Main •
Neill Rea as Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd: a detective who decided to settle down in Brokenwood for a more peaceful life. He has many personal secrets, including several marriages, and a nephew with
Down syndrome, with a love for country music and for his 1971
Holden Kingswood classic car. He often pursues criminals in a way that seems odd to his colleagues, for instance by talking to dead bodies. •
Fern Sutherland as Detective Kristin Sims: a cynical and intelligent young woman who has had many dating misfortunes. She is often irritated by Shepherd's methods and his blunt manner, but she gradually learns to appreciate his skills. •
Nic Sampson as Detective Constable Sam Breen (series 1-7): a young officer who often has embarrassing or awkward visits with suspects. His girlfriend Roxy gets a new job in the Solomon Islands and Breen moves away in the beginning of series 7. • Jarod Rawiri as Detective Constable Daniel Chalmers (series 7-present): Chalmers replaces Breen after Breen moves to the Solomon Islands. Chalmers is Māori and an experienced former uniformed officer, and brings a no-nonsense style to the Brokenwood CIB. •
Cristina Ionda as Dr. Gina Kadinsky, the medical examiner. She is a highly eccentric Russian woman who often talks about how things were in Russia and doesn't quite understand "the English humour". She drops frequent hints that she is attracted to Shepherd, an attraction that is not reciprocated.
Recurring •
Elizabeth McRae as Mrs. Jean Marlowe (series 2–7): a kindly older woman who often engages in gossip after a murder. •
Pana Hema Taylor as Jared Morehu (series 1–3; guest series 5; series 6): Shepherd's Māori neighbour. As a local who has many friends and interests, he often finds himself involved in murder investigations. • Colin Moy as Simon Hughes: the senior police superintendent/commander (exact rank is uncertain) for the region and a close friend of DSS Shepherd. • Karl Willetts as Frankie "Frodo" Oades: a former mechanic who later owns Frodo's Coffee trailer/cart. •
Jason Hoyte as Ray Neilson (series 2–present): the proprietor of several local pubs, including The Frog and Cheetah, and the owner of Porky Pigeon Pizzeria. • Tracy Lee Gray as Trudy Neilson (series 3-4, 6-present): Ray Neilson's sister, co-proprietor of the hotels, and one-time resident of the Brokenwood Women's Prison. •
Shane Cortese as Dennis Buchanan (series 2–present): a canny and suave defence lawyer who often crosses swords with the police. • Zara Cormack as Kimberly Mason, Frodo's not-quite girlfriend. • Roy Ward as Reverend Lucas Greene (series 2–3, 5-present): a local Anglican priest who thinks well of others out of Christian charity. • Phil Peleton as Neil Bloom (series 1-10): a local pharmacist and later mayor of Brokenwood. • Rawiri Jobe as Kahu Taylor (series 4–5): Jared's cousin (or rather, Jared is his "brother's cousin", invariably provoking the question "how does that work?"). He's a self-employed plumber. • Kauri Williams as Todd Taylor (series 7-present): the nephew of Walter Elliott, also related to Kahu Taylor and Jared Morehu. •
Cameron Rhodes as Dr Roger Plummer (series 3, 7-present): the local psychiatrist, member of volunteer fire-brigade, musical theatre society and lover of fine red wine. • Ascia Maybury as Dr Abbi Carlton (series 3-present): the doctor of the local Brokenwood hospital. • Bronwyn Bradley as Mrs. Becky Baker (series 8-present).
Guests •
Ben Barrington ("Leather & Lace") •
Amanda Billing ("Over Her Dead Body") •
Ken Blackburn as Edward ("Catch of the Day", "The Killing Machine", and "As If Nothing Had Happened") •
Alison Bruce ("The Dark Angel") •
John Callen ("A Real Page Turner") •
Lisa Chappell ("Good as Gold") •
Shane Cortese ("Catch of the Day" and "A Merry Bloody Christmas") •
Kimberley Crossman ("Death n Bass") •
Josephine Davison ("Sour Grapes") •
Stuart Devenie ("As If Nothing Had Happened") • Mike Edward ("Blood and Water" and "The Scarecrow") •
Peter Elliott ("Sour Grapes") •
David Fane ("The Killing Machine") •
JJ Fong ("Over Her Dead Body") •
Michael Galvin ("The Ghost in You") •
Rebecca Gibney as Tabatha Shepherd •
Mark Hadlow ("The Garotte and the Vinkelbraun") •
Miranda Harcourt ("To Die or Not to Die") •
Peter Hayden ("A Merry Bloody Christmas") •
Theresa Healey ("Over Her Dead Body") • Laura Hill ("Over Her Dead Body" and "The Killing Machine") • Chris Hobbs ("The Killing Machine") • Xavier Horan ("Leather & Lace") •
Anna Jullienne ("Day of the Dead") •
Nicola Kawana ("Over Her Dead Body" and "A Merry Bloody Christmas") •
Michelle Langstone ("Going to the Dogs") •
Robyn Malcolm ("To Die or Not to Die") •
Ian Mune ("As If Nothing Had Happened") •
Miriama McDowell ("Blood and Water", "Hunting the Stag" and "Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson") •
Mark Mitchinson ("Over Her Dead Body") • Jacqueline Nairn ("Stone Cold Dead") •
Rachel Nash ("Scared to Death") •
Dean O'Gorman ("The Dark Angel") •
Ingrid Park ("Catch of the Day", "As If Nothing Had Happened" and "Tontine") •
Bree Peters ("Three Coins in a Fountain") •
Donogh Rees ("Playing the Lie") •
Jodie Rimmer ("Leather & Lace", "To Die or Not to Die" and "Blood Pink") •
Ilona Rodgers ("Tontine") •
Emmett Skilton ("The Black Widower") • Esther Stephens ("Fall From Grace") •
Olivia Tennet ("Scared to Death") •
Roz Turnbull ("Playing the Lie") •
Calvin Tuteao ("Playing the Lie") •
Jared Turner ("Hunting the Stag") •
Bronwyn Turei ("Blood Pink") •
Aidee Walker ("The Dark Angel") •
Catherine Wilkin ("As If Nothing Had Happened") •
Katie Wolfe ("The Black Widower") •
Tandi Wright ("The Dark Angel") •
Sara Wiseman ("Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson") ==Casting changes==