Jack is a travel writer and cookbook author who relocated to Italy to distance himself from his painful past and his estranged in-laws following his wife's tragic death. He is a sensitive, outspoken man who demonstrates affection by preparing elaborate meals for others, but he also holds deep grudges. His mother's sudden illness forces him to confront the Southern roots and childhood friendships he abandoned.

Jack's late wife and Leah's mother, whose death by suicide is the inciting incident for Jack's retreat to Rome. She grew up in a household overshadowed by her parents' Holocaust experiences, leading to a childhood filled with anxiety and inherited trauma. During her college years, she channeled her passionate nature into becoming a charismatic leader of the campus antiwar movement.

A childhood friend of Jack's who faked his own death and now lives under an assumed identity as a priest. He originally fled the United States after an act of youthful rebellion accidentally resulted in casualties. He is an athletic, deeply religious man whose fierce loyalty to his friends constantly clashes with his father's strict military expectations.

Jack's famously beautiful mother whose illness forces the fractured family to reunite in South Carolina. She is a passionate, sometimes manipulative parent who actively hides her profoundly impoverished childhood from her sophisticated in-laws and her own sons. She dedicates immense energy to environmental conservation on the beach.

Shyla's mother and a Polish Jewish survivor of the Holocaust. Her severe trauma during World War II resulted in a highly anxious, overprotective parenting style that burdened her daughters. She desperately hopes to repair her fractured relationship with Jack so she can be part of her granddaughter Leah's life.

Shyla's stern, emotionally distant father who survived horrific trauma in concentration camps during World War II. He is a classically trained virtuoso pianist who copes with his painful past by retreating into his music. He harbors a mutual, intense animosity with Jack, largely because Jack resembles the soldiers who tormented his family.

Jack's younger brother, who works as a lawyer in a firm alongside their father. He is the most conventional and grounded member of the family, acting as the voice of reason amidst his brothers' volatile and passionate outbursts.

One of Jack's younger brothers who remains in South Carolina. He embraces Southern culture enthusiastically and takes it upon himself to introduce his niece Leah to regional traditions like beach music and the shag dance.

Another of Jack's younger brothers. He joins his siblings in the difficult tasks of managing their mother's declining health and dealing with their father's destructive, drunken behavior.

Jack's youngest brother, who has schizophrenia and alternates between receiving in-patient treatment and living in an elaborate treehouse. He struggles severely to process his mother's declining health, leading to erratic and sometimes dangerous outbursts.

A successful Hollywood producer and one of Jack's childhood friends from Waterford. He is determined to create a television series based on their hometown and families, using his project as an excuse to orchestrate reunions and confront the unresolved conflicts in their friend group.

A conservative, patriotic politician from a distinguished Southern family. Once a close childhood friend to Jack and a major figure in the campus antiwar movement alongside Shyla, he now has a deeply strained and antagonistic relationship with his former social circle.

Jack's childhood friend and high school girlfriend, now divorced from Capers Middleton. She is a straightforward, supportive presence who works alongside Jack on the television script and helps him and his daughter reintegrate into South Carolina life.

Jack and Shyla's eight-year-old daughter. Having spent most of her life in Italy, she longs to know more about her deceased mother and her American family. She eagerly embraces Southern culture, beach music, and sea turtle conservation when she finally travels to South Carolina.

Jack's father, an attorney who struggles with a severe alcohol addiction. He is a volatile, resentful presence in his sons' lives who frequently causes public disturbances, particularly regarding his ex-wife's new marriage.

Jordan's father, a strict military martinet who prioritizes his duty to the Marine Corps above his family. He has a history of physically and emotionally abusing his son and firmly believes Jordan should face legal prosecution for his past actions.

Jordan's mother, who fiercely protects her son. She eventually separates from her husband when he prioritizes his military duty and the law over their son's safety, leaving him stranded without funds in Italy.

Mike Hess's grandfather and a respected local business owner. A Jewish immigrant from Ukraine who survived extreme violence during the Russian Civil War, he acts as an adoptive father figure to Ruth Fox and encourages Jack to pursue forgiveness.

Shyla's sister, who travels to Italy to demand contact with her niece, Leah. She seeks to understand the circumstances surrounding her sister's death and hopes to initiate a reconciliation between Jack and her parents.

Lucy's current husband and Jack's stepfather. He supports Lucy through her battle with leukemia and coordinates both her medical treatments and her religious care.

A Trappist monk residing at Mepkin Abbey. He shares a uniquely intimate and emotional bond with Lucy, providing her with intense spiritual comfort during her illness.

Capers's current wife, who finds herself caught in the crossfire of the old Waterford friend group. She frequently bears the brunt of Jack's lingering hostility toward her husband.

Also known as "Radical Bob," he serves as the charismatic, driving force behind the student activist group during Jack and Shyla's college years. He actively pushes the students toward more extreme and dangerous forms of protest.