Rufus is a formerly successful African American jazz musician who has fallen into extreme destitution in 1950s New York City. Facing intense pressure as a bisexual Black man in a heavily segregated society, he harbors deep internalized pain and self-directed anger. His emotional struggles severely impact his ability to maintain healthy connections, leading him to lash out violently at the people who try to offer him affection.

Vivaldo is a young, aspiring white novelist living in New York. He considers himself a liberal progressive and often visits Black neighborhoods in attempts to demonstrate racial solidarity. He struggles to truly comprehend the prejudice his non-white friends experience, relying heavily on his personal relationships to inform his unfinished fiction. He constantly searches for deeper emotional authenticity but often misses the obvious suffering right in front of him.

Ida is Rufus's younger sister and an aspiring singer with a distinctive, rough-textured voice. She keenly understands the intersecting racial and sexist prejudices of 1950s America, carrying significant anger toward the society that mistreats her family. Protective of her brother and highly observant, she is wary of the white liberals in Rufus's social circle, using her awareness to protect herself from exploitation.

Eric is an actor originally from Alabama who fled to Europe to escape the homophobic and racist environment of his youth. Living peacefully in France, he prepares to return to New York for a role in a Broadway play. His time abroad and his profession give him a strong sense of personal identity and a unique capacity to understand others' emotional struggles.

Cass is a white woman living a conventional life in New York, raising two sons while her husband pursues his writing career. Despite possessing the societal privileges of a straight, middle-class mother, she feels a creeping dissatisfaction with the rigid constraints of her domestic routine. She provides a maternal, grounding presence for many of the struggling artists in her social circle.

Richard is a former high school English teacher who has recently achieved success by selling a commercial fiction book. He desires respect as a serious artist but harbors deep insecurities about the literary merit of his work. His conventional, structured approach to life often puts him at odds with the unpredictable individuals in his social orbit.

Leona is a young white woman from the American South who becomes romantically involved with Rufus. She carries the trauma of an abusive ex-husband and the pain of losing custody of her child. When she begins dating Rufus, she faces intense public hostility from neighbors and landlords due to their interracial relationship.

Steve Ellis is a wealthy, powerful television producer interested in both adapting Richard's writing and managing Ida's singing career. He operates with a purely transactional view of the world, using his financial and professional influence to exert control over younger, struggling artists.

Yves is Eric's French lover, a young man with a difficult past involving his mother's actions during World War II. He finds solace and stability in his quiet life with Eric. Recognizing Eric's career needs, Yves strongly encourages him to accept acting work in the United States.

Jane is a young woman involved with Vivaldo during the earlier timeline of the story. She has a history of making provocative, racially insensitive comments in public, creating physically dangerous situations for the non-white members of Vivaldo's social circle.

Paul is one of Cass and Richard's two young sons. He lives a relatively sheltered, middle-class life in the city but occasionally experiences the friction of the surrounding urban environment.

Michael is the other young son of Cass and Richard. He is raised in a comfortable domestic setting that sharply contrasts with the chaotic lives of his parents' bohemian friends.

Grace is an African American woman who worked as a cook for Eric's family. During Eric's emotionally distant upbringing, she provided a necessary source of genuine warmth and affection.

Henry is Grace's husband and the former handyman for Eric's parents in Alabama. He holds a positive place in Eric's childhood memories.

LeRoy is an African American boy in Alabama who shared a brief, burgeoning relationship with a young Eric before social pressures forced Eric to leave town.

Madame Belet is an older local woman in the south of France who interacts with Eric and Yves. She cooks for them and offers a friendly, accepting presence in their seaside life.

Sydney is a young writer working on a New York City love story. He represents the literary crowd that circulates at Richard and Cass's social gatherings.

Barbara is Richard's literary agent, involved in the commercial success of his recently sold manuscript.

Loring is Richard's editor, instrumental in publishing his new novel and celebrating its upcoming release.