Juan is a young man who travels to the severe, desolate town of Comala to fulfill his mother's dying wish. Disoriented by the strange, ghostly reality of the abandoned settlement, he acts as a listener to the haunting stories of its former residents. He approaches the supernatural events around him with careful curiosity as he attempts to learn his family's history.

Pedro is the ruthless and violent patriarch of Comala. Though Juan knows little of him initially, the town's history exposes a cruel landowner who uses intimidation to seize control of the region. He operates with impunity, ignoring the law and the church to expand his holdings and punish his enemies.

Susana is Pedro's childhood sweetheart. Having left Comala for many years, she returns deeply traumatized and scarred by grief from her past. She retreats into her own mind, preferring her painful memories over the oppressive reality of Pedro's affection and wealth.

Father Renteria is the local Catholic priest in Comala who struggles with profound hypocrisy and guilt. Tasked with granting absolution to the townspeople, he compromises his morals by accepting money from the wealthy. This corrupts his own faith while leaving the poor without spiritual comfort.

Juan's mother, whose nostalgic memories of Comala paint a false picture of a beautiful rural town. Her brief, unhappy marriage to Pedro Paramo left her indebted and brokenhearted, prompting her to raise Juan far away from the town's corrosive influence.

A local donkey driver who encounters Juan on his journey. Harboring deep resentment toward the Paramo family, he reveals himself as one of Pedro's many unacknowledged children, struggling with poverty and the heavy burden of caring for his sick wife.

Pedro Paramo's only acknowledged son. Raised with a sense of untouchable privilege, he acts as a violent and immoral young man whose reckless behavior causes immense pain to the residents of Comala. He uses his family's wealth to avoid consequences for his actions.

A kind but sorrowful woman who was close friends with Dolores. She offers Juan lodging and shares strange, haunting stories of the town's past, blurring the lines between the living and the dead as she recounts her regrets.

A woman who works in the kitchen at Pedro's ranch and once cared for Juan as an infant. She is deeply entwined with the Paramo household, having raised Miguel and witnessed firsthand the family's dark legacy.

A tragic woman in Comala who once worked procuring women for Miguel Paramo. Burdened by intense guilt and denied absolution by the church, she is haunted by the loss of a child she never truly had.

Pedro Paramo's loyal right-hand man and estate manager. He enacts Pedro's cruel schemes, using intimidation, violence, and manipulation to consolidate the family's power and landholdings across the region.

Susana's father, a miner who wishes to escape the violence of the Mexican Revolution. He fiercely opposes Pedro's interest in his daughter but finds himself overpowered by the landowner's schemes.

A resident of Comala living in a half-collapsed house. He harbors deep shame and lives a secluded, sinful life with his sister while aimlessly searching for a stray calf.

A woman trapped in an incestuous relationship with her brother. Believing her sins manifest as purplish spots on her face, she hides from the ghostly townspeople and the judgment of the church.

Susana's devoted caretaker who raised her from childhood. She struggles to manage Susana's severe depression and hallucinations but remains fiercely loyal despite the oppressive environment of the ranch.

Father Renteria's niece. She carries the profound trauma of being attacked by Miguel Paramo, an event that deeply complicates her uncle's spiritual duties.

A ranch hand and neighbor who falls victim to Pedro's land grabs. After being falsely accused of altering land boundaries, he suffers a brutal fate at the hands of Fulgor Sedano to secure his property for the Paramo family.

A local man appointed by Pedro to lead a band of armed men during the Mexican Revolution. He moves between the chaotic factions of the conflict, ultimately prioritizing whichever side is winning to protect Pedro's interests.

Juan's aunt who lives in Colima. She provides a temporary home for her sister and nephew after they flee the oppressive environment of Comala.

Susana's first husband. Though he is dead before Susana returns to Comala, his memory dominates her thoughts and prevents her from ever truly connecting with Pedro.

Pedro Paramo's father. His unexpected murder leaves his family in massive debt and serves as the catalyst for Pedro's lifelong campaign of violence and land theft.