Elisa is a 19-year-old sugar heiress living in the wealthy Miramar enclave of Havana during the late 1950s. Raised in immense privilege, she is expected to marry within her class and ignore the country's political unrest. Her worldview shifts dramatically when she begins a secret romance with a revolutionary. Decades later, she lives as an exiled matriarch in Miami, raising her granddaughter on romanticized memories of Old Havana.

Marisol is a freelance travel journalist residing in Florida. Raised by her grandmother following her parents' divorce, she grew up immersed in the exiled Cuban community's longing for a bygone era. Visiting modern Cuba for the first time, she experiences profound culture shock as she confronts the economic hardships and political oppression that contrast sharply with her inherited memories.

Beatriz is the bold, beautiful twin sister of Alejandro and the most rebellious of the four Perez daughters. She openly questions her father's authority and secretly funnels money to her estranged brother. Her willingness to bend the rules makes her highly resourceful as political tensions rise in Havana.

Emilio is the conservative patriarch of the Perez family and a prominent figure in the Cuban sugar trade. He prioritizes his family's financial stability and social standing, choosing to tolerate the Batista dictatorship to maintain his wealth. He demands strict obedience from his children and attempts to shield them from the consequences of the revolution.

Luis is a university history professor and secret political dissident living in modern Havana. He operates an anonymous blog criticizing the current regime, risking imprisonment to voice his frustrations. To survive economically, he also plays the saxophone and helps run his family's in-house restaurant. His dual life shows the gap between his high education and harsh living conditions.

Pablo is a passionate lawyer turned rebel fighter aligned with the 26th of July Movement. He vehemently opposes the Batista regime and the sugar barons who profit from inequality. Despite his intense hatred for the Cuban elite, he risks his safety to pursue a romance with a daughter of the wealthy class.

Fidel Castro is the historical leader of the revolution seeking to overthrow Fulgencio Batista. Though he remains largely off-stage, his political decisions drive the plot. He represents liberation to the working class and total destruction to the Perez family's way of life.

An Argentine revolutionary and key military leader. He commands the rebel forces in decisive battles and oversees the brutal tribunals at La Cabaña prison, administering a violent form of justice that terrifies the Havana elite.

The historical president of Cuba turned dictator. His oppressive and unequal governance fuels the rebel uprising, leaving wealthy families like the Perezes to balance their distaste for his methods with their reliance on his protection of their assets.

Magda is the longtime nanny for the Perez family. A working-class Cuban woman who practices Catholicism and Santeria, she provides the emotional warmth the Perez parents often withhold. She acts as a grounded, observant confidante for Elisa during her secret romance.

Ana is the matriarch of the Rodriguez family and Elisa's childhood best friend. Having remained in Cuba after the revolution, she adapted to the loss of her family's wealth by converting her home into a restaurant for tourists. She acts as the keeper of Elisa's secrets, eventually passing a hidden box of letters to Marisol.

Alejandro is the only son of the Perez family. Disowned by his father for his revolutionary activities, he looks thin and exhausted from living on the run. He vehemently opposes the Batista dictatorship but is increasingly horrified by the brutality of the rebel forces.

Isabel is one of the middle Perez daughters. She represents the quiet compromises of high society, secretly becoming engaged to a middle-class accountant. She tries to avoid the political turmoil that captivates her siblings.

Maria is the youngest Perez daughter. She is entirely sheltered from the revolution's realities by her older sisters and parents, representing the innocence the family strives to protect.

Cristina is Luis's ex-wife. Because of the severe housing shortage in modern Havana, she continues to live in the Rodriguez household. She holds a cynical view of wealthy tourists and resents Americans who view Cuba through a romanticized lens.

Caridad is Luis's mother and a hardworking member of the Rodriguez household. She assists Ana in running the paladar and treats foreign visitors with a cool, guarded demeanor to protect her family from government scrutiny.

The matriarch of the Perez family. Accustomed to a life of immense luxury and high social standing, she becomes indecisive and paralyzed by fear as the revolution encroaches on their protected enclave.

Alberto is a middle-class accountant who secretly becomes engaged to Isabel Perez. He represents a safe, slightly unconventional choice for a sugar heiress.

Guillermo is a social acquaintance of the Perez family. He operates on the fringes of the revolution while maintaining ties to high society, providing a crucial communication link between the rebels and the elite.

Juan is Elisa's husband, whom she marries shortly after fleeing Cuba. He helps her build a prosperous, stable life in the United States, raising their family far from the political violence of their homeland.

Miguel is Marisol's father and Elisa's son. He grew up in the United States and works closely with his parents to establish the family's influence and wealth in Florida.