Sense8: Meet the characters of the Wachowskis' Netflix sci-fi series

Eight people find themselves connected and their worlds turn upside down

Sense8 hits Netflix on Friday 5 June (Netflix)

Eight twenty-something strangers scattered around the world suddenly find themselves psychically connected following a tragic death in new Netflix original Sense8 from The Matrix creators Andy and Lana Wachowski.

'Sensates' Will Gorski, Riley, Wolfgang, Nomi Marks, Capheus, Kala, Lito and Sun must struggle to understand what their shared consciousness means for humanity before the ominously-named Mr Whispers tracks them down, but who are they and what do we know about them?

You're going to find out over the course of 12 episodes, with each one focusing on a different character and exploring wide-ranging themes from politics and religion to gender and sexuality, but to whet your appetite here's what we've learnt so far:

Will Gorski

Brian J Smith plays police officer Will from Chicago. His area of expertise is protecting and serving and is the first of the Sensates that the powerful Jonas makes contact with. Will experienced as unsolved murder as a child and now suffers from visions and migraines. Like the others, he was turned into a Sensate by a small gene mutation.

Riley

Tuppence Middleton's character was born in Iceland but lives in England. She's a DJ caught up in the world of drugs whose past troubles re-emerge into her present life.

Wolfgang

Max Riemelt is a locksmith (also known as a safe-cracker) from Berlin whose expertise lies in world-class jewel heists and hand-to-hand combat. He takes on one such heist with his bessie pal Felix but has unresolved issues with his dad.

Nomi Marks

Jamie Clayton is trans woman Nomi from San Francisco who works as a political blogger and hacker. She is told that she will die within six months if she does not have extensive brain surgery.

Capheus

Aml Ameen plays a cheerful and caring bus driver who loves living and working in Nairobi. Capheus knows all the back allies and is skilled at high-difficulty driving. He is struggling to earn money for medicine to save his mother from dying of AIDS.

Kala

Tina Desi plays Kala, who comes from Mumbai and works as a pharmacist. Kala is betrothed to a man she does not love but ends up dealing with more than she bargained for after praying to Ganesha for help in derailing the marriage.

Lito

Miguel Angel Silvestre's character lives in Mexico City and works as an actor. Lito is secretly gay and loves Hernando but keeps his sexuality hidden as he fears it would damage his career.

Sun

Doona Bae plays Sun from Seoul, who works as a chief financial officer but is an up-and-coming underground kickboxer. She must decide whether or not to make the ultimate sacrifice after she is accused of embezzlement.

Sense8 hits Netflix on Friday 5 June and season one can be streamed in full.