For All Mankind Makes Its Boldest Move Yet as a Major Star Dies in Season 5
Three episodes into the season, For All Mankind makes its boldest move yet, killing off cornerstone astronaut Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman) in the Friday, April 10 episode with his grandson Alex (Sean Kaufman) at his side. The Apple TV drama once again proves no one is safe as its roster keeps shifting.
For All Mankind just reminded everyone it can and will pull the rug out from under you. Three episodes into the new season, the show took out its original lead. If you are not caught up on Friday's episode, consider this your spoiler warning.
What happened on Friday, April 10
Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman) dies in episode 3, with his grandson Alex (Sean Kaufman) at his side. The cause is lung cancer. Kelly (Cynthy Wu) tries to get him to seek treatment; he refuses. It is a gut punch, and a bold one, considering Kinnaman, 46, has been front and center since season 1.
How it played on set
Kaufman, 26, was in the room for the character's final moments and told Us Weekly it hit hard on and off camera. He loves that for all the show's big stunts, space hardware, and CGI, it still lands as a character-first drama about family, friendships, and messy human stuff. In other words: the spectacle is cool, but the feelings are the point.
'Ed's death was a very emotional moment.'
He says watching Kinnaman close out a chapter he has carried since day one felt overwhelming, the kind of goodbye where you can feel the crew history in the room.
The handoff
Kaufman joined in season 5 and felt what he calls a passing of the guard. He tells a great little moment from set: after an earlier scene where he was nervous, Kinnaman, in old-man makeup, just nodded and gave him a silent thumbs up. That tiny gesture read loud and clear as trust. From there, Kaufman figured, 'it is on me now' to help shape where the show goes next.
As for his own career, he says he chases roles that scare him and force a complete 180. If he already knows how to do it, he is not interested. He likes not knowing, being uncomfortable, and learning on the job.
Quick refresher on the show
For All Mankind launched in 2019 with an alternate history hook: the Soviets beat the U.S. to the moon, which keeps the Space Race simmering for decades. The title nods to the Apollo 11 lunar plaque that reads, 'We came in peace for all mankind.' The series threads in real-world figures and types across eras — astronauts, NASA leadership, U.S. presidents, and plenty of politicians — to explore what that extended race would look like.
Cast roll call
- Joel Kinnaman led the series from the start, alongside Shantel VanSanten, Jodi Balfour, Wrenn Schmidt, Sonya Walger, Krys Marshall, Cynthy Wu, Coral Pena, and Edi Gathegi, with Toby Kebbell, Tyner Rushing, Svetlana Efremova, Daniel Stern, and now Sean Kaufman as Alex in the mix.
Bottom line
Ed's exit, this early in the season, is a statement: no one is bulletproof on this show. It hurts, but it also clears space for a new generation to step forward — on screen and off.
New episodes of For All Mankind drop Fridays on Apple TV.