Mo is an American-born, secular Muslim architect nearing 40 years old. He works at a prestigious architectural firm and postpones marriage to focus on his career. He submits the winning "Garden" design to the 9/11 memorial contest anonymously. He views himself primarily as an American professional rather than a religious representative, leading to internal conflict when the public demands he answer for his faith.

Claire is a wealthy former lawyer who represents the 9/11 victims' families on the memorial jury. She lost her husband, Cal, in the tragedy and fiercely advocates for the "Garden" design because she believes it offers a space for healing. She relies on her Ivy League education and privileged background to manage the high-stakes committee politics, but the public controversy tests her convictions.

Asma is an undocumented Bangladeshi immigrant whose husband died in the Twin Towers. She receives a large compensation fund for families of the victims and tries to live frugally to make the money last. She is gentle, firm, and morally upright. She quietly challenges stereotypes about Muslim women as she processes her grief and her new financial reality in America.

Paul is a self-controlled, cultured investment banker who chairs the memorial jury. He attempts to manage the intense personalities on the committee while maintaining public order. He finds himself caught between his liberal sensibilities and the overwhelming political pressure generated by the contest's outcome, ultimately making decisions that prioritize optics over fairness.

Sean is a struggling handyman who battles alcohol dependency and feelings of inadequacy. He desperately searched for his brother in the rubble of the Twin Towers. Lacking a sense of purpose, he channels his grief into a public crusade against the Muslim memorial designer. The protest movement gives him temporary direction but brings out his volatile anger.

Alyssa is an ambitious journalist for the Daily News who breaks the explosive story about the memorial winner's identity. She is aggressive in her reporting tactics, prioritizing sensationalism and career advancement over the potential fallout her articles cause. She views the tragedy and the subsequent political chaos primarily as an opportunity for professional recognition.

Ariana is a confident artist serving on the memorial selection jury. She advocates strongly for a raw, visceral design called "The Void." She argues that the memorial should evoke the painful, dark emotions of the tragedy rather than serve as a comforting, joyful space. She speaks with artistic authority and frequently clashes with those who want a more traditional monument.

Laila is an Iranian American attorney who works for the Muslim American Coordinating Council. She has spent her adult career defending marginalized Muslims and steps in to offer legal and public relations counsel to the contest winner. She insists on strict professional discretion and worries about her organization's public image.

Debbie is a right-wing activist who leads protests against the memorial design. She uses inflammatory rhetoric, theatrical outfits, and out-of-context quotes to rile up her devoted followers and generate media attention. She capitalizes on the public outrage to build her own political brand.

Thomas is a talented architect and best friend to the contest winner. He receives a major promotion at their firm and feels betrayed upon learning that his friend submitted the memorial design secretly. Despite his hurt feelings and the resulting tension, he remains fundamentally loyal and defends his friend's character to the press.

Nasruddin is a wise, cautious Iranian American who helps guide a young widow through the logistical and financial aftermath of 9/11. He advises frugality and maintaining a low profile to avoid extortion. He works for a butcher and frequently acts as a protective, fatherly figure for those in his community.

Issam is a prominent television personality and head of the Muslim American Coordinating Council. He seeks to organize the Muslim community's response to the public backlash surrounding the memorial. He views the controversy as a critical civil rights battle and works to rally public support for the winning architect.

Emmanuel is the wealthy owner of the architectural firm where the contest winner works. He passes his employee over for a promotion but later tries to leverage the memorial controversy for the firm's benefit. He exhibits a conditional acceptance of immigrants, tolerating only those who assimilate to his standards.

Geraldine is the liberal Democratic state governor who initially supports an impartial selection process. She quickly reverses her stance when public opinion polls indicate outrage over the memorial. She uses her political power to threaten the jury and rebrands herself as a defender against extremism to boost her approval ratings.

Lou is a jovial but aggressive ultra-right-wing television and radio host. He fans the flames of public outrage by debating Muslim guests and asking inflammatory questions on the air. He prioritizes entertainment and ratings over factual accuracy, using his platform to trap guests into making controversial statements.

Cal is a wealthy philanthropist who died in the Twin Towers. He gave up his passion for sculpture to accumulate wealth, though he used his money to support liberal causes and provide a lavish lifestyle for his family. His memory heavily influences his wife's decisions on the memorial committee.

William is the six-year-old son of a 9/11 victim. He struggles to process his father's absence and frequently insists on playing the role of a fireman. He builds small piles of rocks called cairns with his mother to help guide his deceased father home.

Inam is an educated Bangladeshi immigrant who worked as a janitor in the Twin Towers because he believed in the American dream. He died in the attacks before his son was born. He proudly paid his taxes and trusted that hard work would eventually lead to upward mobility.

Frank is the father of a deceased firefighter. He backs his surviving son and fellow firefighters in their crusade against the memorial design, insisting his opposition stems from principle rather than prejudice. He stands firmly behind his family's aggressive public campaign.

Eileen is a rigid, working-class mother grieving the loss of her firefighter son. She directs her sorrow and anger toward stopping the memorial design and expects absolute loyalty from her family. She views any wavering in their political fight as a personal betrayal.

Jack is a wealthy liberal and former college boyfriend of a committee member. He reappears in his ex-girlfriend's life under the guise of rekindling their romance, but his true motive is to pressure her to stand firm in her support of the memorial design. His intervention causes her to question the origin of her own political values.

Yuki is a Chinese woman who briefly dates an architect. Their relationship fractures over a heated disagreement regarding racial profiling at airports, revealing a fundamental disconnect in how they view civil rights and personal responsibility.

Jacob is an independent filmmaker who relies on his wealthy parents for funding. His father views him unfavorably compared to more traditionally successful young men. He asks for hundreds of thousands of dollars while showing little interest in his father's high-stakes committee work.