Adora is a philosopher and moral tutor working at the Lockwood Library in New York City. Following a suppressed traumatic experience during her early career as a comedy writer, she uses ancient philosophy to shield herself from emotional distress. She maintains a strictly controlled routine in her apartment building, where she organizes a supportive community of single women known as the coven.

Digby is a confident stranger Adora encounters by chance. He pursues her with intense determination, sending unusual gifts like a burrito secured in an aluminum briefcase. He possesses a commanding demeanor and directly challenges Adora's intellectual detachment. He harbors a hidden objective regarding the Lockwood family.

Layla is the glamorous wife of Lionel Lockwood and the primary decision-maker for their household. She employs Adora to provide moral education for her twin sons. She dedicates her extensive resources entirely to protecting her husband's psychological recovery following his climbing accident. Her approach to problem-solving relies heavily on wealth and social influence.

Lionel is a wealthy philanthropist who lost his left arm and suffered partial paralysis in a climbing accident. He lives in a specialized, accessible glass house on his property. He experiences severe depression and relies on Adora's philosophical instruction to regain his sense of purpose and physical mobility.

Viv is Adora's teenage daughter. She frequently clashes with her mother over their opposing values and Adora's intellectual elitism. She fully embraces popular culture, modern trends, and her own emotional needs. She accurately perceives the emotional distance created by Adora's rigorous intellectualism.

Celine is a French aristocrat and art dealer with connections to the Louvre. She sells a statue named Boy With Apple to the Lockwood family. She uses her refined social status to exert pressure on those she views as subordinates.

Blanche is an unconventional landscape architect hired to design the Lockwood family's garden sanctuary. She dresses in practical work clothes and ignores traditional expectations of professional femininity. Adora quickly identifies her as a kindred spirit and invites her to purchase an apartment in the Ansonia.

Ravi is the elegant curator of the Lockwood Library. Hired from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he maintains strict artistic standards. He frequently objects to Layla's questionable art purchases and expresses deep concern over a newly acquired statue lacking proper historical documentation.

Minna is a divorced theater director living on the seventh floor of the Ansonia. She is a founding member of Adora's intentional community. She shares resources and provides practical support for the women in their building.

Emily Ann is a widowed lawyer and early participant in Adora's shared living arrangement. She collaborates with her neighbors to split groceries and avoid waste.

Lucien is the eleven-year-old twin son of Layla and Lionel. He receives moral tutoring from Adora. He struggles to apply ancient philosophy to his modern, privileged life.

Lorenzo is the twin brother of Lucien. He frequently indulges in material desires and conflict over luxury items, famously destroying his brother's designer sneakers. His behavior prompts Adora's lectures on virtue and self-control.

Hal is an economist and Adora's ex-husband. Their marriage deteriorated due to political differences and Adora's inability to communicate her deep emotional wounds.

Phyllis is Adora's mother who lives in Connecticut. She displays narcissistic tendencies and dismisses her daughter's attempts to connect during visits.

TJ is a comedic actor from the television show Laugh Riot. He assaulted Adora during a script reading early in her career. He utilized his status as a star to avoid consequences for his actions.

Ziggy is a dog walker employed by Adora to care for her pet. He possesses a specific talent for reading lips. Adora relies on his unique skills to decipher silent security footage.

Dante is the observant doorman at the Ansonia building in New York. He assists Adora with building security and logistics.

Dorris is a Peruvian contractor who works closely with Blanche Falk. She assists Blanche with various projects and logistics.

Scott is Ravi Bhardwaj's husband. He works at a Benjamin Moore design studio and shares a life with Ravi away from the museum.