Ree is a hardened sixteen-year-old girl living in the harsh Ozark mountains. With her father missing and her mother mentally withdrawn, she acts as the sole caretaker for her two younger brothers. She runs her household with a fierce sense of duty and relies on her own resourcefulness to survive poverty. She harbors a dream of joining the U.S. Army to find order and travel, but the threat of losing her family's home forces her to search for her missing father.

Teardrop is Jessup's brother, an intimidating and volatile man bearing facial scars from a meth lab explosion. He earned his moniker from three teardrop tattoos under his eye, which gossip attributes to violent prison acts. Deeply entrenched in the Dolly family's illegal activities, he heavily uses methamphetamine and possesses a hair-trigger temper. Despite his frightening demeanor, he understands the clan's unwritten rules and eventually acts as a guide to Ree.

Jessup is an unreliable father and known methamphetamine cook. Having recently been released from prison, he used the family's house and timber acres as collateral for his bail bond. He has a history of poor decisions, unpredictable behavior, and wandering far from home. His sudden disappearance leaves his children facing financial ruin and homelessness.

Gail is an attractive redhead and Ree's childhood best friend. She recently married Floyd Langan after an unplanned pregnancy and struggles with the sudden responsibilities of motherhood. Her marriage is strained by her husband's controlling nature and his ongoing infidelity. She serves as a loyal companion and practical helper to Ree during the search for Jessup.

Connie is Ree's mother, a descendant of the once-wealthy Bromont family. Years of hardship, abusive relationships, and the stress of the Dolly lifestyle have fractured her mind. Once a vibrant woman who loved dressing up and dancing, she now lives in a state of mental retreat. She depends entirely on her teenage daughter for basic care like eating and washing.

Sonny is Ree's ten-year-old half-brother. The product of an affair between Connie Dolly and Blond Milton, he physically resembles his biological father. He possesses a tough, aggressive spirit well-suited to the Ozark environment. He adapts quickly to the harsh survival lessons Ree teaches him and shows fierce loyalty to his siblings.

Harold is Ree's eight-year-old brother, the youngest of the siblings. He has a more sensitive disposition than Sonny and sometimes struggles with the brutal realities of their life. His parents deliberately chose his name to give him a chance at a different destiny than the typical Dolly men, hoping he would have choices rather than falling into the family's violent patterns.

Thump is the feared patriarch of the Hawkfall Valley clan. He possesses a reputation for ruthlessness and enforces strict isolationist policies to avoid witnesses to his family's illegal activities. His authority dictates the actions of his extensive kin network, and his physical presence commands immediate respect and terror.

Merab is a robust, fiercely protective woman married to Thump Milton. She strictly adheres to the Hawkfall family's harsh codes and serves as the primary barrier between her husband and the outside world. She views Ree's inquiries as a direct threat to her household.

Blond Milton is an uncle and neighbor who embodies the aggressive traits of the Dolly clan. He attempts to misdirect Ree's search for her father using intimidation and lies. He also exhibits an ongoing interest in claiming Sonny, his illegitimate son, and bringing him into his own household.

Baskin is a local deputy who straddles the line between formal "square law" and the unwritten codes of the Ozark clans. He delivers the critical news regarding Jessup's bail bond and the impending foreclosure on the Dolly home, forcing Ree to begin her search.

Victoria is Uncle Teardrop's fifth wife. She is one of Ree's favorite Dolly women, attempting to maintain peace in a household dominated by her husband's frightening demeanor and heavy drug use.

Floyd is Gail's husband, tied to her after a brief fling resulted in an unexpected pregnancy. He is controlling, resents the circumstances of his marriage, and openly maintains an ongoing affair with his childhood sweetheart. His behavior creates immense strain in his home and angers Ree.

Mike is a representative from X Bail Bonds who arrives from town to investigate Jessup's disappearance. Representing the outside world and the formal legal system, he provides Ree with a crucial deadline and a potential loophole to save her home.

Little Arthur is a meth cook and resident of Hawkfall who previously visited Ree's home. He represents the drug-fueled, predatory environment of the extended clans, offering Ree drugs instead of the answers she seeks about her father.

April is Jessup's former girlfriend from Arkansas. She is a relatively pleasant figure from his past who provides Ree with critical clues regarding Jessup's recent behavior and the dangerous company he was keeping prior to his disappearance.

Sonya is Blond Milton's wife. She openly dislikes Connie due to her past affair with her husband but shows a quiet, persistent affection for Sonny. She frequently offers the struggling family provisions and occasionally defends Ree against neighborhood gossip.

Megan is a woman in Hawkfall who recognizes Ree from family reunions. Despite the clan's strict isolationist rules and general hostility, she attempts to offer Ree brief assistance before directing her toward the dangerous Thump Milton.