Netflix likes to gamble on high-concept genre mashups. Sometimes they land, sometimes they don't, but when We Have a Ghost dropped, people weren't just talking about the CGI ghost or the social media satire. They were talking about the people. Honestly, the We Have a Ghost cast is a weirdly perfect collision of Marvel veterans, indie darlings, and a comedy legend who basically carries the emotional weight of the film without saying a single word.
It’s a strange movie. You've got a family that moves into a haunted house, finds a ghost named Ernest, and instead of calling a priest, they start a YouTube channel. It sounds like a gimmick. But it works because the casting director, Sarah Finn—yeah, the same person who basically built the MCU—knew exactly how to balance the slapstick with genuine heart.
The Unlikely Anchor: David Harbour as Ernest
David Harbour is everywhere lately. From Stranger Things to Black Widow, he's become the go-to guy for "burly man with deep-seated feelings." In this film, he plays Ernest. Here is the thing: Ernest doesn't talk. Not once.
Playing a silent character for two hours is a massive risk. If the actor is too stiff, the audience gets bored. If they’re too expressive, it feels like bad pantomime. Harbour manages to find a middle ground that feels human. He uses his eyes and his posture to convey decades of confusion and loneliness. It’s a physical performance that anchors the entire chaotic plot. Most people don’t realize how hard it is to build chemistry with a teenage lead when you can’t exchange a single line of dialogue, but Harbour and Jahi Di'Allo Winston make it look easy.
His presence is the reason the "scary ghost" trope falls away within the first ten minutes. He looks like a guy who just got lost on his way to a bowling alley in 1972. That specific look—the combover, the bowling shirt—was a deliberate choice by director Christopher Landon to make him feel approachable and pathetic rather than terrifying.
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Anthony Mackie and the "Internet Fame" Dad
Then you have Anthony Mackie. He plays Frank Presley, the father. Frank is... well, he’s a bit of a piece of work. He isn't a villain, but he represents that very modern, very desperate urge to turn everything into a "content opportunity."
Mackie brings a high-energy, slightly manic vibe to Frank. It’s a total 180 from his role as Captain America. In this movie, he's a guy who has failed at multiple business ventures and sees a ghost as his final "get rich quick" scheme. The tension in the movie doesn't actually come from the ghost; it comes from Frank’s willingness to exploit his own son’s discovery for clicks.
- Jahi Di'Allo Winston as Kevin: He is the emotional soul of the film. Kevin is the youngest son, the one who actually sees Ernest as a person. Winston’s performance is understated, which is necessary because everyone else around him is being quite loud.
- Erica Ash as Melanie: She plays the voice of reason. While Frank is chasing viral fame, Melanie is trying to keep the family from imploding. It’s a thankless role in many scripts, but Ash makes her feel like a real person dealing with a ridiculous husband.
- Niles Fitch as Fulton: The older brother who is mostly there for the ride. Fitch plays the "cool older brother" role well, providing a bridge between Frank’s ambition and Kevin’s empathy.
Jennifer Coolidge and the Satire of the Supernatural
We have to talk about Jennifer Coolidge. Honestly, the movie shifts gears the moment she appears on screen as the "West Bay Medium."
Coolidge has experienced a massive career resurgence lately, and this role leans into everything people love about her. She plays a TV psychic who is clearly a fraud, but she plays it with such intense, misplaced confidence that it’s impossible not to laugh. Her interaction with the We Have a Ghost cast—specifically the scene where she encounters Ernest for real—is arguably the funniest sequence in the film.
It’s a short role. She isn’t in the whole movie. But her presence serves a specific purpose: it mocks the way the modern media machine chews up anything "extraordinary" and spits it out as cheap entertainment. Landon uses her to bridge the gap between the family's private haunting and the global frenzy that follows.
The CIA and the "Men in Black" Element
Just when you think it’s a family comedy, Tig Notaro shows up. She plays Dr. Leslie Monroe, a paranormal scientist who used to run a secret government program called "Wizard Clip."
Notaro is known for her deadpan delivery. Here, she uses it to play a character who is actually quite tragic. Dr. Monroe is a true believer who was sidelined by the government, and her pursuit of Ernest isn't about money—it's about validation.
The inclusion of a government agency (the CIA, specifically) hunting a ghost adds a layer of 80s Amblin-style adventure to the film. It feels very E.T. or Close Encounters. The cast is rounded out by actors like Steve Coulter, who plays the higher-up at the CIA, ensuring the stakes feel "real" even when the premise is absurd.
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Why the ensemble feels different
Usually, in these types of Netflix originals, you get one big star and a bunch of unknowns. Here, every role—even the smaller ones—is filled by someone who could lead their own show.
- Complexity of Intent: No one in the Presley family is purely "good" or "bad." Frank is greedy but loves his family. Kevin is kind but rebellious.
- Diverse Backgrounds: You have a mix of dramatic actors (Winston, Notaro) and comedic heavyweights (Coolidge, Mackie).
- Physicality: Because David Harbour doesn't talk, the rest of the cast has to react to his physical presence, which changes the timing of the scenes.
The Production Behind the People
Christopher Landon directed this, and if you know his work (Happy Death Day, Freaky), you know he likes to subvert genres. He didn't want a "horror cast." He wanted a "family dramedy cast" that just happened to be in a ghost story.
The chemistry between Jahi Di'Allo Winston and Isabella Russo (who plays the neighbor, Joy) is surprisingly sharp. Joy is the one who helps Kevin investigate Ernest’s past. Their "Gen Z" skepticism provides a great foil to the government's "Cold War" seriousness.
The movie was filmed primarily in New Orleans. You can feel that in the locations. The "haunted house" isn't a gothic mansion; it’s a drafty, slightly run-down Victorian that looks like it actually exists in a real neighborhood. This grounded setting makes the performances feel less like a "movie" and more like a weird story happening to real people.
Addressing the Critics: Was it Too Much?
Some people felt the movie was too long. At over two hours, it tries to be three different movies: a haunting, a road trip, and a government conspiracy thriller.
Does the cast hold it together? Mostly. The middle section of the film, where Kevin and Joy take Ernest on the road to find out who he really was, works because of the chemistry between the two kids. If you didn't care about their friendship, that entire 30-minute chunk of the movie would fail.
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Also, the mystery of "Who is Ernest?" is actually a decent procedural plot. It’s not just a ghost story; it’s a cold case. The We Have a Ghost cast has to shift from "scared of a ghost" to "detectives for a ghost," and the transition is surprisingly smooth.
What You Should Take Away
If you’re planning to watch or re-watch, keep an eye on how the family dynamics shift. The ghost is just a catalyst for the Presley family to deal with their own issues.
- Look for the non-verbal cues: Watch David Harbour's performance specifically. Notice how he mimics the people around him.
- Context matters: The film is based on a short story called "Ernest" by Geoff Manaugh. Comparing the cast to the original story characters shows how much "personality" Mackie and Harbour added to roles that were originally much thinner.
- Genre-bending: This isn't a horror movie. If you go in expecting The Conjuring, you’ll be disappointed. Go in expecting Beetlejuice meets The Goonies.
Practical Steps for Viewing:
If you want to get the most out of the experience, don't treat it as a background movie. Watch the scene where Ernest tries to scare the family for the first time. The reaction of Frank (Anthony Mackie) versus Kevin (Jahi Di'Allo Winston) perfectly sets up the entire conflict of the film. Frank’s immediate instinct to film it on his phone tells you everything you need to know about the modern digital age.
Check out Christopher Landon’s previous work if you liked the tone here. While We Have a Ghost is more family-friendly, his ability to mix humor with high-stakes tension is a consistent thread. You can also look into the "Wizard Clip" legend—it’s a real piece of American folklore that the movie references, which adds a bit of "true" paranormal history to the fictional CIA plotline.