Fan Casting James Holland in Daisy, Daisy

James Holland is the long-serving mayor of the small outback town, a man known for his kindness, optimism, and stubborn dedication to keeping his community together. A widower with grown children who’ve moved away, James treats the town itself like family, always making time to listen to grievances, mediate disputes, or simply share a coffee with a lonely resident. His bright outlook and easy smile make him a reassuring figure, especially in a place so small that fear spreads faster than fact. But when the “Daisy Virus” begins consuming the town, suspicion creeps in, and James quickly finds himself under scrutiny. Some townsfolk whisper that his too-bright optimism is a cover, that his calmness means he’s already been infected. James, rather than lashing back, responds with patience, acknowledging why people might think that, and never blaming them for their fear. Despite his reassurances, the doubts linger in the air. What wounds him far more deeply is the treatment of Mama Annie, a reclusive older woman unfairly accused of being the source of the motherly “Daisy Voice.” James defends her fiercely, trying to shield her from the mob’s paranoia, but his protests are often drowned out by the townspeople’s desperation to find a scapegoat. James becomes an unlikely ally to Rachel, Jack, David, and Derek, offering them guidance, local knowledge, and a protective streak that surprises them. He urges them not only to survive but to hold onto compassion. Tragically, his own selflessness leads to his downfall. When he tries to usher Rachel and the others out of town under the cover of night, the infected swarm. James throws himself in their path to buy the others precious seconds to escape. The last they see of him is his kind eyes and steady voice, still reassuring them even as he’s dragged into the shadows.