ABC’s Alaska Daily is a new drama series that tells the story of a real-life phenomenon in the true-crime world. The overarching storyline is the investigation of missing and murdered indigenous women, otherwise dubbed “The Missing and Murdered.” In addition to its inclusion of the Missing and Murdered crisis, the series examines Alaskan issues with which audiences can identify: local government corruption, the American mental health crisis, environmental degradation, and more. Because the show takes place in Alaska, there are frequent mentions, allusions, and inclusions to the many indigenous communities that populate the area, thus making it the prime setting for exposing the violence against indigenous people.
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The series follows the story of Eileen Fitzgerald, a disgraced investigative journalist who, after having a bad source for a controversial story, is shunned from the industry. Stanley, an old colleague, offers her a position at a small local newspaper named The Daily Alaskan. She refuses on the basis that she has plenty of work to do, she’s not moving to Alaska for this meager job, and she’s renouncing journalism until she can clear her name. Eileen quickly changes her mind when Stanley explains why he needs her to join his newsroom. The Daily Alaskan needs her to join the team as they break one of the biggest stories in Alaska, possibly the United States.
As new episodes premiere, it’s important to understand the many unique characters within this cold-case puzzle. Here is a character guide for the central cast of Alaska Daily.
Eileen Fitzgerald Is a Disgraced Journalist on the Case
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Hilary Swank plays Eileen Fitzgerald, an ousted, disgraced journalist from New York. When one of Eileen’s sources was called into question, she was ultimately forced out of her high-profile job as an investigative reporter. On top of her reporting snafu, Eileen’s overactive social media presence resulted in her becoming a victim of “cancel culture.” After these events, Eileen struggles to regain her footing in her career; with no job prospects, she devotes herself to writing a book detailing the scandal, ultimately with the intention of clearing her name.
Her former boss, Stanley Cornik (Jeff Perry), presents a job offer to Eileen because of her ferocious investigative reporting skillset and his need for something (or someone) to bolster The Daily Alaskan newspaper. She agrees, after learning about the Missing and Murdered phenomenon, acquiescing that she can continue to work on her book as she reports.
Her character is markedly deadpan, sarcastic, and straightforward. At the beginning of the pilot, representatives from her old employer went as far as to say she had a “reputation for being abusive” after Eileen was abrasive to an intern. Eileen fired back, “I’m not going to pull punches. This is a newsroom, not a daycare. That’s how you learn, that’s how I learned.” When she meets the newsroom for The Daily Alaskan, she tries her best to forge positive relationships only to ultimately prioritize the story above all else. As the series progresses, Eileen will have to work with not only a partner but an entire team as she exposes one of the most virulent stories in American history.
The Daily Alaskan’s Star Reporter and Editor
Grace Dove portrays Roz Friendly, a star reporter at The Daily Alaskan. She is a talented, ambitious reporter with significant ties to the community she writes about. Additionally, Roz has a personal connection to the Missing and Murdered investigation in addition to her cultural heritage; her cousin was abducted and later murdered in the pattern of violence against native women.
In the pilot, Stanley assigns Roz and Eileen to the Missing and Murdered story, requiring two ’lone wolf’ reporters to work collaboratively. It becomes clear that Roz resents Eileen’s confident, reckless nature as their investigation styles clash. However, they are equally important to each other. Eileen trumps Roz in experience and brings “fresh eyes” to the table. Roz maintains an understanding of how the many indigenous cultures enmesh in the area in addition to having deep background knowledge. Whether they like it or not, the two are thrust together to work on this story.
Jeff Perry portrays Stanley Cornik, the managing editor of The Daily Alaskan. When introduced, it’s implied that Stanley had a working relationship with Eileen Fitzgerald some twenty-some-odd years ago. Both Eileen and Stanley confirmed this when explaining their shared history to the owner of The Daily Alaskan. When working at The Cleveland Dispatch years prior, Eileen wrote a “great story” that Stanley didn’t publish after facing significant pressure. Similar to the pilot episode, Eileen presented Stanley with a publish-or-I-walk ultimatum. Stanley didn’t publish it, Eileen quit, and Stanley has been riddled with guilt.
While his motivations for hiring Eileen and investigating the Missing and Murdered phenomenon remain elusive, Stanley is the calm, level-headed captain of The Daily Alaskan. He provides insight, feedback, and wise guidance to his fleet of reporters. The years of experience gave Stanley a “salt” or “grit” that parallels Eileen. Because of that, it’s clear that throughout the show, the reunited pair will labor together to reinvigorate the paper and solve an expansive cold case.
The Daily Alaskan’s Staff
Meredith Holzman plays Claire Muncy. Claire is a seasoned, long-time reporter for The Daily Alaskan. She remarked in the pilot, “Everyone covers everything. It’s a small newsroom.” Claire demonstrates that perfectly – dashing off to cover court reporting, interviewing local business owners, attending community events, and taking on stories from all angles because they must be covered. In consequence, Claire struggles with finding a balance between work and home. However, with Eileen on the team to lend a hand, the newsroom might be in for a change (and Claire, in for a break).
Pablo Castelblanco plays Gabriel Tovar, a young, chatty, eager employee at The Daily Alaskan. Gabriel is an administrative employee, chauffeur, and “guy who can make things happen,” as said in the pilot. In the pilot, he was first seen picking up Eileen from the airport. Right out of the gate, Gabriel is a talkative character who navigates the newsroom and its many employees. He rounds out the ensemble cast while assisting each reporter on their respective stories.
Craig Frank portrays Austin Teague, a seasoned reporter at The Daily Alaskan. Like Gabriel, Austin assists other reporters; He typically offers feedback, guidance, or an unpopular-but-needed opinion. As seen in the pilot, he brings an even-keeled calmness to the newsroom. Austin matches Eileen’s sarcastic temperament and strikes a distinct rapport with each coworker. While audiences haven’t seen him in the field yet, this reporter will likely publish “exposés” alongside Yuna and team up with Roz and Eileen.
Ami Park plays Yuna Park, a beginner reporter at The Daily Alaskan. She is a bright, talented young reporter eager to learn from Eileen… Or Stanley… or anyone, for that matter. When Yuna faced obstacles on her first major investigative story, Eileen pulled strings to get her the restricted sources that she needed, resulting in Yuna’s first front-page news story. Despite this celebratory milestone, Yuna grapples with her job’s complexity and nuance throughout the show.
After breaking a story that destroyed a public figure’s personal life, she struggled to come to terms with how to handle the power of her position. Does she have a duty to report everything, even to the detriment of others? Is she to blame for the repercussions after the news is disseminated to the public?
Matt Malloy portrays Bob Young, a senior reporter, and interim news editor, while the primary news editor is on maternity leave. Right out of the gate, Bob and Eileen were at odds. Throughout the pilot, Bob operates with a “this is the way it’s always been done” mindset, which clashes with Eileen’s many objections and challenges. She entered his newsroom with a wealth of field knowledge, decades of experience, notable connections in a vast personal network, and an attitude that challenged authority.
As Eileen navigates the workplace and forges relationships with her peers, the conflict between her and Bob is bound to grow more complex. They will all have to contemplate one of the overarching questions of the show: who is right, the experienced old-timer keeping things stable and afloat or the reckless innovator who challenges institutions and practices?
How To Watch Alaska Daily
Episodes of Alaska Daily premiere every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET / 9 p.m. CEN on ABC. The episodes will be available on Hulu the following day.
