Nate is a passionate 13-year-old boy living in the small town of Jankburg, Pennsylvania. He stands out due to his short stature, slightly stocky build, and pronounced underbite, traits that make him a frequent target for local bullies. Nate loves singing and musical theater, fueling assumptions about his sexuality from his peers and traditional parents. Desperate to escape his stifling environment, he secretly travels to New York City to audition for a Broadway adaptation of *E.T.*.

Heidi is Nate's estranged aunt who left Jankburg years ago to pursue her own Broadway dreams. After experiencing industry rejection and bad reviews, she abandoned acting and now works as a waitress at an upscale seafood restaurant called Aw Shucks. Heidi serves as a crucial ally for Nate in the city, though his ambitious audition brings up painful memories of her own stalled career and family alienation.

Sherrie Foster is Nate's straitlaced mother who runs a local florist shop in Pennsylvania. She is heavily influenced by her town's conservative mindset and often seems embarrassed by Nate's eccentricities, favoring her athletic older son instead. Her perspective is challenged when she frantically drives to New York City to confront her runaway son and her long-estranged sister.

Libby is Nate's fiercely loyal best friend who moved to Jankburg two years prior to the events of the story. She shares Nate's physical build and his immense passion for musical theater, frequently staging private backyard performances with him. Preferring the behind-the-scenes role of an agent over the spotlight, she serves as the mastermind and vital cover for Nate's daring trip to the city.

Known only by the nickname Nate gives him, Freckles is Heidi's roommate and coworker at the restaurant. He is an out-of-work actor living in Queens who immediately connects with Nate over the unpredictable nature of theater life. As an openly gay man, Freckles fascinates Nate, offering a living example of a confident identity that would be unthinkable in Jankburg.

Anthony is Nate's 16-year-old older brother. As a popular star athlete, he is the golden boy of the Foster family and fits perfectly into the traditional mold of their hometown. He occasionally shows glimpses of kindness but is highly susceptible to peer pressure, leading him to distance himself from his younger brother's theatrical behavior.

Nate's father works as a maintenance engineer at the local medical center. He represents his hometown's conventional values, holding strict ideas about masculinity that prioritize sports over the arts. Though he struggles to understand his younger son's theatrical interests, his perspective is slowly challenged by Nate's unwavering determination.

Garrett Charles is the British choreographer for the Broadway adaptation of *E.T.: The Musical*. He is part of the imposing casting crew evaluating the child actors in New York. Strict and demanding, he challenges Nate on his lack of preparation, though he remains open to genuine talent.

Larry Motlie is a hometown peer of Nate's who leads a local group of bullies dubbed the "Motlie Crew." He represents the harsh, dangerous intolerance Nate faces in Jankburg, having brutally attacked Nate for his differences under the guise of religious righteousness.

Jordan Rylance is another child actor from Nate's hometown of Jankburg. Unlike Nate, Jordan has formal training and arrives at the studio fully prepared and appropriately dressed for the audition, highlighting the protagonist's amateur status and lack of resources.