Netflix’s Death by Lightning tells the story of the assassination of US President James Garfield – but what really happened to Senator Roscoe Conkling?
Hannah McGreevy Assistant Editor
12:48, 07 Nov 2025
Death by Lightning is set to become Netflix’s next major success, with the period drama already receiving rave reviews from viewers and critics.
The limited series, which chronicles the extraordinary real-life story of the murder of reluctant US President James Garfield, has already secured an impressive 88% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The official synopsis for Death by Lightning states: “The story of James Garfield, who rose from obscurity to become America’s 20th President – and Charles Guiteau, the man who assassinated him.”
The Netflix historical drama features Michael Shannon as James Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Guiteau.
Completing the ensemble cast are Betty Gilpin as First Lady Crete Garfield, Nick Offerman as Vice President Chester Arthur, Bradley Whitford as Senator James Blaine, Paula Malcomson as Franny Scoville and Tuppence Middleton as Kate Chase Sprague.
Nevertheless, viewers are equally keen to discover more about the real-life Senator Roscoe Conkling, who features prominently in this truth-is-stranger-than-fiction tale, and the actor who portrays him.
Roscoe Conkling was a prominent Republican leader(Image: Netflix)READ MORE: The real Chester Arthur and his ‘secret suffering’ exploredREAD MORE: Death By Lightning facts from a president’s ‘real’ killer to an unimpressed sex cult
Who was Roscoe Conkling?
Born in 1829, Roscoe Conkling was an influential Republican figure during America’s post-Civil War era, according to Britannica.
The former US Senator, who was a distinguished barrister and public speaker, was renowned for his determination to maintain control over political appointments in his native New York state.
He also championed stringent Reconstruction policies towards the South in the aftermath of the Civil War, backing efforts to address the injustices of slavery in America.
Conkling was a strong advocate for the rights of freedmen and pushed for stricter military oversight of the defeated Confederate states.
Roscoe Conkling plays an important role in the Netflix series(Image: Netflix)
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What happened to Roscoe Conkling in real life?
From 1869 to 1877, Conkling played a significant role in shaping President Ulysses S. Grant’s policy towards the South, reports the Express.
In 1880, he even led a faction that controversially supported a third term for former President Grant, despite it not being part of the US constitution and breaking with long-standing tradition that presidents should not serve more than two terms.
This move caused division at the convention, leading to James A. Garfield being nominated and elected as a compromise candidate.
However, following a disagreement with President Garfield over patronage in May 1881, Conkling resigned from office.
He turned down a nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1882 and continued his law practice in New York City until his death in 1888.
Who plays Roscoe Conkling in Death by Lightning?
Netflix’s Death by Lightning features actor Shea Whigham portraying Senator Roscoe Conkling.
Whigham has previously shared the screen with Betty Gilpin in Netflix’s American Primeval and has also starred in TV shows such as Perry Mason, Gaslit, Homecoming, True Detective, Waco, Fargo and Agent Carter.
Fans of Boardwalk Empire will also recognise him for his role as Elias ‘Eli’ Thompson, appearing in over 50 episodes of the show between 2010 and 2014.
Meanwhile, Whigham’s film credits include American Hustle, F1: The Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Joker, Vice and the Mission Impossible franchise.
Death by Lightning is available to stream now on Netflix.
