Nick is a Yale graduate and World War I veteran from a prosperous Midwestern family. Seeking a change of pace from his quiet upbringing, he relocates to New York to work in the bond business. He possesses a tolerant, unassuming demeanor that frequently causes others to confide their secrets in him. He rents a modest home in West Egg right next door to a colossal, ivy-covered mansion.

Born James Gatz, Gatsby is an enigmatic millionaire who throws wildly extravagant, heavily populated parties at his West Egg estate. Despite hosting hundreds of guests, he maintains strict anonymity, sparking countless wild rumors about his origins and wealth. He deliberately obscures his past behind claims of European education and military heroism. He possesses a singular, intense fixation on reuniting with a lost love.

Daisy is a wealthy, magnetic socialite originally from Louisville. She resides in a Georgian Colonial mansion in East Egg, surrounded by the comforts of inherited wealth. She projects an aura of purity and grace, masking a deep restlessness and passivity regarding her life choices. She maintains a cynical attitude toward her role as a woman in high society, jokingly hoping her daughter grows up to be a beautiful fool.

Tom is an immensely wealthy aristocratic heir and former Yale football star. He physically dominates the spaces he occupies and carries himself with aggressive, haughty confidence. He openly subscribes to racist ideologies and guards his social standing against anyone he perceives as lacking established generational wealth. He conducts his extramarital affairs with minimal effort to hide them from his wife.

Jordan is a successful competitive golfer who moves easily through the highest tiers of New York society. She embodies the era's modern woman, dressing fashionably, drinking, and ignoring traditional gender expectations. She maintains a cool, cynical detachment from the drama surrounding her friends. Rumors circulate about her willingness to cheat to win her first major golf tournament.

Myrtle is a working-class woman who lives above a failing garage in the industrial valley of ashes. She desperately seeks an escape from her dreary surroundings and her struggling husband. She views her affair with a wealthy man as a ticket to luxury, adopting pretentious behaviors when spending his money in the city. She possesses a raw, assertive vitality that contrasts with the refined manners of the East Egg residents.

George is a worn-down, struggling mechanic who operates a failing auto shop in the polluted valley of ashes. He works tirelessly but sees little reward, entirely unaware of the affairs happening right under his nose. He relies on wealthy patrons for his livelihood, making him highly vulnerable to manipulation.

Meyer Wolfsheim is a prominent figure in the New York criminal underground. He wears cufflinks made of human molars and claims responsibility for fixing the 1919 World Series. He operates strictly outside the law and maintains deep, hidden business ties with Gatsby.

Dan Cody was a self-made gold and silver magnate who sailed Lake Superior in a luxurious yacht. He took a young James Gatz under his wing, introducing him to the lifestyle of the extremely wealthy.

Ella Kaye is a woman who was romantically involved with Dan Cody. Following his passing, she successfully maneuvers the legal system to claim his entire fortune, effectively cutting a young James Gatz out of his promised inheritance.

Known simply as the boarder, Klipspringer is a man who seems to have taken up permanent residence at Gatsby's estate. He takes advantage of his host's hospitality, playing the piano when demanded but showing no genuine loyalty.

Henry Gatz is an aging man from the Midwest who raised James Gatz. He carries a profound sense of awe regarding his son's accumulated wealth and property, keeping a childhood schedule as proof of his son's early ambition.

Michaelis is a young Greek man who runs a business in the valley of ashes. He serves as a primary witness to the reckless driving through the industrial town and attempts to support his distressed neighbor.

Catherine is Myrtle's sister, a young woman with heavily applied makeup who frequents the city. She eagerly participates in the illicit apartment parties funded by Tom.

Mr. McKee is a pale, untalented photographer who lives in the apartment building where Tom keeps his mistress. He hopes to use Tom's connections to secure photography commissions in Long Island.

Owl-Eyes is an unnamed, heavily intoxicated guest at Gatsby's parties who wears thick spectacles. He is deeply fascinated by the discovery that the books in the library are real rather than cardboard props.