The bride. Raised in isolation by a paranoid father who instilled in her a sense of constant danger, Rachel developed a curiosity for the unknown, seeking to solve mysteries rather than fear them. She longs for a “normal” life, seeking stability and love with Nicky and his family. However, she realizes that her destiny is far from normal, aligning more with her nightmares than her dreams.

“She’s an introvert who often feels like an outcast. She isn’t necessarily a girl’s girl or someone who feels comfortable in social settings,” says Morrone. “Rachel isn’t really the kind of woman who would necessarily want to get married. She loves Nicky, and she knows how important it is to him and his family, but she’s the antithesis of traditional or by-the-book — quite an anarchist in a lot of ways.”

Prior to filming, Morrone had an in-depth conversation with creator Boston about Rachel’s backstory. 

“ I wanted to know how much Rachel actually knew about her mother’s death,” says Morrone. “We discussed her relationship with her father, who became this controlling, paranoid monster. He kept Rachel in captivity to ‘keep her safe,’ which left her with a lot of resentment and an inability to form friendships. This explained to me why she’s constantly on high alert and paranoid. She never understood why until she discovered what happened to her mom.” 

Morrone previously starred in the hit music drama Daisy Jones & The Six, appeared in the thriller series The Night Manager, and broke out in the indie favorite Never Goin’ Back.

The groom. Nicky, Rachel’s fiancé, is kind, emotionally mature, and romantic, yet he considers himself a “black sheep” in his wealthy family, the Cunninghams. He also struggles with balancing his logical nature with Rachel’s superstitions.

“He’s a romantic at heart. He grew up kind of idolizing his parents’ ‘perfect marriage,’ ” says DiMarco. “Rachel is very anxious and easily set on edge, and then I feel like Nicky is more of a calming, grounding presence for her. So they’re kind of one of those yin-and-yang couples. They balance each other out in a nice way.”

DiMarco adds, “On paper, Nicky is this golden retriever boyfriend, but as I got to know him better, there was so much more going on under the surface that I hoped would be the case. The strength of Haley’s writing is what ultimately attracted me to the series.”

DiMarco gained widespread attention for his role in HBO’s The White Lotus and has also appeared in Overcompensating and Netflix’s supernatural drama The Order.

Jules, Nicky’s older brother and the family’s eldest child, is a wild card who can alter any interaction just by being present. His evolution in the story is tied to a childhood trauma he thought he had buried but is now resurfacing.

“The eldest son is somewhat the outcast in the family. He is a successful doctor like his father, but he slipped into [becoming] the black sheep of the family,” says Wilbusch. “He always wanted his dad’s approval, and he doesn’t get it. … He tries to do everything right, but he fucks up. He’s, not by choice, the carrier of secrets in the family.”

After breaking out in the Netflix drama Unorthodox, Wilbusch went on to appear in the political thriller Oslo and The Calling.

Nell, Jules’s wife, is a grounding and pragmatic force who sees things clearly even when they’re absurd. She’s smart, cunning, and adaptable.

“At first, she might feel like somebody who is a little Machiavellian, but I think she eventually becomes an ally to Rachel,” says Crome. “She’s well-intentioned. She’s intelligent. I think she’s curious but can be self-serving as well.”

Crome rose to prominence in the cult sci-fi series Misfits and later appeared in the series Lazarus. 

Jules’s son from a previous marriage, Jude is a very creative kid who spends a lot of time left to his own devices. When he’s inadvertently exposed to the same trauma that has been haunting his dad, Jude learns a valuable lesson about the things our bloodlines pass down to us.

Fraser previously appeared in the long-running medical drama The Good Doctor.

Nicky’s mother Victoria is intense but empathetic and shows her love for her husband and three children in very different ways, knowing what each of them would respond to. She’s the glue that holds this family together.

“She’s very controlling. At the same time, she’s very loving,” says Leigh. “Everything is on her terms and always on her terms, and you can feel it if you’ve disappointed her.”

Leigh is known for an Oscar-nominated performance in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight as well as roles in Fargo and Annihilation.

NIcky’s father Boris was once brutal, with traditionally masculine ideals, but he has softened with age. He’s beginning to test the long-held traditions and dynamics of this family.

“Boris is deeply in love with Victoria. That’s, like, the defining factor about Boris,” says Levine. “He’s deeply in love with his wife and basically does anything for her.”

Levine starred in the long-running detective series Monk and later appeared in the crime drama Big Sky.

Nicky's younger sister believes in grand romance, ideals that even impress Rachel. Portia initially seems innocent, but her past feral nature and sociopathic tendencies emerge, especially in her clashes with Jules.

“She’s the baby, and I think people don’t take her that seriously,” says Birney. “She’s all about making her mom happy and trying to make everything perfect for everybody.”

Birney previously appeared in the horror-comedy series Shining Vale and starred in the 2023 Broadway revival of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window.

A towering, soft‑spoken stranger who keeps appearing on the edges of Rachel and Nicky’s story, the Witness is always watching a little too closely. He drifts between highway bars, chapels, and Somerhouse itself with a battered suitcase and the calm of someone who’s attended more weddings than he can count. Polite but unnerving, he asks pointed questions about soulmates and “the one,” hinting that he knows more about this family’s fate than any outsider should.

Best known for his award-winning role in Triangle of Sadness, Burić has also appeared in films including Pusher and 2012.

Rachel’s mother, Alexandra, is glimpsed only in fragments but felt everywhere in her daughter’s life. On the home video that survives her, she comes across as funny, fiercely loving, and quietly on edge. She’s a young woman who believes in big love but can’t ignore bad omens. Even though Rachel grew up without her, Alexandra’s mix of romance, superstition, and unease about marriage becomes a kind of emotional inheritance that Rachel has to reckon with years later.

After breaking out in The Haunting of Hill House, Pedretti continued her work in horror with The Haunting of Bly Manor before taking a darker role in You. Her film credits include Origin and the recently released Forbidden Fruits.

Rachel’s father, Jay, is a reclusive, tightly wound man whose love for his daughter is tangled up with paranoia and unresolved grief. In the present, he’s the one who finally shows Rachel the old VHS tape of him and her mother, forcing her to confront a past he’s been carrying alone for years. On that tape, he’s a younger, more playful version of himself, filming everything and joking with Alexandra, but the man Rachel knows now is someone who’s seen too much and responds to danger by trying to control every variable, even when that means going too far.

Known for roles in shows like 13 Reasons Why and The Walking Dead, Hamilton has also appeared in films like Eighth Grade.

Miller starred in the Disney XD sitcom I’m in the Band before going on to lead the horror thriller Escape Room and its sequel.