"Horse," portrayed by Paul Barber, is one of the older Monty men and tends to take a back seat in his younger friends’ hijinks. Previously the life and soul of any party, Horse’s endless list of health problems has forced him to slow down in a world that’s speeding up. He’s terrified of becoming a burden and will pull on every reserve of resilience and strength he has rather than ask for help. He wants nothing more than to spend his days surrounded by his friends in the Big Baps, listening to their outrageous stories and diving into a slice of cake.

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Paul Barber is an English actor from Liverpool, Merseyside, whose career spans more than 30 years. His television work includes The Dumping Ground, Death in Paradise, Dalziel and Pascoe, The Green Green Grass, Only Fools and Horses and many more.&nbsp;His films include Gloves Off, One Night in Istanbul, Dead Man’s Cards and The Long Good Friday.Barber has also extensively appeared in the theater including Going Local (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Othello (Greenwich Theatre) and The Changeling (National Theatre London). For his work on The Full Monty film, Barber won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in 1998.

Older but not wiser, "Gaz," portrayed by Robert Carlyle, hasn’t leaned away from his mischievous ways and is constantly on the lookout for the next misguided (mildly illegal) get-rich-quick scheme. Despite the cheeky grin, everything Gaz does is for his friends and family, especially his two children, Nathan and Destiny, and grandson, Ben. Because he often misses the mark, Gaz has never been able to hold down a partner for very long and relies on his friends for company. In reality, no woman could ever come close to the real love of Gaz’s life—his best friend, Dave. Dave pulls Gaz back down to reality and Gaz lights a fire under Dave—they would be lost without each other.

Robert Carlyle headshot wearing a green jacket with a hood over his head

Having suffered from low self-esteem and a low wage throughout his life, "Dave," portrayed by Mark Addy, is delighted with his current work as caretaker at Sheffield Spires Academy. Although his wife, Jean, is his boss, Dave is genuinely thrilled to feel he’s helping to educate Sheffield’s next generation, even if the students keep him on his toes. Despite the worry that Jean is too good for him, Dave is proud to be on the arm of the glamorous headmistress. The pair have suffered a great loss which they never speak of, and that silence has put a significant strain their marriage. Dave now pours his energy into his work and their dog, Tallulah, and has less time for Gaz and his chaos. While he can be oblivious in life and complacent in his marriage, Dave is kind, patient and proud of the modest life he’s built with Jean.

Mark Addy headshot wearing a black zip up jacket and blue shirt

Current headmistress at Sheffield Spires Academy, "Jean," portrayed by Lesley Sharp, transformed herself from Matalan to designer in a matter of years. She’s a career-focused woman who is determined to keep her life on track. Frustrated as she is within her marriage, Jean prefers to keep her emotions locked away. With her focus on work, Jean has little time for the escapades of Gaz and the Monty men and wouldn’t be caught dead in the Big Baps. However, she isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty and will fight tooth and nail for her students and school.

Lesley Sharp headshot wearing a blue shirt and navy jacket in front of a blue background

Paul Barber headshot wearing a black hat and camo print jacket, standing outside.

Married to Dennis, "Lomper," portrayed by Steve Huison, hasn’t much changed from the shy, uncertain man who lost his mother 25 years ago. Now, Lomper is constantly bossed around by Dennis, but he doesn’t mind—he has little direction himself and enjoys making his husband happy. Like Gaz, Lomper often struggles to find practical solutions to issues and tends to wander into ridiculousness. Owning and running the Big Baps has brought purpose to Lomper’s life and he enjoys the stability of running the café with Dennis.&nbsp;

Steve Huison wearing a brown shirt and green jacket 

"Gerald," portrayed by Tom Wilkinson, is grumpier than ever. Having swapped ballroom dancing and gnome-collecting for endless people-watching in the Big Baps, Gerald likes to believe himself above the riffraff and loves to take the moral high ground. Happy to simply claim his pension, eat in the Big Baps and bemoan the state of the world, Gerald loves his friends and will be forever grateful to them for helping him through his divorce and injecting laughter into his life.

Tom Wilkinson headshot wearing a yellow plaid shirt with a gray vest over it

Lomper’s husband and grandfather to Cal, "Dennis," portrayed by Paul Clayton, pretends to look down at the ragtag bunch that frequent the Big Baps, but he secretly adores feeling included in the group. Dennis is finally living his dream—he and Lomper own their own small restaurant and are happily married. The power dynamic between them is evident—Dennis would micromanage every second of Lomper’s day if he could. He values control and respect but loves deeply, making him the perfect match for Lomper.&nbsp;

Paul Clayton wearing a pink and white plaid shirt with a blue jacket standing in front of a red background

"Nathan," portrayed by Wim Snape, is trying his very best to be anything other than his father, Gaz. Strong, solid and dependable, Nathan is a present, doting father to six-year-old Ben. While his career on the police force is a direct attempt to distance himself from Gaz’s capers, it’s also a handy way to keep a watchful eye on his father and Destiny when either are up to no good.&nbsp;

Wim Snape headshot wearing a United Kingdom Police uniform and hat

"Darren," portrayed by Miles Jupp, is recently divorced and looks up to the Monty men for advice on navigating life. Stuck in his ways, Darren tends to take life quite seriously and his only real passion is for woodwork and crafting from his garage. Without his ex-wife and mother around, he’s not entirely certain that he knows himself at all—he’s seemingly waiting for someone to tell him what to do. But after being laid off by his job, Darren’s beginning to question whether following the rules has ever really gotten him anywhere.&nbsp;

Miles Jupp headshot wearing a white shirt and red and blue plaid top sitting inside

Without much stability in her life, "Destiny," portrayed by Talitha Wing, is a chip off the old block. Tough, upfront and not to be messed with, Destiny and her hard nut friends rule the school and terrify the younger students. Destiny doesn’t particularly enjoy the reputation she’s made for herself, but she feels the need to distance herself from her musical talents. Having grown up too quickly with unpredictable parents in Yaz and Gaz, Destiny often takes on a parenting role with her younger twin siblings, Zar and Gul. Secretly hurt by Gaz’s absence in her life, Destiny often acts out and isolates herself when angry. While she’s open to forgiveness, she never, ever forgets.

Talitha Wing wearing a nose ring and green and brown jacket

Simon Beaufoy headshot wearing a gray hoodie and plaid jacket, standing by a brick wall outside

Uberto Pasolini headshot wearing a white collared shirt, in front of a gray background

Alice Nutter headshot wearing a denim shirt and standing in front of a green wall

Andrew Chaplin wearing a light blue shirt and standing outside

Lee Mason wearing black glasses and a black shirt

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Horse is one of the older Monty men and tends to take a back seat in his younger friends’ hijinks.

Paul Barber as "Horse" | The Full Monty on FX

Paul Barber

Career Highlights

Steve Huison
as Lomper

Tom Wilkinson
as Gerald

Paul Clayton
as Dennis

Paul Barber as "Horse" | The Full Monty on FX

Paul Barber

Tom Wilkinsonas Gerald

Paul Claytonas Dennis

Tom Wilkinson
as Gerald

Paul Clayton
as Dennis