Jeanette is a young Cuban American woman living in Miami who struggles with addiction and a painful family history. She attempts to build a stable life but frequently faces setbacks rooted in her past trauma. She has a highly strained relationship with her mother, Carmen, and feels a deep disconnect from her family's expectations.

Carmen is a Cuban immigrant living in Miami. She maintains a strict, reserved demeanor and often judges her daughter's life choices. She hides a painful past from her time in Cuba and refuses to speak to her mother, Dolores. She relies on control and appearances to manage her anxiety.

Gloria is an immigrant from El Salvador who lives in Miami with her daughter, Ana. She fled violent threats in her home country to seek safety in the United States. While in the immigration detention system, she tries to protect her daughter and make the best possible choices under extreme duress.

Ana is Gloria's resilient young daughter. She experiences severe disruption when her mother is detained by immigration authorities. She faces a confusing reality as an undocumented immigrant who considers the United States her true home.

María Isabel is a hardworking cigar roller in Camagüey, Cuba. She takes pride in performing a job traditionally reserved for men, even though she earns significantly less than her male coworkers. She cares for her exhausted mother and originally holds no desire to marry, preferring to maintain her independence.

Dolores is Carmen's mother and Jeanette's grandmother. In 1959, she lives in fear of her husband's violent outbursts and the political unrest surrounding them. She secretly plans for independence by taking typing classes and hiding money. Decades later, she lives as an older woman in Cuba with strong opinions about outsiders.

Maydelis is Jeanette's cousin living in Havana. She sells trinkets to tourists and frequently adapts her personality to match their expectations of Cuba. She feels frustrated by outsiders who impose their own beliefs on her country.

Mario is Jeanette's on-and-off boyfriend whom she meets in a rehabilitation center. He works at a pain clinic where he has easy access to pills. He and Jeanette share a destructive cycle of substance use and fragile attempts at recovery.

Antonio is the lector at a Cuban cigar factory in 1866. He reads novels and revolutionary news to the workers. He courts María Isabel by leaving her gifts and teaching her how to read and write.

Daniel is Dolores's husband and a supporter of the Cuban Revolution against Batista. He is intensely volatile and regularly abuses his wife. Despite his cruelty at home, his daughters view him with admiration.

Julio is Carmen's husband and Jeanette's father. His severe alcoholism dictates much of the family's dynamic and isolates his daughter. He relies heavily on his wife's sense of duty, creating deep rifts that persist long after the events of his life.

Nancy is a wealthy, white American woman married to a Mexican man. She insists on treating her employees like family, though her behavior often reveals a sense of condescension and privilege.

Roberto is Nancy's wealthy Mexican husband. He holds prejudiced views against immigrants from Central America and maintains a tense household dynamic.

Aurelia is María Isabel's mother. She works grueling hours in the fields to support herself and her daughter after her husband's death, refusing offers from suitors who wish to care for them.

Yosmany is a young Black Cuban man who lives near Dolores. He shows interest in Jeanette's life in America, though Dolores views him with open prejudice.

Sasha is Jeanette's high school friend. The two teenagers frequently push boundaries together, but Sasha refuses to cross certain lines when interacting with older men.

Johnson is an older man who approaches two high school girls and invites them to a foam party. He exploits the insecurities of a younger person, providing alcohol and drugs to manipulate the situation.

An unnamed German tourist who travels with Maydelis and Jeanette. He romanticizes Cuba's poverty and becomes deeply paranoid when his car breaks down.

Elena is Dolores's youngest daughter. She grows up during the Cuban Revolution, shielded from the worst of her father's violence by her young age.

Pepe is a guest at Carmen's Thanksgiving party. He frequently questions Carmen about her estranged mother and brings tension to the family gathering.

Vanessa is Carmen's niece. She takes an interest in the family's history and tries to keep the peace during family gatherings.

Isabel is an immaculate but fragile-looking customer at the Miami department store. She is constantly belittled and gaslit by her controlling husband.

Ronny is Maydelis's husband in Havana. He works as a doctor, but he and Maydelis live largely separate lives due to housing shortages and mutual infidelity.

Cecilia is the infant daughter of María Isabel and Antonio. She is born during a time of intense revolutionary conflict in 1860s Cuba.

Reinaldo is a local man in the Cuban countryside. He provides transportation for Jeanette and Maydelis when their trip with a foreign tourist goes awry, demonstrating the practical problem-solving of the local residents.