Maddy is a biracial teenager living in the rural, segregated town of Springville, Georgia, in 2014. Raised in strict isolation by her controlling father, she is forced to pass as white and conceal her natural curly hair. When a sudden rainstorm exposes her biracial identity, she faces immediate and severe racial bullying from her classmates. The intense stress of this abuse triggers latent, involuntary telekinetic abilities that she struggles to understand.

Thomas is Maddy's abusive father who owns a local antique store. Fanatically religious and obsessed with a romanticized version of 1950s American culture, he isolates Maddy from the outside world. He forces his daughter to pass as white and punishes her physically or by locking her in a prayer closet whenever she disobeys his rigid expectations.

Kenny is a popular Black high school football player who dates Wendy and socializes primarily with wealthy white students. He faces immense pressure from his father to secure an athletic scholarship to the University of Alabama. To maintain his status, he hides his love for reading and stays quiet during instances of racial injustice, though Jules's bullying deeply disturbs him.

Wendy is a high school cheerleader and Kenny's girlfriend. Coming from a working-class background, she works incredibly hard to maintain her social standing and secure college scholarships. She initially participates in the bullying against Maddy but begins to worry about her reputation when videos of the harassment go viral.

Jules is a wealthy, entitled, and popular white student at Springville High. Her family's money and influence shield her from consequences, allowing her to behave terribly without fear of punishment. She acts as the primary instigator of the racist bullying against Maddy, treating her cruel actions as harmless jokes.

Mireille is Maddy's mother. According to Thomas, she died in childbirth, leaving her identity completely blank on Maddy's official medical documents. Through a hidden journal, she provides Maddy with crucial advice about controlling dangerous powers and embracing joy.

Kali is Kenny's younger sister and a dedicated advocate for social justice. Unlike her brother, she refuses to stay quiet about racial inequality and founds the high school's Black Student Union. She frequently organizes protests against the town's discriminatory practices, including the segregated prom.

Mrs. Morgan is the high school history teacher. Having moved to Springville only two years prior, she is considered an outsider by the tradition-focused community. She attempts to protect Maddy from racialized bullying and pushes the school administration to implement consequences, though she encounters significant resistance.

Mr. O'Donnell is the principal of Springville High. He prioritizes keeping wealthy parents happy over addressing systemic issues within the school. He refuses to discipline the students who bully Maddy, citing a lack of explicit proof regarding who threw the pencils.

Keith is Jules's wealthy father who runs a chain of local hardware stores. He uses his money and status to intimidate school officials and protect his daughter from facing any real consequences for her terrible behavior.

Mr. Scott is Kenny and Kali's father. He works at the local power plant and places immense pressure on Kenny to secure a professional football career. He advises his son to stay out of social drama and act agreeable at all times to protect his athletic prospects.

Mrs. Scott is Kenny and Kali's mother. She generally supports the idea of integrating the town's proms, contrasting with her husband's desire to avoid the issue entirely.

Michael is a podcaster investigating the events of the 2014 prom night. Through interviews with survivors and experts, he attempts to piece together the truth behind the mass casualty event and questions the official narrative regarding Maddy's actions.

Tanya is an anthropology professor invited to cohost the podcast investigating the Springville tragedy. She brings an academic perspective to the case and expresses skepticism about claims of supernatural telekinesis, preferring to find logical or structural explanations for the violence.

Brady is Jules's college-aged boyfriend. He works at her father's hardware store and willingly participates in her cruel, racist pranks against Maddy, showing no regard for the harm they cause.

Charlotte is a high school student in Wendy and Jules's popular clique. Her primary concern following the racist incidents in the classroom is how the negative attention might impact her own academic future.

Jason is a white high school student who strongly defends the town's practice of holding separate proms. He argues that segregation is simply a long-standing tradition rather than a racist practice, noting that his father has already paid for the white-only prom.

Rashad is a student who actively documents instances of racism in Springville. Inspired by national events, he uses his phone to record the bullying Maddy endures, though his camera mysteriously glitches during the ensuing telekinetic disturbance.