Verity is a 23-year-old screenwriter whose professional ambitions center on reclaiming forgotten Black history. She is bisexual and manages Bipolar 1 disorder through medication and therapy, though she often hides her condition from industry colleagues due to social stigma. Orphaned as a child after a tragic fire, she harbors deep fears about long-term romantic commitment and actively avoids emotional vulnerability.

Monk is a prodigiously talented pianist and composer who views his musical ability as a spiritual calling. He operates under a rigid moral code regarding fidelity, an outlook shaped entirely by the bitter fallout of his parents' messy divorce. When he signs on to score the Dessi Blue biopic, he comes face-to-face with the college girlfriend who broke his heart over a decade prior.

Canon is an acclaimed film director deeply committed to authentic storytelling and reclaiming lost histories. He acts as a mentor figure to Verity, providing a safe professional environment where she can be transparent about her health. He appears stoic and demanding on set but is fiercely protective of his cast and crew.

Petra is Verity's first girlfriend at Finley College. Confident and pragmatic, Petra prefers non-monogamous relationships and initiates the early interactions between Verity and Monk. She remains protective of Verity during her mental health crises in college.

Tessa is Verity's close friend and former roommate in New York who also lives with bipolar disorder. Tessa and Verity share matching SOS tattoos as a promise to support one another through mental health crises. She occasionally struggles with medication compliance, which causes strain in her personal and professional life.

Mel is Verity and Tessa's close friend and roommate. As someone who does not have bipolar disorder, Mel often takes on a caregiving role for Tessa. She is fiercely protective but sometimes overwhelmed by the heavy responsibilities of supporting her friends through difficult periods.

Aunt Roz acts as one of Verity's surrogate parents following the tragic death of Verity's mother and father. She provides a loving, accepting home, though her deep worry about her niece's mental health can sometimes feel overbearing to Verity.

Aunt Grace is Verity's other surrogate parent who helps raise her after the devastating loss of her parents. Grace offers unwavering unconditional love and financial support, remaining consistently vigilant about Verity's well-being and medication regimen.

Will is Verity's father, a man who lived with severe, undiagnosed bipolar disorder. His untreated mental illness created a chaotic home environment that culminated in a fatal tragedy. This devastating event profoundly impacts Verity's fears regarding her own diagnosis and her capacity for lasting love.

Bernadette is Verity's loving mother, whose life is cut short during a tragic accident caused by her husband's mental health crisis. Her death casts a long shadow over Verity's understanding of romantic stability and emotional safety.

Dessi is a forgotten singer from the Harlem Renaissance who serves as the historical subject of Verity's upcoming biopic. Her preserved letters reveal a secret romance with another woman, altering the direction of the film's script and resonating deeply with Verity's own identity.

Tilda is Dessi Blue's roommate and secret lover. Her inclusion in the film script addresses the historical erasure of queer artists from the cultural record.

Cal is Dessi Blue's husband and bandmate during the 1930s. He performs alongside her and navigates the complexities of her rising fame and personal life.

Neevah is a talented, relatively unknown actress cast as the lead in the Dessi Blue biopic. She is dedicated to her craft and develops a close bond with both Verity and Canon while working on the film.

Evan is a film producer who works alongside Canon Holt. He helps orchestrate the initial meeting that brings Verity onto the biopic project and oversees the film's production logistics.

Dr. Garrison is an African American art professor at Finley College. She intervenes during a campus police incident, ensuring Verity receives medical attention rather than criminal charges during a severe mental health crisis.

Dr. Palmer is Verity's therapist in New York. She provides steady guidance using Dialectical Behavior Therapy, challenging Verity to overcome self-sabotaging behavior regarding romantic attachments and trust.

Jill is the cinematographer for the Dessi Blue film. She observes the dynamics on set and actively encourages the romantic connection between Verity and Monk.

Chris is a crew member on the film set. He works alongside Verity and develops an unrequited attraction to her, which eventually causes interpersonal friction during production.

Olivia is an actress cast to play Tilda Hargrove in the biopic. She expresses an attraction to Monk, causing moments of tension between him and Verity.

Charlie is Monk's brother. He maintains a relationship with their father, which creates friction during family holiday gatherings due to Monk's deep resentment over the parents' divorce.

Shrieva is Monk's sister. Like Charlie, she sides with their father following the parents' divorce, contributing to the rift within the family.

Sheila is Verity's agent. She steps in to help manage professional meetings and provides crucial support when Verity experiences symptoms of an approaching manic phase.

Ezekiel is a college friend of Verity and Petra who attends early social gatherings with them at Finley College. He causally mentions Verity's open relationship to Monk.

Gillian is a college friend who socializes with Verity and her girlfriend Petra during their time at Finley College.

Randi is Petra's new girlfriend after she and Verity break up. She accompanies Petra during a stressful night when Verity exhibits erratic behavior.

Carl is a man Verity encounters at the Top Dog bar during her first manic episode. He acts aggressively toward her after Monk leaves the scene.

Chap Brody is the artist who created the abstract copper sculpture titled Flame. His art becomes the focal point of Verity's early mental health crisis.

Linh is the costume designer for the Dessi Blue film and the daughter of artist Chap Brody. Her name inadvertently triggers a traumatic flashback for Verity.

Harry is a past producer who warns Canon Holt about Verity's reliability, referencing a time when her depression affected her ability to meet writing deadlines.

Desiree is a friend of Verity's from the University of Southern California. Verity pushes through the beginnings of a depressive episode to support Desiree's film screening.

Meekah is a woman Monk previously dated who appears in Desiree's film, prompting Monk's attendance at the screening where he runs into Verity.