Joseph is a journalist and pacifist from Rio who expects his afterlife to feature traditional physical torture devices. He maintains a polite, composed exterior and expresses a strong desire to be viewed as a courageous intellectual. Uncomfortable with the room's constant light and lack of sleep, he initially attempts to find peace through silent self-reflection.

Inez is a former post office clerk who openly acknowledges her own cruel tendencies. She is highly perceptive and cynical, refusing to engage in polite pretenses with her new companions. She understands the psychological dynamics of their shared space much faster than the others, recognizing that they are meant to act as each other's tormentors.

Estelle is a young Parisian socialite who insists her placement in the afterlife is a bureaucratic mistake. She is deeply anxious about her appearance and relies heavily on mirrors and the attention of men to maintain her identity. Accustomed to a life of privilege secured through marriage, she attempts to preserve her high-society demeanor even in her current predicament.

The Valet is an employee of the afterlife who escorts incoming souls to their assigned rooms. He is polite but thoroughly detached from the human experiences his guests mourn, lacking basic human needs like the ability to blink or sleep. He establishes the surreal, bureaucratic nature of this underworld.

She is Joseph's unnamed spouse on Earth, whom he watches through supernatural glimpses. She endures his poor treatment with a suffering demeanor that deeply agitates him even in the afterlife.

Florence is Inez's former lover on Earth. She left her husband to live with Inez, entering into a volatile dependency that left a permanent mark on them both.

He is the unnamed cousin of Inez and the husband of Florence. His marriage is torn apart when Inez decides to seduce his wife and convince her to leave him.

He is a wealthy, much older man whom Estelle married solely to escape poverty. He remains completely unaware of her infidelities and views her passing with profound grief.

He is Estelle's younger sibling on Earth. Their shared poverty drives Estelle to secure a financially advantageous marriage to support them both.

Roger is a poor man roughly Estelle's age who became her secret lover on Earth. His passionate attachment to her led to devastating consequences for them both.

Olga is Estelle's closest friend in Paris. As time passes on Earth, Olga takes over Estelle's former social prospects and begins revealing Estelle's hidden past.

Peter is a young man on Earth who harbored romantic feelings for Estelle. He represents Estelle's final tether to the living world before he moves on to new interests.

Gomez is one of Garcin's former colleagues in Rio. He frequently discusses Garcin's actions with their cohort, shaping Garcin's legacy as a coward.