Charles Widmore

Charles Widmore is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost, which chronicles the lives of over forty people after their plane crashes on a remote island somewhere in the South Pacific. He is primarily portrayed by Alan Dale; Tom Connolly and David S. Lee portray him as a young and middle-aged man, respectively. Charles is a member of the island's native population, the Others, and serves as their leader until he is banished from the island. He is the father of Penelope Widmore (Sonya Walger) and Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies), although he is estranged from both of them. The character is first introduced in the second-season finale as a wealthy industrialist, who disapproves of the relationship between his daughter and Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick). After being mostly depicted in Desmond's flashbacks, his role expanded throughout the fourth season. Alan Dale has received praise for his performance, and critics have also responded positively to the mystery surrounding the character.