Rocky is the wealthy, stubborn owner of the Las Tres Sillas estate in the Owens Valley of California. He holds a bitter grudge against the Los Angeles Department of Water, dedicating his resources to fighting their diversion of local water away from his property. A gruff man who adheres to traditional expectations of masculinity, he struggles to express his emotions regarding his estranged son and his late wife.

Sunny is Rocky's twenty-something daughter and Stryker's twin sister. She runs a high-end local restaurant named "Lou's" in honor of her mother. Cautious and responsible by nature, she uses her study of French cuisine and cooking techniques to process her grief and maintain a connection to her mother's heritage. She frequently volunteers her culinary skills to help those displaced by the war.

Schiff is a Jewish lawyer working for the Department of the Interior. He is sent from Chicago to California to establish and administer the Manzanar internment camp. He wrestles with the moral implications of forcing Japanese Americans into imprisonment while striving to run the facility humanely. He finds himself unexpectedly drawn to the rugged landscape and to Sunny's culinary talents.

Cas is Rocky's tall, outspoken twin sister. A skilled harpist and savvy businesswoman, she moved from the East Coast to Three Chairs to raise her niece and nephew after Lou's passing. She manages her inheritance carefully and maintains a sharp, sometimes brash exterior that protects a history of past heartbreak.

Stryker is Rocky's estranged son and Sunny's twin brother. Known for his reckless and free-spirited youth, he joined the Navy to escape legal trouble in California following an incident with a circus elephant. Stationed in Honolulu during the Pearl Harbor attack, his unknown fate creates intense anxiety for his family back home.

Rocky's late wife and a French woman with a background in Louisiana. During her life, she worked as a trusted doctor for the local Mexican population, utilizing ancient medicinal practices. Her death from polio looms large over the Rhodes family, leaving an emotional void that each member struggles to fill.

Hace, short for Jesús, is a Mexican migrant worker and Sunny's childhood sweetheart. He was forced to flee to Mexico under a new name after a tragic accident involving Stryker and a Hollywood elephant. With the wartime labor shortage, he crosses the border back into California hoping to find work and reconnect with his past.

A wealthy beef rancher who defiantly opposes government requisition of his cattle for the war effort. He utilizes his resources and legal knowledge to attempt to protect the local detainees from losing their land during internment.

An organized and lighthearted Army Lieutenant assigned to assist Schiff in setting up Manzanar. He manages the practical details of the intake process and provides a jovial contrast to Schiff's serious demeanor, organizing community events including a Jewish Seder.

A highly skilled marksman working as a security agent for the Los Angeles Department of Water. He views his defense of the aqueduct as a moral duty and holds a personal vendetta stemming from violent past encounters in the valley.

A Japanese American internee at Manzanar who previously worked with Schiff at a hotel in Chicago. Eager to prove his loyalty to the United States, he actively seeks opportunities to join the armed forces.

A woman of Japanese descent who recently married Stryker Rhodes in Hawaii, giving birth to twin boys shortly before the war begins. Her heritage places her in immediate danger following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Rocky and Cas's father. A successful New York City businessman whose rigid expectations for his son's future drove a permanent wedge between them.