What Happened to Angela in the TNTSeries ‘Animal Kingdom'? Inside the Details

In the last decade, there have been dozens of crime drama series centering on fractured families. TNT’s popular show Animal Kingdom is definitely one that fans quickly gravitated towards. The series officially concluded its run in 2022, so there are some details that may require a refresher, such as the fate of character Angela Kane.

Premiering in June 2016, Animal Kingdom centers on the Codys, who run a criminal family enterprise set in Oceanside, Calif., led by matriarch Janine "Smurf" Cody, played by veteran actress Ellen Barkin.

In Season 5, Angela and boyfriend Andrew “Pope” Cody are no longer living together, but it is unclear exactly what happened between them. When she is nowhere to be found and missing for two weeks, her parole officer visits the Cody house looking for her. Pope and Joshua “J” Cody decide to change all the locks to the home so that Angela cannot get in if she resurfaces.

In the fifth episode of the season, Pope runs into an old friend who reveals to him that Angela was beaten to death by a man named Shane. Upon hearing the news, Pope finds Shane and chases him for answers. Shane tells Pope that he didn’t kill Angela, but Pope does not believe him and beats him under a bridge.

Angela Kane is portrayed by actor Emily Deschanel, who is well-known for her long-time role on the hit series Bones.

Upon joining Animal Kingdom in Season 4, Emily shared a bit about the character in an interview with TVLine. “Angela’s a recovering addict who just got out of prison; she’s kind of at rock bottom,” she said at the time.

“She has a history with the whole Cody family, so she’s hoping to manipulate her way into their home and infiltrate their lives,” she said of Angela’s motive for the Cody family. “She doesn’t even see herself as someone who is really conniving. I think she is a survivor and a hustler. She does what she needs to do in life to get by.”

“She needs them. She wants to be part of the family. Julia didn’t want anything to do with her mother. Angela feels that way, too, but she also sees an opportunity,” Emily continued about Angela wanting to be part of the Cody family. “So she has mixed feelings. She grew up with these guys and knows them. And since she has a dark side, she understands and can relate to them.”

During its run, Animal Kingdom was praised by critics and fans alike, who noted that the show’s intriguing storylines and twisty developments were highly entertaining. Ellen Barkin, in particular, received high praise for her performance.

You can relive all the drama of the show (or watch for the very first time) by streaming on a number of platforms, including Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube TV, and Apple TV.