The cast of Instant Family features a mix of seasoned and new actors who help bring the lighthearted family dynamics in the film to life. Written by Sean Anders and John Morris, and partially inspired by the former’s real-life experiences, Instant Family centers around married couple Pete and Ellie, whose lives are turned upside down when they decide to start a family and adopt three children. For its heartwarming story and admirable performances, Instant Family has earned heaps of praise from critics and audiences.

Instant Family has a lot of heart and effectively addresses the reality of adoption and the adjustment to the new family dynamic in a way that is honest, yet mostly lighthearted. Instant Family is among Mark Wahlberg’s best movies, as he and Rose Byrne take on the parental roles in the film and showcase their comedic talent. Accompanying Wahlberg and Byrne are the trio of young actors portraying their adopted children, who hold their own as actors and make buying into the family’s relationship fun and easy for audiences.

Mark Wahlberg As Pete Wagner

Date Of Birth: June 5, 1971

• Active Since: 1989

Actor: Mark Wahlberg was born in Boston, Mᴀssachusetts, and first gained fame through the hip-hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (named after Wahlberg’s former stage name) before becoming a celebrated actor. Wahlberg made his acting debut in the TV film The Subsтιтute (1993) and his big-screen debut in the Danny DeVito-led Renaissance Man (1994). Just a few years later, in 1996, Wahlberg earned his first starring role in the cult film Fear and began gaining more attention as an actor with his leading role in Boogie Nights (1997).

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Character: In Instant Family, Wahlberg plays Pete Wagner, the father of the Wagner family. Pete and his wife, Ellie, surprise their doubtful relatives when they make the choice to adopt three children.

Rose Byrne As Ellie Wagner

Date Of Birth: July 24, 1979

• Active Since: 1994

Actor: Rose Byrne was born in Balmain, New South Wales, Australia, and got her start as an actor in several Australian TV shows and films, including Dallas Doll (1994) and Two Hands (1999). Byrne’s breakthrough performance is as Ellen Parsons in the women-led mystery legal drama, Damages, co-starring Glenn Close. Toward the end of the series’ run, Byrne continued to find success in other genres, namely horror (Insidious) and comedy (Bridesmaids, The Internship, and Neighbors). Byrne has also continued to work in TV, playing Gloria Steinem in the miniseries Mrs. America, and lending her voice to the Australian animated series Bluey.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Character: Byrne plays the mother of the Wagner family, Ellie, in Instant Family. Along with her husband, Pete, Ellie works through the difficulties and lifestyle adjustments needed after adopting her three children.

Isabela Merced As Lizzie Wagner

Date Of Birth: July 10, 2001

• Active Since: 2013

Actor: Isabela Merced was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and began her acting career in various Nickelodeon productions, including the comedy series 100 Things to Do Before High School and the adventure film Legends of the Hidden Temple. Merced worked with Wahlberg a few years before Instant Family in Transformers: The Last Knight, the fifth installment in the Transformers film series. What can easily be considered Merced’s breakout role is that of Isabel Reyes in Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018), where she plays the daughter of an infamous drug lord. Recently, Merced joined The Last of Us season 2 as Dina.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Character: Merced plays Lizzie, the oldest adoptive child in the Wagner family. Lizzie is characterized by her rebellious behavior and her initial reluctance to see either Pete or Ellie as real parents.

Gustavo Escobar As Juan Wagner

Date Of Birth: March 24, 2006

• Active Since: 2013

Actor: Gustavo Escobar is from West Palm Beach, Florida, where he got his start as an actor. Starring in mainly independent films and a series of commercials, Escobar’s true breakout role is as Juan in Instant Family. Escobar has also had minor roles in various TV shows throughout the years, including Being Mary Jane and Shameless. More recently, Escobar had a supporting role in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, where he portrayed Sal, a friend of Sammy Fabelman and one of the many people who helped him make films.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Character: Escobar portrays the middle child of the adoptive Wagner siblings and the more emotional of the bunch, Juan. Along with his younger sister Lita, Juan is the first of the siblings to warm up to Pete and Ellie as parents.

Julianna Gamiz As Lita Wagner

Date Of Birth: January 3, 2012

• Active Since: 2017

Actor: Julianna Gamiz is the youngest of the Instant Family cast and has a significantly smaller filmography. Still, before the 2018 family comedy, Gamiz had a recurring role on the Hulu original series, East Los High. Throughout the show’s run, Gamiz played Isela Camayo, the daughter of Danielle Vega’s character, Ceci. A few years later, Gamiz played a younger version of the тιтular character in The CW’s Jane the Virgin. Recently, Gamiz joined the cast of the children’s animated series SuperKitties, lending her voice to the character of Sadie.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Character: In Instant Family, Julianna Gamiz portrays Lita, the youngest of the adopted children. Lita tends to be quite emotional and has a memorable tantrum in the film that turns a peaceful dinner into pure chaos.

Octavia Spencer As Karen

Date Of Birth: May 25, 1970

• Active Since: 1996

Actor: Octavia Spencer was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and got her start in A Time to Kill (1996). Spencer earned positive attention for her minor part in Seven Pounds, but it’s the role of Minny Jackson in The Help (2011) that’s considered Spencer’s breakthrough. For her performance, Spencer won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and she continued to star in several notable dramas, including Fruitvale Station (2013) and Hidden Figures (2016). In recent years, Spencer has voiced the duck Dab-Dab in Dolittle (2020) and starred alongside Anne Hathaway and Stanley Tucci in The Witches (2020).

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Character: Spencer plays Karen, one of two social workers in Instant Family who helps the Wagners navigate their relationship with their adoptive children.

Tig Notaro As Sharon

Date Of Birth: March 24, 1971

• Active Since: 2001

Actor: Tig Notaro was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and is predominantly known for her career as a stand-up comedian. Notaro released her debut stand-up album in 2011 and has performed on many notable variety and comedy shows throughout her career, including Conan, Comedy Central Presents, and The Sarah Silverman Program. Notaro’s comedic style has evolved throughout the years to be more personal, and she began acting in more films as well. Notaro has supporting roles in films like Dog Days (2018), Army of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (2021), and, more recently, We Have a Ghost (2023).

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Tig Notaro also co-directed and produced Am I OK?.

Character: Notaro’s Sharon is the second social worker helping with the Wagner family in Instant Family. Together, she and Karen are tasked with making sure Pete and Ellie are the right fit for Lizzie and her younger siblings.

Instant Family Supporting Cast & Characters

Margo Martindale as Sandy Wagner: Martindale appears in a supportive role as Pete’s mother. Martindale is a well-known character actor who has appeared in several films and TV shows throughout her decades-long career, most notably in The Good Wife, Million Dollar Baby, Justified, and The Americans, with her performances in the latter two earning her Emmy wins.

Julie Hagerty as Jan: Julie Hagerty portrays Ellie’s mother, Jan, in Instant Family. Hagerty has recently starred in films like A Christmas Story Christmas and Marriage Story, but is best known for playing flight attendant Elaine Dickinson in the comedy films Airplane! and Airplane II: The Sequel.

Michael O’Keefe as Jerry: Michael O’Keefe plays Jerry, Ellie’s father. Throughout his career, O’Keefe has starred in numerous TV shows and movies, playing a minor role in an episode of M*A*S*H and Danny Noonan in Caddyshack. O’Keefe is also celebrated for his performance in The Great Santini, which earned him an Academy Award nomination.

Joselin Reyes as Carla: Joselin Reyes portrays Carla, the birthmother of Lizzie, Juan, and Lita, who is in jail at the start of the film and unable to raise her kids. Carla’s sudden appearance in the film both disrupts and strengthens the Wagners’ dynamic. Reyes’ filmography consists of supporting roles in TV shows such as P-Valley, The Blacklist, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Allyn Rachel as Kim: Allyn Rachel takes on the role of another member of Ellie’s family, her sister Kim. Rachel is a comedian and writer, and though she’s appeared in a handful of movies and TV shows, including Selfie and The Good Place, she is best known for her work in commercials. Rachel also voices the тιтular Bee in the animated series Bee and PuppyCat.

Tom Segura as Russ: Tom Segura plays Kim’s husband, Russ. Segura has a few film credits to his name, but he is mostly known for his work as a stand-up comedian and podcast host. Segura co-hosts the comedy podcasts Your Mom’s House and Two Bears One Cave with fellow comedians Christina Pazsitzky and Bert Kreischer, respectively.