Netflix's Pulse Cast & Character Guide (2025)

Pulse's cast includes a lot of famous actors whose previous work many might be familiar with. Premiering on April 3, the Netflix show gives a twist to the best medical dramas by focusing on a trauma center overwhelmed by a natural disaster. Following Doc’s viewership increase, Pulse could see similar success, especially as fans of the Fox series wait for season 2. With a central romance that fuels tension among the characters and a citywide crisis pushing the hospital to its limits, Pulse is set to deliver both emotional depth and high-stakes adrenaline as Miami reels from a devastating storm.

Created by Zoe Robyn and Carlton Cuse, Pulse has been compared to early Grey’s Anatomy, with one star saying “It's sexy, and it's romantic, and it's dramatic.” The show’s synopsis certainly promises plenty of tension, centering on Dr. Danielle Simms, who is unexpectedly promoted to Chief Resident after her ex-partner is suspended from the position. Still grappling with the fallout of their breakup, Simms must not only prove herself to her superiors and colleagues but also navigate the challenges of working alongside her former love — just as a natural disaster creates an onslaught of critical cases.

Pulse Main Cast & Characters
Actor	Character	Picture
Willa Fitzgerald	Danielle Simms
Colin Woodell	Xander Phillips
Justina Machado	Natalie Cruz
Jessie T. Usher	Sam Elijah
Jessica Rothe	Cass Himmelstein
Jack Bannon	Tom Cole
Jessy Yates	Harper Simms
Néstor Carbonell	Dr. Ruben Soriano
Daniela Nieves	Camila Perez
Chelsea Muirhead	Sophie Chan

Willa Fitzgerald As Danielle Simms

Date Of Birth: January 17, 1991

• Active Since: 2007

Actress: Willa Fitzgerald was born in Nashville, Tennesse, and broke big in MTV’s Scream: The TV Series, where she played the leading final girl, Emma Duval. Since then, she’s starred in BBC One’s miniseries dramatization of Little Women and USA Network’s adaptation of Megan Abbott’s teen mystery thriller, Dare Me. Most recently, she played The Lady in Strange Darling and was nominated at the Critics Choice Awards for portraying Young Madeline in Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher.

Character: Willa Fitzgerald leads Pulse’s cast, playing Dr. Danielle Simms, a third-year resident at Maguire Medical Center. After the fallout of a very complicated romantic relationship comes to light, Simms is suddenly promoted and forced to continue working with her ex-partner, Dr. Xander Phillips. When a growing storm brings an onslaught of trauma cases, she will not only have to prove herself as a medic but as a woman and respectable colleague.

Colin Woodell As Xander Phillips

Date Of Birth: December 20, 1991

• Active Since: 2013

Actor: Colin Woodell was born in San Francisco, California, and had his breakout role in The Originals, playing Aiden in season 2 of the show. He starred in Unfriended: Dark Web as Matias and in Peacock’s The Continental as Winston Scott. Notably, he acted alongside Kaley Cuoco in the dark comedy thriller The Flight Attendant, which was nominated for the 2021 and 2023 Critics' Choice Awards. Previously, he had appearances in XOXO and Designated Survivor.

Character: Colin Woodell shares the lead with Fitzgerald and plays Dr. Xander Phillips, former Chief Resident and Danielle’s ex. When he faces a suspension, Phillips’s respected status at Maguire Medical Center hangs by a thread, especially as his secret relationship with Simms is exposed to his colleagues. However, when a storm hits Miami, he is called back to the hospital, where he will try his best to support Danielle as she fulfills a bigger role, though he may not be able to let go of his feelings just as easily.

Justina Machado As Natalie Cruz

Date Of Birth: September 6, 1972

• Active Since: 1993

Actress: Justina Machado was born in Chicago, Illinois, and broke out as Penelope Alvarez in Norman Lear’s sitcom One Day at a Time. She’s had recurring roles in Six Feet Under, Jane the Virgin, and Queen of South, and has made special appearances in a number of TV shows, such as Law & Order, The Fosters, Desperate Housewives, and Switched at Birth. Machado has already acted in several medical dramas, including ER and Private Practice. Recently, she starred in Prime Video’s The Horror of Dolores Roach.

Character: As part of Pulse’s main cast, Justina Machado portrays Dr. Natalie Cruz, Chair of Surgery and Emergency Medicine at the Miami trauma center. Cruz chooses Danielle as Dr. Xander Phillips’ replacement after his suspension, appointing her as Chief Resident. At the same time that she mentors other residents amidst a violent storm, she has to deal with the consequences of Phillips and Simms’ relationship while she actively tries to support the latter's focus on her career.

Pulse Supporting Cast

The Medical Drama Stars Known TV Talents

Jessie T. Usher as Sam Elijah: the actor is most known for playing A-Train in Amazon Original’s The Boys. Other notable credits include Smile, Camila Mendes’ Dangerous Lies, Survivor’s Remorse, Independence Day: Resurgence, and Level Up. In Pulse, Usher plays Sam Elijah, Danielle’s close friend and colleague, who stands by her as her world implodes.

Jack Bannon as Tom Cole: Jack Bannon broke big by playing Alfred in Pennyworth, also known as Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler. He also had recurring roles in Medici, Endeavour, and The Darkness. In Netflix’s new medical drama, Bannon portrays Tom Cole, a fellow resident at Maguire Medical Center who seeks the truth behind Dr. Xander Philipps' suspension while he deals with his personal problems.

Jessy Yates as Harper Simms: the actress is a recent graduate of Yale School of Drama. As an emerging performer, her roles include playing Morgan in Me and being the voice of Rae in Skillsville. In the Netflix show, she plays Dr. Harper Simms, possibly a sibling to Danielle, and an emergency medic with her own story.

Néstor Carbonell as Dr. Ruben Soriano: Carbonell has received nominations for his roles as Richard Alpert in Lost, Luis Rivera in Suddenly Susan, Vasco Rodrigues Shōgun, Sheriff Alex Romero in Bates Motel, and Yanko Flores in Apple TV+’s The Morning Show. In Pulse, he plays Dr. Ruben Soriano, a top medic who doesn’t agree with Cruz’s appointing Simms as Chief Resident.

Jessica Rothe as Cass Himmelstein: Rothe is best known for starring in Happy Death Day and its sequel as Tree Gelbman. She acted alongside Dakota Fanning in Please Stand By and had notable appearances in Valley Girl, Amazon Prime’s Utopia, and Boy Kills World.

Daniela Nieves as Camila Perez: the actress broke out playing Patricia Giraldo and Adriana Montiel in the soap operas La Viuda de Blanco and El Rostro de Analía. She also had recurring roles in Una Maid en Manhattan, Nickelodeon’s Every Witch Way, WITS Academy, Five Points, Save Me, and Peacock’s Vampire Academy.

Chelsea Muirhead as Sophie Chan: An emerging actress, Muirhead has acted in a few TV movies and short films. Most notably, she played Sasha in Slo Pitch, Yan Mi in Warrior, and Lissa Dragomir in Peacock’s Vampire Academy. The actress plays Sophie Chan in Pulse, a resident at Maguire Medical Center who’s being mentored by Dr. Natalie Cruz.