Hillbilly Elegy Cast & Character Guide
Mia Smith Hillbilly Elegy stars two A-list actresses, so where have you seen them and the supporting cast before? Here's a brief guide for your Netflix viewing.
Hillbilly Elegy stars two of America's finest actresses, so where have you seen them and the supporting cast before? Directed by Ron Howard, the Netflix film is an adaptation of J.D. Vance's eponymous 2016 memoir about being raised in Ohio and living by a specific code of conduct.
In Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. attends Yale Law School and hopes to land an internship with a prestigious firm. He reflects about his upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, and the Appalachian values that he learned from his mother, Bev, and grandmother, Mamaw. Through flashback sequences, Hillbilly Elegy reveals that J.D.'s upbringing was especially challenging, most notably because of his mother's drug problems. Years later, the familial conflict escalates after Bev overdoses on heroin, leaving her son to make some difficult decisions that could affect his long-term goals.
The Hillbilly Elegy cast features two A-list actresses, along with a promising actor who stars as J.D. In supporting roles. Hillbilly Elegy includes another pair of actresses who aren't necessarily household names but will be immediately recognizable to many streamers.
Glenn Close As Mamaw & Amy Adams As Bev
Glenn Close stars as Mamaw, the family matriarch. Close is a seven-time Oscar nominee and she's best known for starring as Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction and Patty Hewes in Damages. Meanwhile, Amy Adams co-stars as Bev, Mamaw's daughter who struggles with a drug addiction problem. Adams is a six-time Oscar nominee and she's best known for portraying Sydney Prosser in American Hustle and Louise Banks in Arrival. She also stars as Lois Lane in the DCEU.
Hillbilly Elegy Supporting Cast
Gabriel Basso as J.D. Vance: J.D. is the narrator and male protagonist. Gabriel Basso portrayed Martin in Super 8 and Patrick in The Kings of Summer.
Owen Asztalos as Young J.D. Vance: Owen Asztalos has appeared in Jessica Jones and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul.
Haley Bennett as Lindsay: Lindsay is J.D.'s sister. Haley Bennett starred as Megan in The Girl on the Train and Emma Cullen in The Magnificent Seven. She recently appeared as Hunter Conrad in Swallow and Charlotte in The Devil All the Time.
Freida Pinto as Usha: Usha is J.D.'s girlfriend and one of his Yale classmates. Freida Pinto portrayed Older Latika in Slumdog Millionaire and Caroline Aranha in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. She also appeared as Vera Stephans in The Path.
Bo Hopkins as Papaw: Papaw is J.D.'s grandfather. Bo Hopkins is best known for roles in the '70s classics The Getaway, American Graffiti, and Midnight Express. He also portrayed Crazy Lee in The Wild Bunch.
Stephen Kunken as Philip Roseman: Philip is a lawyer who meets with J.D. about an internship position. Stephen Kunken portrayed Warren Putnam in The Handmaid's Tale and currently appears as Ari Spyros in Billions.
Keong Sim as Ken: Ken is Bev's husband. Keong Sim portrayed Lee Tae-Woo in Olympus Has Fallen and Pastor Wayne in Dead to Me.
Morgan Gao as Travis: Travis is Ken's son. Morgan Gao portrayed Young Tak in Altered Carbon.
