Damien Chazelle ᴀssembled a star-studded cast for Babylon, his ode to the silent film era of Hollywood. The cast is as glitzy as the film itself, with certain well-known actors appearing in cameo-only roles. Babylon, which follows the ups and downs of film industry employees, film producers, actors, and journalists alike, received mixed reviews from critics. Still, the excellence of the cast, with some big names in the lead roles, is the one thing they all agree on.

Chazelle’s films have always starred big-name actors, such as Ryan Gosling, who was in La La Land and First Man, Emma Stone, and J.K. Simmons, among others. Babylon is no different, though its cast is larger and filled to the brim with famous faces and relative newcomers alike. Babylon goes back to the late 1920s to tell its two-decade-long story, with a cast led by Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, who step into the shoes of intriguing characters who have meteoric rises and bigger downfalls in a cutthroat Hollywood.

Brad Pitt as Jack Conrad

Date Of Birth: December 18, 1963

• Active Since: 1987

Actor: Jack Conrad is portrayed by Brad Pitt, who enjoyed his breakout roles in the movies Thelma and Louise in 1991 and A River Runs Through It in 1992. However, he soon became a major movie star thanks to roles in films like Fight Club, Interview with the Vampire, Inglourious Basterds, and Ocean’s Eleven. He also earned Oscar nominations for 12 Monkeys, The Curious Case of Benjamin ʙuттon, and Moneyball before winning for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

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Character: Jack Conrad is a famous silent-movie star who is comfortable in his fame and enjoys throwing extravagant parties. However, he struggles later on in his career when sound comes into movies, and he is unable to get the same kind of roles that he once secured in the silent era. He still fights for his career, as he has a dream to star in a huge prestige picture, but it seems no one has faith in his box office lure anymore, and he falls into a deep depression.

Margot Robbie as Nellie LaRoy

Date Of Birth: July 2, 1990

• Active Since: 2008

Actor: Nellie LaRoy is portrayed by Margot Robbie, who is best known for her roles in the DC films Birds of Prey, Suicide Squad, and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, all of which she played Harley Quinn, The Wolf of Wall Street, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Focus, in which she starred alongside Will Smith, and Amsterdam. She earned an Oscar nomination for I, Tonya, Bombshell, and as a producer of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie, in which Robbie played Barbie.

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Character: Nellie LaRoy is an aspiring actress who already believes she’s a star long before she becomes one. For a while, she became a major star in silent films thanks to her ability to show great emotions in scenes, pushing aside older stars and carving out her own place in Hollywood. However, after sound is introduced, she starts to lose her star power and ends up getting involved with some seedier people in Hollywood, which leads to her eventual downfall.

Diego Calva as Manuel “Manny” Torres

Date Of Birth: March 16, 1992

• Active Since: 2015

Actor: Manny Torres is portrayed by Diego Calva, who has a small list of films and TV shows to his credit. He has only been acting since 2015, so he only had seven years of experience when he signed on for Babylon. He got his start in Mexico with some TV dramas, including The Inmate and Unstoppable, but he has since picked up bigger international roles in movies like Bird Box: Barcelona and the Netflix crime drama series Narcos: Mexico.

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Character: Manny Torres is a film ᴀssistant to a mega film producer before going to work as an ᴀssistant to Jack Conrad. Manny aspires to be a film producer himself, hoping to make his own mark on Hollywood in some way before the next generation moves in. Manny ultimately becomes a film producer and never stops loving Nellie LaRoy.

Jean Smart as Elinor St. John

Date Of Birth: September 13, 1951

• Active Since: 1975

Actor: Elinor St. John is portrayed by Jean Smart, who is best known for her roles in the HBO series Watchmen, the popular TV series 24, Garden State, the comic book series Legion, the HBO drama Mare of Easttown, and Hacks. Smart also voiced the character of Dr. Ann Possible in Disney’s hit animated series, Kim Possible. Smart has won two Golden Globes Awards (both for Hacks) and six Primetime Emmys (for Hacks, Samantha Who?, and Frasier).

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Character: Elinor St. John is a gossip columnist who writes about the ups and downs of film actors. While her role is as a journalist, she is someone who prefers to place herself in the spotlight and prides herself on the ability to build new stars and tear down anyone she wants with just her words in the newspaper. She is a big reason that Jack began losing major roles, as she tore him down, and she was the person who helped make Nellie a star for the same reason.

Jovan Adepo as Sidney Palmer

Date Of Birth: 1988

• Active Since: 2012

Actor: Sidney Palmer is portrayed by Jovan Adepo, who is best known for his roles in the TV series The Leftovers, Denzel Washington’s film Fences, the series Sorry for Your Loss, The Stand, and the action-horror movie Overlord. He also had roles in the Amazon Prime Video Jack Ryan series, and he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his role as Hooded Justice in Watchmen. He also had a major role in the Netflix adaptation of 3 Body Problem.

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Character: Sidney Palmer is a jazz trumpet player who wants more out of his life than to continue playing in a party band. Sidney dreams of the big leagues but becomes jaded by the film industry after a while. While he has some minor success, he is often solely used for his skin color and wants to find a place that will accept him as the musician that he dreams of becoming, and he doesn’t find that until he finally gets out of Hollywood once and for all.

Li Jun Li as Lady Fay Zhu

Date Of Birth: November 6, 1983

• Active Since: 2008

Actor: Li Jun Li is best known for The Exorcist TV series as Rose Cooper, Wu ᴀssᴀssins as Jenny Wah, the hit supernatural series Evil as Grace Ling, and Quantico as FBI recruit Iris Chang. She has also appeared in smaller roles in TV shows like Blue Bloods, Damages, The Following, and the TV version of Minority Report. After Babylon, she picked up a role in the TV shows Sєx/Life as Francesca and Based on a True Story as Michelle.

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Character: Lady Fay Zhu is a singer who writes the interтιтles for silent films and is a friend of Jack Conrad. Her character is influenced by real-life actress Anna May Wong. She is a free spirit and lets no one push her around, but thanks to the cutthroat nature of Hollywood, that means that she is also disposable by the system, and when Jack falls, she has no one left to save her spot in Tinsel Town.

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Babylon Supporting Cast & Characters

​​​​​​​Tobey Maguire as James McKay – James McKay is a mob boss who threatens to cause harm unless his money is paid. Tobey Maguire is best known for his roles in The Great Gatsby, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies, Pleasantville, Seabiscuit, and Brothers.

Lukas Haas as George Munn – George Munn is Jack’s friend who is unlucky in love, and a film producer. Lukas Haas is best known for the Christopher Nolan film Inception, The Revenant starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Widows.

Katherine Waterston as Estelle Conrad – Estelle Conrad is a theater actress and Jack Conrad’s third wife. Katherine Waterston is best known for her role as Tina Goldstein in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. She has also appeared in Alien: Covenant, Inherent Vice, and Sleeping with Other People.

Max Minghella as Irving Thalberg – Irving Thalberg is a studio executive. Max Minghella is best known for the Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale, The Social Network, The Ides of March, and Spiral.

Olivia Hamilton as Ruth Adler – Ruth Adler is a film director who often works with Nellie LaRoy. Olivia Hamilton is known for her role in Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot.

Samara Weaving as Constance Moore – Constance Moore is also a film actress who eventually becomes a rival to Nellie. Samara Weaving is best known for the horror film Ready or Not, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and the Netflix series Hollywood.

Olivia Wilde as Ina Conrad – Ina Conrad is Jack’s first wife, who ends their relationship in the opening scene. Olivia Wilde is best known for Don’t Worry Darling, Richard Jewell, The Black Donnellys, and for directing the highly praised Booksmart.

Jeff Garlin as Don Wallach – Don Wallach is a big-sH๏τ studio executive who employed Manny Torres. Jeff Garlin is best known for the TV series Curb Your Enthusiasm, the long-running sitcom The Goldbergs, and the Pixar animation Toy Story 3.

Rory Scovel as The Count – The Count is a crew member who works with Manny Torres. Rory Scovel is best known for his roles in Amy Schumer’s I Feel Pretty, the TV series Those Who Can’t, and Physical.

Spike Jonze as Otto – Otto is a German director who works with Jack Conrad on a movie. Spike Jonze is a notable director whose filmography includes Her starring Joaquin Phoenix, Where the Wild Things Are, and Being John Malkovich, along with a plethora of music videos.

P. J. Byrne as Max – Max is the ᴀssistant director on Ruth’s films. P.J. Byrne is known for The Wolf of Wall Street, the HBO series Big Little Lies, and the Arrowverse series Black Lightning.

Eric Roberts as Robert Roy – Robert Roy is Nellie LaRoy’s father and manager in Babylon, and who attempts to profit from his daughter’s fame. Eric Roberts is best known for Inherent Vice, the action flick The Expendables, and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, in which he played mob boss Sal Maroni.