Main characters
Annalise Keating
Born Anna Mae Harkness, Annalise Keating (portrayed by Viola Davis) is a high-profile Philadelphia-based criminal defense attorney and law professor at the fictional Middleton University. [1] [2] Annalise is an emotionally troubled woman capable of anything to get what she wants and to protect those she loves. Annalise has been romantically involved with Nate Lahey — although she used him multiple times as a backup — and her college sweetheart Eve Rothlo. In the first season, Annalise selects a group of her best students to work at her firm. The body of a student who has been missing for months, Lila Stangard, is found in the water tank of her house by a repairman. Annalise eventually gets involved in the accidental murder of her husband Sam Keating, co-caused by four of her students. In the aftermath of Sam's death, the four students come together to burn Sam's body during a university party and throw his remains in the trash. Their plan is flawed, and the police end up finding the remains and an investigation is initiated.
The second season deals with Annalise's case of Caleb and Catherine Hapstall, and their alleged involvement in the death of their adoptive parents. In the mid-season finale, Emily Sinclair is murdered, and Annalise helps cover it up, at the expense of her being shot in the stomach by Wes. [3] Wes Gibbins — who, during a while, was considered Annalise's favorite — starts an investigation around his mother's suicide ten years ago, and it is revealed from flashbacks how involved Annalise was with Wes' mother's suicide. [4] [5] The season ends with Annalise finding out that it was Frank that was responsible for her being in a car accident and losing her baby, and Annalise sends him away. [6]
During the third season, Annalise restarts teaching Criminal Law in a pro bono clinic and her students being defense attorneys, each one proving their cases to be the representation. [7] However, Annalise's position at the university is threatened, after an unknown person is targeting her with a series of flyers identifying her as a killer. [7] Frank has also gone missing with Annalise and Nate trying to find him, while the murder of Wallace Mahoney is still under investigation. In the mid-season finale, Annalise is arrested after Wes' corpse has been retrieved from her burning house. [8] However, Nate discovers that Wes was already dead before the fire started. The season later focuses on the investigation about Wes' death, and the identity of his murderer. While Annalise is having a hard time in jail, tensions rise within the remaining Keating 4, as they do not agree to consider if Annalise is really guilty or being framed. Soon, it appears the DA's office wants to keep Annalise in prison at any cost, so Bonnie and Frank team up to save her and eventually manage to get her free. She pins the murders on a deceased Wes thanks to a phone call he placed moments before his death. Days later, she writes recommendation letters to Connor, Michaela, Asher, Laurel, and Bonnie in order to let them go from her and the law clinic. She gets her license back after being caught with alcohol in her blood and also starts visiting a therapist, Isaac Roa. [9]
During the sixth season, Annalise is investigated and tried for the various deaths that have happened around her, particularly Sam Keating's. In flash-forwards, Annalise is shown to have died under unknown circumstances with a funeral being held in her honor. Ultimately, Annalise is exonerated of all charges after an impassioned closing statement in which she confesses her faults and the crimes she did commit over her career and shows everyone who she truly is for the first time. It's shown that after her exoneration, Annalise lived a long life with Teagen before eventually dying of old age with many of her friends and former students attending her funeral. After Annalise's death, Christopher Castillo takes over her old law class at Middleton and renames it How to Get Away with Murder in Annalise's honor, seeing her amongst the students for a moment before she vanishes.
For her performance, Davis won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2015. [10] The role also won her two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series, [11] [12] and one NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, as well as two Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. [13]
Nate Lahey
Nathaniel "Nate" Lahey Jr. (portrayed by Billy Brown) is a shrewd, fair and entitled detective with the Philadelphia Police Department who is having an affair with Annalise. [14] Nate is married to Nia, who was diagnosed with cancer prior to the series' beginning.
In the first season, Nate serves as strength for Annalise when the latter is having a hard time. He investigates the night Sam Keating left town for a conference—the same night Lila died—and discovers he went to Yale University and returned to Philadelphia during exactly the same time Lila was killed. Nate omits that fact from Annalise, but eventually reveals to her when they have a fight. By the end of the first season, Nate is charged for Sam's murder.
In the second season, Annalise arranges lawyer and her ex-lover Eve Rothlo to take Nate's case. Nia dies, not before having an awkward conversation with Annalise. Nate is released from his charges; however, he is accused of giving Nia pills so she can die the way she wanted to. He is once again represented by Rothlo. He is eventually released and helps Annalise with the murder of Emily Sinclair.
In the third season, Nate and Annalise have another vicious fight and he ends up sleeping with A.D.A. Renee Atwood, the one who was mounting a case against Annalise. However, Nate, realizing that Atwood only hired him to gain intel on Annalise, ends their relationship. Events lead to Nate and Laurel arriving in Annalise's house minutes before a fire blazes the house down while someone is inside. They go to the hospital, where Nate identifies the one who was inside the house as Wes. Nate and Laurel get close since Nate always liked Wes. He helps her in gathering info about the house fire. Nate also discovers that his signature is on the papers instructing Wes' body be moved, a falsification made by Atwood in order to win the case against Annalise. It is revealed that Atwood not only moved Wes' body and tried to frame Nate and Annalise for it, but also had his body cremated, making it impossible for a second autopsy to clear Annalise.
In the fourth season, Nate starts working with Bonnie against Annalise, which also includes trying to ruin one of her cases. His father subsequently becomes the star of Annalise's class action lawsuit that goes all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Annalise wins the case and the right for a retrial for all of her clients, including Nate Sr.
In the fifth season, after his father is murdered in prison, Nate nearly beats Ronald Miller to death at Connor and Oliver's wedding, suspecting him of being responsible for the murder. Bonnie subsequently suffocates Miller to protect Nate, though it is later discovered that Miller really was innocent and just trying to help Nate Sr.
In the sixth season, Nate seeks justice for his father's murder, filing a civil suit and ultimately learning that Xavier Castillo ordered the murder. With Annalise on trial, Nate is offered a deal to testify against her in exchange for immunity for his own crimes. At odds with Annalise, Nate is offered the chance at revenge when Annalise and Frank capture Xavier who confirms that he had Nate Sr. murdered on the orders of Governor Birkstead. Nate murders Xavier in retaliation and attempts to use it to get Jorge Castillo to turn against the governor. Nate also solves Asher Millstone's murder, helping the FBI catch the true killer, one of the governor's aides disguised as an FBI agent. Nate is subsequently offered a twenty million dollar settlement from the Attorney General for Nate Sr.'s murder. To Annalise's surprise, Nate testifies on her behalf on the stand, though he commits perjury that Annalise did not frame him and instead reveals the FBI and AUSA's crimes, including covering up the murder of Asher Millstone. Nate and Annalise subsequently make peace and Nate uses his settlement to open a rehabilitation center in his father's honor. Nate's testimony and advice helps clear Annalise of all charges and he provides Annalise with Wes' recovered confession which she destroys.
Wes Gibbins
Wesley "Wes" Gibbins (portrayed by Alfred Enoch) is a smart, sweet and eager-to-help student who was on the wait list for Middleton and is later selected to be part of Annalise's group. [15] In the first episode, Wes finds out that Annalise is cheating on her husband and this makes him and the professor closer. Wes is dogged by his next-door neighbor Rebecca Sutter, who was Lila's friend before her death. One night, after Rebecca is arrested for Lila's murder, Wes finds in his bathroom Lila's cell phone which Rebecca had hidden there the night before.
In the first season, Wes helps in Rebecca's case in court along with Annalise. Rebecca is eventually released and over time, she and Wes become romantically involved. The two along with Wes' colleagues become embroiled in Sam's murder. Wes gets overprotective of Rebecca in the meantime. Rebecca is eventually killed by Bonnie in order to protect Annalise.
In the second season, Wes gets shocked after finding out that his deceased mother Rose was Annalise's client and that he was born Christophe Edmond. He also is embroiled in Emily Sinclair's murder. Over time, he develops a romantic relationship with Laurel.
In the third season, Wes is killed while Annalise's house burns down. It is revealed that Dominic, Laurel's former boyfriend and good friends with Laurel's father, is responsible for Wes' death following orders he received from Laurel's father.
In the sixth season, in a flashforward, Wes or someone similar in appearance is seen attending Annalise's funeral. During her trial, Annalise worries that the prosecution will bring in Wes as a surprise witness or find the confession he had written. However, in the series finale "Stay," Nate recovers Wes' confession which is destroyed by Annalise. The person attending Annalise's funeral is revealed to actually be Wes' son Christopher who grew up to be the spitting image of his father and takes over Annalise's old law class.
Connor Walsh
Connor Morgan Walsh (portrayed by Jack Falahee) is a clever, whimsical and manipulative student who is selected to be part of Annalise's group and uses his sexuality to reach his goals. [15] He meets Oliver Hampton, a hacker, while trying to find information for a case; the two have sex and Connor gets the data he needed. Connor, who has slept with countless men, ends up clinging to Oliver, but Oliver rejects him after Connor himself kept Oliver away at the beginning. They eventually start a relationship.
In the first season, Connor gets involved in Sam's murder. He and Oliver take HIV test and find out that Oliver is HIV-positive.
In the second season, he is half-responsible for other murders.
In the third season, Connor tries to deviate from Annalise and the others after Annalise is arrested. However, he creates a plan to frame Annalise on all crimes and go unpunished. His friend does not allow it.
In the fourth season, Connor accepts Oliver's marriage proposal and applies for an internship. [9] He is turned down by the law companies, just like Asher. As a consequence, Connor begins facing an identity crisis, triggering him to drop out of college.
In the fifth season, Connor marries Oliver. In the series finale, Connor seeks a divorce before going to prison, but Oliver refuses to sign the papers. Years later at Annalise's funeral, Connor and Oliver are shown to still be together.
Rebecca Sutter
Rebecca Sutter (portrayed by Katie Findlay) is a drugs-inclined social outcast who was once the best friend of Lila, who is still dealing with her death. [16] [17] She befriends and eventually becomes romantically involved with boy-next-door Wes, who helps her when she is arrested for Lila's murder.
Rebecca is killed by Bonnie via suffocation in the first-season finale.
In the sixth season, Rebecca's murder is one of the crimes Annalise is tried for, though she is ultimately exonerated.
Michaela Pratt
Michaela Pratt (portrayed by Aja Naomi King) is a sophisticated, confident and silver-tongued student who aspires to be as successful a woman as Annalise is. [18]
In the first season, she is engaged to Aiden Walker; however, she finds out that her fiancé had a relationship with Connor years earlier in boarding school. Michaela and Aiden have a long discussion about their engagement. Michaela finds that she has an interview at a law firm, only to discover that it is her future in-laws who have called the meeting for a prenuptial agreement. Michaela meets with her future mother-in-law to discuss the prenup she is refusing to sign. She is involved in Sam's murder.
In the second season, Michaela sleeps with a man named Levi Wescott, who is revealed to be "EGGS911," an unknown messenger who tried to contact Rebecca before her death (disappearance for Michaela and the others) and Rebecca's foster brother. She also becomes romantically involved with Caleb Hapstall, one of Annalise's clients. By the end of the season, Michaela and Asher share an unexpected moment together which leads, in the following season, to a serious relationship.
In the third season, Michaela's foster mother Trishelle lives with her in her apartment for a while, but she leaves after uninterrupted fights with Michaela.
In the fourth season, she continues her relationship with Asher, and after she is dispensed by Annalise she applies for internships. [19] She accepts a job at Caplan & Gold and teams up with Laurel to investigate Laurel's father and Wes' death.
In the sixth season, Michaela is pressured into making a deal to testify against Annalise at her trial and is reunited with her biological father. As Annalise's trial progresses, Michaela shows an apparent lack of remorse for her actions and claims to be fine with the person she has become, causing Connor to label her a sociopath. With the help of her father, Michaela renegotiates an iron-clad deal that keeps her out of prison, while Connor is sent to jail for five years. As Connor is taken away, Michaela finds herself pushed away by Oliver and ghosted by Laurel, and is shown to be devastated and remorseful that her actions in her determination to avoid prison have cost her all of her friends. In a flash-forward, an older Michaela is shown being sworn in as a judge with two young women next to her, presumably her daughters. She is not present at Annalise's funeral unlike many of Annalise's other surviving friends and students, and the ultimate status of her relationship with her former law school friends is left unknown.
Asher Millstone
Asher Millstone (portrayed by Matt McGorry) is a privileged jokester who comes from a law-based background. [20] Initially, Asher is rejected by his colleagues because of his childish and irresponsible behavior. He is even excluded from Sam's murder. Over time, Asher develops a casual relationship with Bonnie.
In the second season, Asher becomes embroiled in the murder of Emily Sinclair after her actions caused his father, William Millstone, to commit suicide. After his father's death, he is excluded from his family, leaving him with no money and becomes closer to his colleagues, becoming aware of their criminal past. He begins a sexual relationship with Michaela, which leads to a serious relationship.
In the third season, he tries to glue the group together after opinions begin to diverge and Annalise is distant.
In the fourth season, he applies for internships but is turned down. He eventually obtains one from D.A. Miller.
In the sixth season's "Are You the Mole?" Asher is revealed to be the FBI informant, though he claims not to have given them anything concrete. He is subsequently beaten to death with a fireplace poker by an unknown assailant. His killer is later revealed to be Denise Pollock, a woman working for the governor and posing as the lead FBI investigator on Asher's death. After Nate discovers the truth and reveals it to the FBI, she is arrested. Asher's murder is one of the crimes Annalise is tried for, but Nate reveals the truth of his murder on the stand and the fact that the FBI tried to cover up one of their own doing it by getting Nate a twenty million dollar settlement for his father's murder. Annalise is subsequently exonerated of murdering Asher as well as of the other crimes that she has been charged with.
Laurel Castillo
Laurel Castillo (portrayed by Karla Souza) is a quiet, sensitive and ambitious idealistic who enrolled in law school to learn how to help the less fortunate. [15] [21] She manages to stay under the radar, making it easy for her classmates to underestimate her. With a profound attention to detail and inventive mind, she is talented and darker than expected.
In the first season, Laurel develops a sexual relationship with Frank Delfino as the two help each other with their struggles.
In the second season, Laurel and Wes investigate on Annalise's involvement with Wes' mother. They become romantically involved while Frank is away.
In the third season, Frank disappears and Laurel enters in the dilemma between Frank and Wes. Eventually, Wes is killed and she subsequently discovers that she is pregnant by him. Laurel, wanting to honor him, does everything to find out what happened to him and gets resentful after Annalise pins all the murders on a deceased Wes.
In the fourth season, Laurel begins to suspect her father, believing he is somehow guilty of Wes' death. [9] She applies for internships and initiates an investigation on her father's company and himself. [19] She does not show up for an interview for Caplan & Gold, where Michaela accepts a job, and the two women team up to investigate Laurel's father, whose company is represented by Caplan & Gold and who Laurel is sure to be responsible for Wes' death.
At the end of the fifth season, Laurel and Christopher vanish without a trace, leaving their fates unknown.
In season six's "Are You the Mole?", Laurel unexpectedly contacts her friends and reveals that she and Christopher are safe. Though the others think that Laurel made a deal with the FBI to be the mole in exchange for entering Witness Protection, Laurel insists that she is innocent on Christopher's life, having instead fled with the help of Tegan Price. The mole is subsequently revealed to be Asher who is later murdered.
In "Annalise Keating Is Dead," Laurel is called in as a surprise witness to testify against Annalise at her murder trial. Laurel explains that she was terrified about what her family would do to her and Christopher since Laurel might testify against them in the future and she enlisted the help of Tegan, an attorney who had negotiated Laurel's return when she was kidnapped as a teenager, to flee the state. Living in Brooklyn, Laurel was found by the FBI after Asher revealed her call which they were able to trace. In exchange for getting to keep Christopher and probation, Laurel agreed to testify that Annalise ordered the murder of Sam Keating and the coverup even though its perjury. During this time, Laurel is reunited with Frank and expresses remorse over her treatment of him. Frank gets Laurel to meet with Annalise who tries to convince Laurel to help her by reminding Laurel of everything that she has done for her, specifically saving Christopher. Though Laurel initially testifies on behalf of the prosecution, she suddenly admits to lying on behalf of the FBI and insists that Wes acted alone. As Laurel's friends confront her afterwards, she insists that she wants to be a good person instead of a lying manipulator. During the argument, the news breaks about the murder of Laurel's brother Xavier who had been killed by Nate in retaliation for his father's murder.
In "Stay," after her father Jorge lies on the stand for the governor, Laurel suggests having him killed and seeks out Tegan's help with something, promising her property worth millions in return; Jorge is subsequently killed in prison. During the shooting at the courthouse, Laurel flees in fear with Christopher and her phone is disconnected when Michaela subsequently tries to reach her. Years later, now gray-haired, Laurel attends Annalise's funeral with an adult Christopher and smiles at her old friends who are also in attendance. She apparently remained close to Annalise who is stated to have been a mentor to Christopher throughout his life. Laurel declines a chance to speak, but suggests that Christopher should.
Frank Delfino
Francis "Frank" Delfino (portrayed by Charlie Weber) is a reckless employee of Annalise's firm who is not a lawyer but handles special duties requiring discretion. [22] [17]
In the first season, Frank initiates a brash relationship with Laurel and continues to help Annalise with criminal and arcane tasks.
In the second season, he helps them with Sinclair's murder. In the third season, Frank disappears after Annalise discovers that, years earlier, Frank was responsible for the driver who hit in her car and made her lose her baby. He slowly returns in order to protect Annalise, Bonnie and Laurel and even lies to the police saying he killed Wes.
In the sixth season, Frank is revealed to be the child of Sam and Hannah Keating through an incestuous relationship, something that he was never aware of but that Sam was. Though Frank is suspected of murdering Hannah, he insists that he did not.
In the series finale "Stay," devastated by the news of his parentage, Frank breaks up with Bonnie and gives Gabriel Maddox, his half-brother through Sam Keating, money to start a new life and confesses to being responsible for both the deaths of both Lila Stangard and their unborn half-brother. Frank is able to find a recording Hannah made that helps to clear Annalise's name and implicates the governor in the murder of Nate Lahey Sr. After Annalise's exoneration, Frank shoots and kills Governor Birkhead on the courthouse steps in retaliation for her crimes and in his own words, to make everything right. Frank is shot and killed by the courthouse security guards in return, dying in Bonnie's arms after telling her to tell Annalise that he had to make everything right. Having tried to stop him, Bonnie is accidentally hit also and dies moments later.
Bonnie Winterbottom
Bonnie Winterbottom (portrayed by Liza Weil) is an odd associate attorney in Annalise's firm. [23] Described as a "peacemaker" by series' creator Peter Nowalk, [24] Bonnie is always trying to pull the right strings to make everything right and shipshape for Annalise. In her childhood, Bonnie was sexually abused multiple times by her father.
In the first season, she serves as Annalise's right-hand woman while assisting her in court. Over time, she develops a casual relationship with Asher. She kills Rebecca in order to protect Annalise.
In the second season, she embroils in Sinclair's murder and psychologically helps the involved. She covers up their tracks with the help of Nate, Annalise and Frank. She discovers that Frank was responsible for the death of Annalise's baby and eventually tells it to Annalise, culminating in Frank's disappearance.
In the third season, Bonnie secretly meets with Frank to talk and keep him updated. During one of these encounters, they have awkward sex. Along with Asher, she works to keep everyone united while Annalise is in jail. In Coalport, PA, Frank kills Bonnie's father at the prison in which he was serving time, avenging her mistreatment as a child. Later, Frank, trying to fix everything bad he caused to Annalise, is prepared to shoot himself in the head in front of her and Bonnie, leading to the duo's heated argumentation. Later, Bonnie convinces Frank to spare his own life for her sake, revealing their affair to Annalise and encouraging him to turn himself over to the DA's office to save them all from being arrested.
In the fourth season, Annalise gives Bonnie and the Keating Four recommendation letters and Bonnie uses it to become state prosecutor. [9] [19] She then begins working with Nate against Annalise. In Season 5 she begins dating the district attorney Ronald Miller.
In the series finale, Bonnie is accidentally shot and killed by courthouse security guards while trying to stop Frank from murdering Governor Birkhead. She dies in Annalise's arms moments after Frank's death.
Oliver Hampton
Oliver Hampton (portrayed by Conrad Ricamora) is a shy, delicate, soulful I.T. specialist and hacker, who gets infatuated by Connor. Connor first approaches him in the first season, needing info on a company to help with one of Annalise's cases. They have a sexual relationship until Oliver finds out that Connor is using him. However, Connor comes back to Oliver, telling him that he really likes him and that he had never felt this way towards anyone before. Connor moves into Oliver's apartment after Oliver gets diagnosed with HIV and they begin a relationship.
In the third season, Oliver proposes to Connor, but gets no answer.
In the fourth season, Oliver continues to ask Connor to marry, to which Connor eventually says yes. [9] After being fired by Annalise, Oliver builds up his own I.T. company.
In the fifth season, Oliver marries Connor.
In the series finale (Season 6), Connor seeks a divorce before going to prison, but Oliver refuses to sign the papers. Years later at Annalise's funeral, Connor and Oliver are shown to still be together.
Gabriel Maddox
In "Nobody Else Is Dying", Frank learns that a man named Gabriel Maddox (portrayed by Rome Flynn) is enrolling at Middleton University and he quickly calls Eve Rothlo, warning that "her kid is here." [25] After appearing in a guest capacity in the fourth-season finale, Flynn was promoted to series regular for the fifth season. [26]
In the fifth season, he is introduced as an ambitious and self-confident student who manages to enter Annalise's legal clinic, subsequently working alongside her and the others at Caplan & Gold. While investigating his daily life, Frank discovers that he uses a disposable phone and maintains a suspicious attitude. Gabriel is revealed to be Sam's biological child from Vivian Maddox, and claimed to go to Middleton to learn more about his father. However, he is shown to be involved with District Attorney Miller and his investigation into Annalise.
During the sixth season, Gabriel briefly has a romantic relationship with Michaela Pratt that doesn't end well. During Annalise's murder trial, he learns of the Keating 5's role in his father's murder, albeit in a perjured version from Michaela on the stand, devastating Gabriel. In the series finale, Frank Delfino, who has just discovered that he is Gabriel's half-brother through Sam's incestuous relationship with Hannah Keating, offers Gabriel a great deal of money so that he can leave and start a new life. Frank insists to Gabriel that Annalise is innocent of Sam's murder and admits to being the one responsible for the deaths of both Rebecca Sutter and their unborn half-brother. After Annalise is exonerated, Gabriel is seen taking the money and leaving for a new life; he is not seen in the flash-forwards at Annalise's funeral nor is his further fate known.
Tegan Price
Tegan Price (portrayed by Amirah Vann) is a sophisticated, intelligent lawyer at Caplan & Gold who believes in Michaela's professionalism and future. She, Michaela, and Annalise team up to help Soraya Hargrove's negotiation with her ex-husband regarding their children's custody. [27] After recurring in the fourth season, Vann was promoted to series regular for the fifth season. [28]
In season six, Tegan acts as Annalise's defense attorney in her murder trial and shows romantic feelings towards her. Tegan is revealed to be the one who helped Laurel Castillo vanish at the end of season five after Laurel feared for her and Christopher's lives. Additionally, Laurel testifies at Annalise's trial that Tegan (then working for Caplan and Gold's Mexico City branch) helped negotiate Laurel's release from a kidnapping ten years prior, resulting in Tegan being removed as Annalise's attorney. Tegan refuses to speak to Laurel over this betrayal, but Laurel offers Tegan property worth millions of dollars in exchange for a favor, apparently helping to set up the prison murder of Laurel's father. In flash-forwards, its shown that Tegan and Annalise enjoy a long and happy life together following Annalise's exoneration. Tegan is implied to have died before Annalise ultimately dies.
Emmett Crawford
Emmett Crawford (portrayed by Timothy Hutton) is a managing partner at Caplan & Gold who hires Annalise to work for the firm. His job is to make sure the firm does not receive any further setbacks following the arrest of Jorge Castillo, but rumors of misconduct have spread about him during his time working in London.
Emmett dies at the end of the fifth season; his death is ruled a heart attack, but a number of people believe that he was murdered by the Castillo family at behest of Governor Lynne Birkhead, as retaliation for damaging the governor's career. He is succeeded as managing partner by Tegan Price, who was suspected (but ultimately cleared) of causing Emmett's death.
