Director Steven Soderbergh’s experimental horror film Presence follows a dysfunctional family when they move into a house haunted by a supernatural enтιтy through the latter’s point of view. Presence is the first horror movie that Soderbergh has directed since making the 2018 film Unsane. It is also one of the few ghost stories Soderbergh has made throughout his career as a filmmaker.

Actor Lucy Liu brings plenty of star power to Presence as the film’s lead, helping make Steven Soderbergh’s Presence one of the most highly-anticipated original films of 2025. However, Presence primarily stands out as a unique horror movie by an acclaimed director with a cast of notable celebrities and up-and-coming actors. Though it centers around an unfortunate haunted family, the acclaimed movie Presence features several capable actors whose characters help bring Soderbergh’s terrifying new world to life.

Lucy Liu As Rebecca Payne

Date Of Birth: December 2, 1968

• Active Since: 1991

Actor: Born in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens, New York, Lucy Liu gained her first big acting role in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. After breaking out with her role as Ling Woo in Ally McBeal, she found greater success starring in films like Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill: Volume 1, Shanghai Noon, and Chicago. She is also known for playing Joan Watson in Elementary and voicing Master Viper in the Kung Fu Panda film franchise. Not long before Presence, Liu even had roles in Set It Up, Strange World, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Red One.

Character: Liu stars in Presence as Rebecca Payne, the mother of the family who moves into the film’s haunted house. In an interview with Moviefone, Liu explained how Rebecca has a strong affection for her son. However, she also discussed how Rebecca is emotionally distant from her daughter Chloe and her husband Chris, creating a story of family dysfunction within Presence‘s haunted house story.

Notable Movies & Shows:

Julia Fox As Cece

Date Of Birth: February 2, 1990

• Active Since: 2018

Actor: Born in Milan and raised in Saronna and Manhattan, Julia Fox worked as a clothing designer and a model before she became an actor. She broke out as an actor by starring in The Safdie Brothers’ film Uncut Gems opposite Adam Sandler, receiving a Breakthrough Actor award nomination at the 2019 Gotham Awards. Since then, Fox has had roles in films and shows such as PVT Chat, No Sudden Move, and Puppet.

Character: In Presence, Fox portrays the realtor named Cece. Fox is one of the most notable actors in the film, but she has a relatively smaller role than most of her co-stars. While Cece helped set the movie’s events in motion by selling the haunted house to Rebecca and her family, the story focuses primarily on the latter.

Notable Movies & Shows:

Chris Sullivan As Chris Payne

Date Of Birth: July 19, 1980

• Active Since: 2008

Actor: Born and raised in California, Chris Sullivan rose to prominence portraying Tom Clearly in The Knick. He gained greater recognition playing characters like Benny Hammond in the pilot of Stranger Things and the villain Taserface in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. He has also had roles in shows like Elementary, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and The Americans. However, Sullivan is best known for his Primetime Emmy-nominated performance as Toby Damon in This Is Us.

Character: Presence shows Sullivan portraying Chris Payne, Rebecca’s husband and the father of their children. Like Rebecca, Chris struggles to keep his family together in the face of the paranormal force tormenting them in their new home.

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Presence Supporting Cast & Characters

Callina Liang as Chloe Payne: Born in Vancouver and raised in Beijing, Callina Liang started out acting with her role as Mei in Tell Me Everything. She has since had roles as a young Rue Corintha in Foundation and Lynn Kang in Bad Genius. Liang portrays Chloe, Rebecca and Chloe’s teenage daughter, in Presence.

Eddy Maday as Tyler Payne: Eddy Maday made his acting debut in Presence. In the film, Maday plays Tyler, Rebecca and Chris’s teenage son.

Lucas Papaelias as Carl: Lucas Papelias made his acting debut in an episode of Law & Order. He later appeared in NYPD Blue, School of Rock, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Blue Bloods, Wu-Tang: An America Saga, and Power Book III: Raising Kanan. His most prominent acting role was in The Knick as Eldon Pouncey. Papaelias stars in Presence as Carl.

West Mulholland as Ryan: West Mullholland had his first television role in an episode of Fresh Off the Boat. Afterward, he had roles in Legion, Animal Kingdom, Sydney to the Max, A Great Divide, and Dark Harvest. Mulholland plays Ryan, Tyler’s new friend, in Presence.

Natalie Woolams-Torres as Lisa: Though she started acting as early as 2010, Natalie Woolams-Torres has been a steady actor since 2017, having had roles in Difficult People, First Reformed, High Maintenance, Room 104, Chicago Med, New Amsterdam, ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Ringers, and Succession. She plays Cece’s sister-in-law, Lisa, in Presence.

Source: Moviefone