Damian is a nine-year-old, deeply religious fourth-grader with an encyclopedic knowledge of Catholic saints. Grieving the recent death of his mother, he uses his faith as a strict framework to interpret a chaotic world. He practices ascetic self-denial and builds a cardboard hermitage near the railway tracks to seek spiritual clarity. When a large bag of cash literally falls into his life, he immediately views it as a miraculous gift meant for charitable works.

Anthony is Damian's older brother, defined by a cynical pragmatism and a sharp understanding of the adult world's transactional nature. He shields his own grief over their mother's passing by focusing intensely on real estate, financial investments, and the impending European currency switch. He frequently manipulates social situations to his advantage and assumes a fiercely protective, if controlling, role over his younger sibling.

Ronnie is the recently widowed father of Damian and Anthony, struggling under the dual burdens of sudden loss and single parenthood. He works exhausting hours to cover the mortgage on their new home in the Portland Meadows development. Emotionally distant and overwhelmed, he has lost the cheerful demeanor and love for trivia he once possessed, often leaving practical instructions on the fridge rather than engaging directly with his sons.

The man with the glass eye is an intimidating, predatory figure who introduces a palpable sense of physical danger into the boys' lives. He tracks a missing bag of stolen cash to the Cunninghams' neighborhood and begins ruthlessly pursuing the brothers to retrieve it. He embodies the violent and threatening realities of the adult criminal world, contrasting sharply with Damian's innocent belief in divine miracles.

Dorothy is a charismatic collection worker for an agency that gathers funds for various global causes. She enters the Cunninghams' lives by bringing her talking collection bin to their house for Ronnie to repair. Her warm presence and practical domestic help introduce a much-needed sense of normalcy to the grieving household, even as Anthony remains highly suspicious of her motives.

Mr. Quinn is Damian's well-meaning but highly conventional fourth-grade teacher at Great Ditton Primary School. He becomes increasingly alarmed by Damian's unusual behavior, such as walking barefoot to school and stuffing his shirt with prickly holly leaves. He eventually requests a psychological assessment for the boy, demonstrating the institutional adult world's inability to comprehend Damian's unique grieving process.

Maureen is Damian and Anthony's late mother, who previously worked at a Clinique makeup counter before passing away after a prolonged illness. Her absence casts a long shadow over the Cunningham household, profoundly shaping how her husband and sons attempt to process their grief and find stability in their new home. Damian actively searches for signs of her in his religious visions.

Barry is a large, imposing boy at the boys' new school who frequently bullies his classmates and steals their food. He serves as an early obstacle for Damian and an easy mark for Anthony, who quickly figures out how to manipulate Barry's sympathies to protect his younger brother.

Eli is one of three Latter-day Saint missionaries living near the Cunninghams in the Portland Meadows development. He maintains a sparse household that leads Damian to mistakenly believe the missionaries are deeply impoverished, making them early targets for the boy's anonymous charitable giving.

Amos is a Latter-day Saint missionary living in the Portland Meadows neighborhood. He and his fellow missionaries inadvertently complicate Damian's innocent understanding of charity when they use anonymous donations to purchase luxury electronics.

John is a Mormon missionary who shares a sparsely furnished home with Eli and Amos near the railway tracks. His household becomes an early target for Damian's anonymous giving, leading to a sudden influx of delivered appliances.

Terry is an active resident of the Portland Meadows development who takes a strong interest in local security. He hosts Homewatch meetings at his house to warn the neighborhood about the statistical likelihood of burglaries in new construction areas.

Eddie is the local community police officer assigned to the Portland Meadows area. He attends neighborhood meetings to advise the new residents on security measures and responds to disturbances when local homes are targeted for burglaries.

Tricia is recognized as the best artist at Great Ditton Primary School. She quickly adapts to the sudden influx of cash in the schoolyard by monetizing her artistic talents, charging her classmates exorbitant sums for drawings and custom models.

Gemma is a student at Great Ditton Primary School who shows kindness to Damian during a moment of vulnerability. She helps him collect himself after a physical altercation, taking the opportunity to ask curious questions about his older brother.