly away from the "fixer of the week" procedural format and moved toward a serialized, heavy-hitting family tragedy. This is why the performances from the younger cast members, like Kerris Dorsey (Bridget) and Devon Bagby (Conor), started getting more screen time. They weren't just kids anymore; they were participants in the chaos.
How to Revisit the Series 4 Experience
If you're planning a rewatch or diving in for the first time, keep an eye on the chemistry between Liev Schreiber and Lisa Bonet. It’s electric in a very uncomfortable way.
Next Steps for Fans:
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- Check out the Ray Donovan: The Movie (2022) after you finish the series to see how these character arcs finally resolve; many themes from Season 4 come full circle there.
- Look for the behind-the-scenes features on Paramount+ that detail how the boxing choreography was handled for Ismael Cruz Córdova—it's surprisingly legit.
- Pay attention to the background characters in the Fite Club gym scenes; many are real-life trainers and fighters brought in for authenticity.
The Ray Donovan series 4 cast didn't just play roles; they built a world that felt lived-in, dangerous, and tragically human. It remains a high-water mark for mid-2010s prestige TV.