Reno is a young artist from Nevada who draws inspiration from speed and open environments. Nicknamed "Reno" by Ronnie, she rides a Moto Valera motorcycle and uses it to create art by photographing tire tracks in the salt flats. Independent but lonely, she observes the eccentric New York art scene and the turbulent Italian political environment with a mix of curiosity and naïveté.

Valera is the ambitious, fiercely independent founder of the Moto Valera company. Growing up in North Africa before moving to Italy, he develops an early obsession with motorcycles that shapes his worldview. He transforms from a rebellious youth in a motorcycle gang into a powerful industrialist who capitalizes on global wars to build an empire.

Sandro Valera is a wealthy, older Italian artist living in New York City. As the heir to the Valera tire and motorcycle empire, he actively tries to distance himself from his family's industrial and frequently abusive history. He brings Reno into his elite social circle of creators, though his polished exterior masks deep-seated insecurities.

Ronnie Fontaine is an eccentric, seductive artist and Sandro's best friend. He hides a difficult, traumatic childhood behind an ironic and highly performative personality. He constantly circulates through brief romantic encounters with young women and uses wild, exaggerated stories as a defense mechanism against genuine vulnerability.

Giddle is an attractive waitress and Reno's first friend in New York City. A former member of Andy Warhol's Factory crowd, she treats her life as an ongoing performance, often telling grandiose or contradictory stories about her past. She is fiercely independent and prefers to avoid serious commitments.

Nadine is a wealthy, chaotic woman who operates within the New York art and social scene with wild unpredictability. She communicates through illogical, grandiose stories and thrives on late-night drama.

Thurman is an eccentric, allegedly famous artist married to Nadine. He exhibits unpredictable and sometimes dangerous behavior, such as pulling a gun loaded with blanks during a night out, reflecting the wild nature of his social circle.

Gianni is an aloof and handsome young man who works at the Valera estate. He operates with a distinct separation from the aristocratic family he serves, quietly harboring deep political convictions and ties to radical labor rights movements.

Talia is Sandro's bold, intimidating cousin who operates with a violent, unpredictable confidence. Born with the last name Shrapnel, she uses the Valera name to avoid the stigma of her ancestor's invention. She acts as a brash foil to Reno's quiet observation.

Roberto Valera is Sandro's older brother and the current head of the Valera family business. He embodies the traditional, corporate side of the family and is highly favored by his mother, placing him directly in the crosshairs of angry labor unions.

Alba is Valera's wife and the glamorous, sophisticated matriarch of the family. She prefers high society and heavily favors her firstborn son over his younger brother, strictly enforcing aristocratic customs at their Italian villa.

Burdmoore is a former anarchist who belonged to a radical group called the Motherfuckers. He carries a dark, violent past involving protests and clashes with the police, which he masks with his new life among the wealthy New York elite.

Gloria Kastle is a wealthy socialite and performance artist who hosts sophisticated gatherings for New York's creative elite. She creates provocative performance art to explore boundaries and harbors deep, complicated feelings for people in her social circle.

Stanley Kastle is Gloria's husband, deeply embedded in the upper echelons of the New York art world. He supports his wife's artistic endeavors and provides a stable, wealthy environment for their eccentric friends.

Didi Bombonato is the star motorist for Moto Valera. He is fiercely competitive and impatient, growing frustrated when labor union strikes back in Milan force his technical team to slow down their work during his record-breaking attempts.

Tonino is an Italian technician for Moto Valera. He honors his union's strike mandates by deliberately working at a snail's pace, and he encourages Reno to attempt a speed record to help the Italian team maintain control of the track.

Bene is a young woman heavily involved with the political movements in Rome. She takes Reno under her wing to distribute flyers and guide her through the chaotic, passionate underbelly of the city's labor rights demonstrations.

Helen Hellenberger is a powerful gallery owner and agent for artists. She is known for her immense influence in the commercial art scene and her habit of sleeping with the men she represents.

Stretch is a kind maintenance man working at a motel near the salt flats. He generously offers Reno his bed for the night while he works a night shift, providing her with a rare moment of genuine, uncomplicated hospitality.

John Dogg is a popular, up-and-coming creator in the New York scene. He fronts a band called Hookers and Children and displays an open, unabashed ambition for success that contrasts with the ironic detachment of his peers.

Lonzi is a wealthy Milanese heir with a penchant for subversion. As the leader of Valera's motorcycle group, he advocates for erasing traditional rules and convinces his friends to join the war effort for the thrill of chaos.