Pasquale is the hardworking proprietor of The Hotel Adequate View, an establishment he inherited from his father. Living in the isolated Italian fishing village of Porto Vergogna in 1962, he dreams of transforming his small business into an American-style resort. He stands out from the local fishermen due to his education and his idealistic outlook on life.

Dee is a striking, unusually tall American actress cast in a supporting role in the film *Cleopatra*. Arriving in a remote Italian village under the shadow of a frightening medical diagnosis, she waits anxiously for the man she loves to join her. She struggles with the artifice of the Hollywood industry and desires to live a more authentic life free from the expectations of others.

Michael Deane is a ruthlessly ambitious Hollywood publicist and producer whose career spans from the set of *Cleopatra* in the 1960s to modern-day reality television. Obsessed with staying relevant, he undergoes extensive cosmetic procedures to maintain his youth. He views the people around him as commodities to be manipulated for success and profit.

Claire is Michael Deane's chief development assistant. She is an educated woman who longs to produce meaningful cinema. Instead, she finds herself trapped listening to lackluster pitches for reality shows and blockbusters. She is deeply cynical about the film industry but struggles to abandon her love for movies.

Shane is an aspiring writer from Beaverton, Oregon, who travels to Los Angeles to pitch a historical thriller called *Donner!* Following a divorce and a string of career failures, he tries to reinvent himself as a screenwriter. He hopes to reclaim the confidence and success that came easily to him in his youth.

Pat is a troubled, substance-abusing musician grappling with the loss of his minor 1990s fame as the front man for The Reticents. Driven by a desperate need for recognition, he attempts to revive his career through a disastrous overseas tour. His sense of entitlement often masks his deep vulnerability and fear of failure.

Alvis is a World War II veteran and struggling writer who visits Porto Vergogna annually. He attempts to finish a novel based on his wartime experiences in Italy but constantly procrastinates. Plagued by alcoholism and a sense of inadequacy compared to traditional war heroes, he brings a cynical but gentle perspective to the people he meets.

Based on the historical actor, Richard is a wildly famous, charismatic, but self-destructive movie star. While working on *Cleopatra*, he struggles with the intense scrutiny of the paparazzi. He masks the pressure of his career with heavy drinking, grand speeches, and a chaotic personal life.

Antonia is Pasquale's traditional, superstitious mother. Having lost her other sons to World War II, she views Pasquale as her miraculous surviving child. She is intensely invested in his happiness and worries constantly about his future at the isolated hotel.

Valeria is Pasquale's eccentric, elderly aunt who lives at The Hotel Adequate View. Often described as witch-like by the locals, she relies on old provincial beliefs and fierce family loyalty. She harbors intense emotions regarding her family's fate.

Amedea is Pasquale's former lover who resides in Florence. Her life is complicated by the strict social expectations of her parents, who conceal the truth about her child to protect the family's reputation from scandal.

Bruno is the young son of Amedea and Pasquale. Due to the social stigma of his birth, Amedea's parents raise him to believe they are his parents and that Amedea is his sister.

Lydia is Pat's disillusioned ex-girlfriend who endures years of his addiction and infidelity before finally leaving him. She channels her experiences into writing an autobiographical play, attempting to process the trauma of their relationship.

Gualfredo is a wealthy, aggressive hotelier from the nearby, more prosperous resort town of Portovenere. He functions as a local bully, attempting to extort smaller businesses and assert dominance over the coast.

Pelle is Gualfredo's intimidating goon. He relies on physical menace and violence to enforce Gualfredo's demands against the locals of Porto Vergogna.

Tommaso is a local fisherman in Porto Vergogna with strong political convictions. He aids Pasquale in navigating the practical challenges of reaching Rome and helps intervene in local conflicts.

Lugo is a tough local fisherman and war veteran who steps in to defend his community when outsiders threaten the peace of their small village.

Maria is a young, beautiful Italian woman who meets American soldiers toward the end of World War II. Her interactions with the soldiers are heavily colored by the harsh realities and traumas of surviving in a war-torn country.

Daryl is Claire's physically fit but emotionally unavailable boyfriend. He spends his days unproductively, causing Claire to constantly question why she remains in the relationship.

Shaundra is Shane's ex-wife. Her blunt criticisms of his pampered upbringing and lack of resilience haunt him, pushing him to try to prove his worth as a writer.

Orenzio is a local boat pilot who transports visitors along the Italian coast. He delivers specific instructions from the movie studio regarding Dee's stay at the hotel.