Varya is the eldest of the four Gold children. She works as a molecular biologist at the Drake Institute, specializing in anti-aging research through primate calorie restriction. Deeply affected by the fortuneteller's prophecy, she structures her life around rigid routines and restricts her own diet. She lives in a highly controlled manner to avoid the unpredictability of the outside world.

Daniel is the second oldest Gold sibling. He works as a military doctor for the Military Entrance Processing Station in New York. Disavowing magic and the supernatural, he chooses a practical, disciplined life and views religion purely as a human construct. He provides financial stability for his mother and values strict adherence to rules and logic.

Klara is the second youngest Gold sibling. She moves to San Francisco after high school to pursue a career as an illusionist. Deeply affected by the fortuneteller's prophecy, she focuses heavily on magic and attempts to communicate with deceased family members. She develops complex stage illusions like the "Jaws of Life" and works closely with her partner to secure bookings in nightclubs and casinos.

Simon is the youngest of the Gold siblings. Dreading a life running the family tailoring business, he runs away to San Francisco with Klara as a teenager. He initially finds work as a go-go dancer at a local club before dedicating himself to classical ballet. The fortuneteller's prediction of an early death drives him to experience life urgently and intensely within the city's queer community.

Bruna is a Romani fortuneteller living in an efficiency apartment on the Lower East Side. She meets the four Gold siblings when they are children and predicts the exact dates of their deaths. She claims to possess a divine gift called drabarimos. Her singular encounter with the children heavily dictates their eventual life choices and individual anxieties.

Gertie is a Jewish immigrant and Holocaust survivor. She works as a tailor and raises the four Gold children on the Lower East Side. She relies heavily on religious rituals and cultural superstitions to protect her family. Following the death of her husband, she struggles to maintain control over her household as her younger children move away.

Saul is a Jewish tailor and the father of the four Gold siblings. He works diligently in New York to provide for his wife and children. His early death fragments the family structure, prompting his two youngest children to flee to the West Coast to avoid taking over his business.

Robert is an African-American dancer in the San Francisco ballet company. He grew up in South Central Los Angeles before moving to the city for dance. He becomes Simon's romantic partner, offering him a place to live and guiding him through the broader gay community in the city.

Raj is an Indian immigrant who initially works as a mechanic in San Francisco. He reconnects with Klara years after they first meet and becomes her romantic and professional partner. He builds specialized illusion cabinets for her act and pushes her to seek larger performance venues.

Eddie is a law enforcement officer whose career repeatedly intersects with the Gold family. He initially acts as an antagonistic force for Simon in San Francisco. Over the years, his investigations lead him to cross paths with Daniel and research the Costello family's operations.

Mira is a student of Jewish art history who deliberately approaches Daniel and eventually becomes his wife. She provides a sense of stability and normalcy in his life. She lives with him in Kingston, New York, where they financially support their extended families.

Luke is a journalist writing an article for the San Francisco Chronicle about the Drake Institute's anti-aging research. He shadows Varya in the primate lab for a week, asking pointed questions about the ethics of her studies and the value of extending human life. He actively challenges Varya's isolated lifestyle during his interviews.

Ruby is the daughter of Klara and Raj. She grows up on the road as her parents tour their magic act across various casinos and venues. She eventually learns the techniques behind stage illusions from her parents and performs them for her grandmother.

Frida is a rhesus macaque monkey housed at the Drake Institute. She is a primary subject in Varya's calorie-restriction study. She occasionally exhibits erratic and self-destructive behavior while kept in her isolation tank.

Ilya is Klara's former magic teacher. A retired performer who toured in sideshows and circuses before contracting polio, he bequeaths a black lacquered box of sleight-of-hand props to Klara. This box serves as her creative anchor.

Teddy is a high school friend of Klara and Simon. He provides them with their first place to stay when they arrive in San Francisco as teenagers, giving them a foothold in the new city.

Benny is the owner of Purp, a nightclub in San Francisco. He hires Simon as a go-go dancer, giving the teenager his first income in the city and critically advising him to take formal dance classes to improve his act.

Ian is an older man Simon meets at a nightclub shortly after arriving in San Francisco. He brings Simon to his apartment in the financial district, providing the teenager with his first sexual experience.

Gali is the director of the Ballet Academy of San Francisco. He casts Simon in major roles, facilitating his rapid rise from an understudy to a core member of the company.