# Most cast thumbnails are missing **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280 "2017-10-15T15:59:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chrisridd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chrisridd/32/148029_2.png) [@chrisridd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chrisridd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/1 "2017-10-15T15:59:33Z")
Hi, The vast majority of the cast thumbnails that I see in the web client (Chrome, Safari) just show the actor’s initials. I guess unpopular actors don’t have them, but even more popular ones like George Clooney don’t show up here. My plex server is able to download all the other graphical metadata for movies so there doesn’t seem like there is a connectivity problem. Is there any way to fix this? Is there any way (or reason to) update the cache of these graphics? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![onekmilesbehind](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/onekmilesbehind/32/1161_2.png) [@onekmilesbehind](https://forums.plex.tv/u/onekmilesbehind)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/2 "2017-10-15T17:03:31Z")
I was having a similar issue, check my answer in the thread below to see if it helps: > **[How Do You Get the Actor Images to Appear in PMP 2 Preview](http://forums.plex.tv/discussion/comment/1509271#Comment_1509271)** > > If I recall correctly from when I had this issue, switching the Cast List Source from IMDB–\>The Movie Database and then forcing a refresh sorted things out. The Cast List Source setting is a bit buried in server settings under Agents–\>Movies–\>Plex... ---
**Author:** ![chrisridd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chrisridd/32/148029_2.png) [@chrisridd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chrisridd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/3 "2017-10-15T20:46:21Z")
Thanks, I hadn’t seen that panel. It was already set to “The Movie Database” and not IMDB though. I did change it to IMDB, rescan the Movies section, and then change it back and rescan, but it made no difference. George Clooney is still “GC”. The only cast photos that do appear (sometimes) are for TV Shows. ---
**Author:** ![onekmilesbehind](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/onekmilesbehind/32/1161_2.png) [@onekmilesbehind](https://forums.plex.tv/u/onekmilesbehind)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/4 "2017-10-16T18:23:04Z")
There’s a chance this might be a different issue than what I experienced. Just for good measure can you pull up a film missing the thumbs, click on the more/ellipses menu in the upper-right, then refresh metadata (see below)? That should force a refresh of the film’s metadata, including actor thumbs. ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/b/6/b67b5ea2d7acbd6c8bc59af6186be19c5f4a681b.png) If that works, you can try applying that to your entire film collection by clicking the more/ellipses button to the right of the library on the main page (see below). This can take a long time though depending on library size, internet speed, and CPU on the server. ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/5/7/578cb5be6c4eda87acf68e0fe733bb8ec5e9f5d0.png) ---
**Author:** ![chrisridd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chrisridd/32/148029_2.png) [@chrisridd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chrisridd)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/5 "2017-10-19T19:31:06Z")
Thanks - I did use Refresh All Metadata on the current Wonder Woman film, but no joy. All the actors are still thumbnail-less ☹ ---
**Author:** ![JuiceWSA](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/juicewsa/32/12253_2.png) [@JuiceWSA](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JuiceWSA)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/6 "2017-10-19T19:39:54Z")
You could abandon Plexweb (wisely) and start using a real Media Player like the powerful Plex Media Player: Top of the forum/Downloads/Get an app PMP is not limited by strange shortcomings associated with viewing your material in a browser, like Plexweb does. If that doesn’t help… Could be time for some log files: [https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200250417-Plex-Media-Server-Log-Files](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200250417-Plex-Media-Server-Log-Files) Drag zip file to message window and drop it. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 7:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/7 "2017-10-19T19:46:18Z")
This has absolutely nothing to do with Plex Web vs PMP. If the initials appear, a picture link is not present for the actor. Only if the circle remains blank, there is an issue with fetching the picture itself. Now we have to determine why that is. Are you using by any chance mp4 files? Those can have actor information embedded as meta data, but of course without picture links. So the first measure to take is this: Go to Settings - Server - Agents - Shows - TheTVDB In there, grab the line ‘Local Media Assets’ with your mouse and drag it downwards, so it ends up being at the bottom of the stack of active agents. Repeat the same under Settings - Server - Agents - Shows - TheMovieDatabase + Settings - Server - Agents - Movies - Plex Movie + Settings - Server - Agents - Movies - TheMovieDatabase With that out of the way, we must ensure that the movie is ‘matched’ and which metadata agent was used for matching it. Please copy the [Plex XML info](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/201998867-Investigate-Media-Information-and-Formats "Plex XML info") of an affected movie into here for further analysis. ---
**Author:** ![chrisridd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chrisridd/32/148029_2.png) [@chrisridd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chrisridd)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2017, 7:56am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/8 "2017-10-21T07:56:49Z")
Brilliant news Otto - I was indeed using MP4 and changing the ordering of the “Local Media Assets” has fixed the problem. Yay, I now see cast thumbnails 🙂 I’ve been using Subler to set the MP4 metadata and artwork for all my ripped DVDs and BluRays and I think I changed Plex’s settings to try and force it to use what I’d set in Subler. I’ll need to revisit this… ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2017, 11:54am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/9 "2017-10-21T11:54:13Z")
I, for one, would only take the effort to tag my files directly if Plex would fail to do so. And that usually doesn’t happen with cinema movies. It is more likely with content for which there are no Plex agents, like sports, courses, concert videos, documentations, foreign ‘tv movies’ etc. ---
**Author:** ![LittleBro](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/littlebro/32/83340_2.png) [@LittleBro](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LittleBro)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/10 "2018-09-26T04:44:00Z")
Hi, I’m having the same issue but with MKV and the local Local Media Assets was already last. Any idea why this happens? ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/11 "2018-09-26T06:50:24Z")
Please post the Plex mediainfo XML of one affected movie. ---
**Author:** ![LittleBro](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/littlebro/32/83340_2.png) [@LittleBro](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LittleBro)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 7:23am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/12 "2018-09-26T07:23:23Z")
force refreshing the metadata worked, without chaining anything else. thanks ---
**Author:** ![skenzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@skenzer](https://forums.plex.tv/u/skenzer)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/13 "2018-11-06T01:50:02Z")
Thank you OttoKerner! This issue has been bothering me for a while now and your suggestions have fixed it for me. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![LittleBro](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/littlebro/32/83340_2.png) [@LittleBro](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LittleBro)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 7:48am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/14 "2018-11-19T07:48:16Z")
it happens again. here are some examples: [Cast.zip](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/b/8/b8126b0002e4dbba5fe036400f7e33db3f699381.zip) (6.9 KB) Force refreshing the metadata did not solve this issue. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 12:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/15 "2018-11-19T12:12:37Z")
Settings - Server - Agents - Movies - Plex Movie The line ‘Plex Movie’ must be at the top position. Click on the ‘cog wheel’ icon at the right end of the line ‘Plex Movie’ ‘Cast List Source’ must be set to ‘TheMovieDatabase’ Are both of these conditions fulfilled? ---
**Author:** ![LittleBro](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/littlebro/32/83340_2.png) [@LittleBro](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LittleBro)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/16 "2018-11-19T14:46:15Z")
> [@OttoKerner](#): > > The line ‘Plex Movie’ must be at the top position. It was second, bellow SubZero > [@OttoKerner](#): > > ‘Cast List Source’ must be set to ‘TheMovieDatabase’ It was set to IMDB. Thank you kind sir, it now works. ---
**Author:** ![KOOL02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/848f3c/32.png) [@KOOL02](https://forums.plex.tv/u/KOOL02)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 8:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/17 "2019-01-26T20:29:23Z")
A double thank you from me also! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 11:59pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/most-cast-thumbnails-are-missing/210280/18 "2020-01-07T23:59:49Z")