Louise is an 84-year-old widow living a strictly regimented life in Atlanta. Following a fall that broke her hip, her children force her to hire a live-in caregiver. She maintains an outwardly predictable routine involving physical therapy and four o'clock vodka cocktails. However, she secretly hides a mint-green Jaguar in her shed and begins plotting a sudden cross-country escape after receiving correspondence from an old associate.

Tanner is a 21-year-old former college athlete whose soccer scholarship ended abruptly after a devastating leg injury at a fraternity party. Lacking the funds to return to Northwestern University, she moves back into her parents' basement. A bitter argument over groceries prompts her mother to kick her out, forcing Tanner to take a job caring for an elderly neighbor to earn tuition money.

August is a 25-year-old neighbor who performs odd jobs and mechanical work for Louise. He is conventionally attractive and quickly strikes up a flirtatious rapport with Tanner over their shared interest in the video game Horizon Zero Dawn. He harbors personal responsibilities that occasionally complicate his social life.

George is a figure from Louise's distant past. The sudden arrival of a letter from George deeply unnerves Louise, acting as the catalyst for her abrupt decision to leave Atlanta. Their shared history involves high-stakes secrets that require complete separation.

Salvatore is a New York mafia boss serving time for tax fraud and violence. News broadcasts mention his impending release from prison and his alleged historical connection to a multi-million-dollar jewel heist from the 1970s.

Jules is Louise's highly responsible oldest daughter. Living out of state, she immediately suspects something is wrong when her mother uncharacteristically misses a hair appointment and stops answering her phone. She spearheads the effort to locate Louise, refusing to accept that her mother would vanish willingly.

Charlie is Louise's son. He checks on his mother's house at Jules's request, initially believing his sister is overreacting. His perspective shifts dramatically when he searches the empty house and discovers Tanner's abandoned cell phone in an unmade bed.

Lucy is Louise's daughter. She initially dismisses Jules's concerns but harbors her own suspicions about their mother's past. She eventually reveals to authorities that she knows about a secret vehicle and doubts their mother's legal name.

Lorna is an FBI agent who takes over the investigation into Louise and Tanner's disappearance. She connects the missing elderly woman to an unsolved 1975 cold case and hopes solving it will advance her career and provide a better work-life balance.

Candace is Tanner's mother. Strained by Tanner's bitter attitude following her college injury, Candace kicks her daughter out of the house after a heated argument. She later experiences profound guilt and anxiety when Tanner goes missing.

Jim is Tanner's father. He attempts to keep the peace in the household and tries to engage Tanner by asking for her help restoring a 1970 Fiat Racer. He acts as a grounding force for Candace when the authorities get involved.

Harley is Tanner's younger brother. He frequently teases Tanner about her broken leg and her new job caring for an elderly woman, though they maintain a sibling bond over shared video games.

Marty is Tanner's younger sister. Though Tanner claims they are not close, Tanner's disappearance causes significant emotional distress for Marty, who provides key information to their mother about Tanner's digital life.

Ken is Louise's deceased husband of many years. His death five years prior deeply affected Louise, who often misses his idiosyncrasies even as she appreciates the independence of widowhood.

Vee is Tanner's former best friend and college soccer teammate. Their relationship fractured completely after Tanner, acting out of bitterness regarding her own injury, made a damaging accusation to their coach about Vee's recreational habits.

Grant is a Northwestern University student who had a brief summer relationship with Tanner. After breaking things off when the school year started, he continues to send her inappropriate messages that Tanner sporadically answers out of loneliness.

Lorna is an ambitious FBI agent determined to solve a 1975 cold case. She pieces together the connection between the missing Atlanta widow and the decades-old heist, hoping a major career victory will afford her more time with her family.

Jamal is an FBI coworker who assists Special Agent Huang with the technical aspects of the manhunt. He traces phone records and handles press leaks regarding the suspects' vehicles.

Danny is a local police officer who takes the missing persons reports from Jules regarding her mother's disappearance. He attempts to gather basic medical and behavioral history.

Rosa is a local police officer who reviews the initial missing persons files. She is the first to connect the photograph of the missing Louise to an age-progressed image of a suspect in a decades-old crime.

Betsy is Salvatore D'Amato's late wife. Historical flashbacks detail her tragic relationship with the mafia boss, marked by severe domestic abuse following their rushed marriage.

Leonard is an older bartender at the Cobra Lounge. He flirts with Louise when she and Tanner stop for dinner and drinks, eventually providing Louise with a welcome distraction from her anxieties.

Father Tony is a Catholic priest in Colorado who provides shelter for the travelers. He is deeply grateful for a past kindness Louise showed his mother and offers immediate assistance without asking questions.

Rosie is Father Tony's sister. She allows Louise and Tanner to stay at her house and use her facilities while they wait for their next ride to arrive.