<P> Farrier reaches Dunkirk, his fuel exhausted . While gliding over the beach, he shoots down a dive bomber to cheers from the troops below . Farrier manages to crank his landing gear down, and lands beyond the perimeter . He sets fire to his plane, and is taken prisoner . </P> <Ul> <Li> Fionn Whitehead as Tommy, a British Army private Whitehead was cast in the lead after a secretive auditioning process over several months . His character was named after the slang term for the ordinary British soldier . </Li> <Li> Tom Glynn - Carney as Peter, Mr Dawson's son </Li> <Li> Jack Lowden as Collins, a Royal Air Force Spitfire pilot </Li> <Li> Harry Styles as Alex, a private in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Styles won the role after auditioning against hundreds of candidates, when Nolan was unaware of his renown as a singer . </Li> <Li> Aneurin Barnard as "Gibson", a French soldier masquerading as a British Army private </Li> <Li> James D'Arcy as Colonel Winnant </Li> <Li> Barry Keoghan as George Mills </Li> <Li> Kenneth Branagh as Commander Bolton, the pier - master during the evacuation </Li> <Li> Cillian Murphy as Shivering Soldier Murphy read and spoke to Nolan about the psychological trauma the soldiers endured, to understand his character's post-traumatic stress disorder . </Li> <Li> Mark Rylance as Mr Dawson, a mariner and Peter's father Nolan chose Rylance for his work in the theatre and performance in Wolf Hall . As research, Rylance piloted his character's boat every day, listened to audio recordings at the Imperial War Museum, and read accounts of men like Mr Dawson . Between takes, he encouraged rehearsal through improvised scenes, which Nolan said "deepened the characterizations". </Li> <Li> Tom Hardy as Farrier, a Royal Air Force Spitfire pilot </Li> </Ul> <Li> Fionn Whitehead as Tommy, a British Army private Whitehead was cast in the lead after a secretive auditioning process over several months . His character was named after the slang term for the ordinary British soldier . </Li> <Li> Tom Glynn - Carney as Peter, Mr Dawson's son </Li>

Who played the shell shocked soldier in dunkirk