If there ever was a utopian place of outrageous luxury, steeped in decadence, filled with larger-than-life characters; where everything/everyone is rich with temptation, then it was right here on earth, in the heart of Hollywood. But that was another era, when cinema was not just motion-picture, it was an experience, a way of life that people wanted to live, breathe, and feel in their skin and bones. It was the Golden Age of Hollywood, a kingdom of excess and exuberance. The latest period epicBabyloncaptures the industry’s crucial period in the 1920s when it was transitioning from silent films to talkies
The star-studded movie follows a chaotic and wild romp as the industry witnesses the rise and fall of the who’s who of Tinseltown during its Golden Age. The film not only aims to capture this critical and uncertain time in the film industry but also highlights the cultural changes that would become define the future generations of Hollywood.
Babyloncomes from Academy Award-winning filmmaker,Damien Chazelle, who writes and directs the film. Chazelle is most recognized for helming other projects likeWhiplash,First Man, andLa La Land, for which he won his first Oscar for Best Director and also became the youngest director to win said award.
For fear of giving away spoilers, all we can say, as Collider’s ownreviewers and editors have said, is thatBabylonis a “cocaine-infused” joyride with “manic visuals”. It’s likely to remind you ofThe Great Gatsbywith all the glitz and glamour, probably only a few notches higher.
Now, before you get to catch this luxurious visual treat, here’s a roundup of the film’s ensemble cast. Much likeOnce Upon a Time in HollywoodorLicorice Pizza, the characters are a mix of both real and fictional ones, and sometimes a fictionalized version of real people.
Check out who’s playing who in the epic.
Related:New ‘Babylon’ Featurette Lets Audiences Discover Justin Hurwitz’s “Score For the Ages”
Diego Calva as Manny Torres
Manny is an aspiring Mexican-American actor who starts out as a film assistant but gradually moves up the rank to an executive. He takes a job at this mansion which hosts massive parties. Manny also has a crush on the it-girl Nellie LaRoy. He is the third major character of the film. In a way, this is Manny’s story, as he also experiences and witnesses the major changes around him.
Playing the role of Manny is the newcomer Mexican actorDiego Calva. Calva is best known for his previous performance in the third and final season ofNarcos: Mexico. In movies, he has earlier appeared inI Promise You Anarchy, for which he won the Best Lead Actor at the Havana Film Festival. Calva is also nominated for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 80th Golden Globe Awards for his role inBabylon.
Jack Conrad is a famous actor in 1920s Hollywood and the highest-paid in the industry at the time. Conrad is infamous for his party-hard image, multiple marriages, affairs, and divorces. He also seems to be struggling with the newfangled format of talkies, becoming insecure and worried that his career is on the decline and will soon be forgotten.
Playing the uber-glamorous character of Jack Conrad is multiple award-winning starBrad Pitt, whose work or name needs no introduction. His character isinspired byJohn Gilbert, a popular leading star of silent films of the 20s, as well as a touch ofClark GableandDouglas Fairbanks. He recently appeared in a cameo role inThe Lost CityfeaturingSandra BullockandChanning Tatum, followed by a lead role in the all-star action-comedy,Bullet Train, and produced the critically acclaimed films,She SaidandWomen Talking.
Margot Robbie as Nellie LaRoy
Nellie is the it-girl of Hollywood and is an overnight star. She is a high-spirited woman who lives life to the fullest and wishes that life should be an ever-lasting party. Her cocaine-driven life also comes with a ton of insecurity about her background and is conscious of how people see her. Nellie’s sexuality also makes for an important aspect of her life and career.
Birds of PreystarMargot Robbieplays the role of Nellie LaRoy. Her character is said to be heavily inspired byClara Bow, a star of the silent films whose image in the movie It (1927) earned her fame and gave rise to the nickname/phrase – the It girl. Robbie is a two-time Academy Award-nominated Australian actress who rose to fame from theMartin Scorsesefilm,The Wolf of Wall Street, followed byI, Tonya,Bombshell,The Suicide Squad, and recently, Amsterdam. She is set to appear next inGreta Gerwig’sBarbieandWes Anderson’sAsteroid City, coming in 2023.
Jean Smart as Elinor St. John
Elinor is a sensational journalist and also somewhat serves as a mentor to Manny, Jack, and Nellie. She is known for her blunt and upfront attitude.
Five-times Emmy winner film, television, and theater actor,Jean Smartplays the role of Elinor St. John. She is best known for her performance in CBS’sDesigning Women, followed by other television shows likeFrasier(for which she won two Emmies), followed bySamantha Who?,Fargo,24,Watchmen, andLegion, among many others. She is currently appearing onHBO Max’sHacks. In films, Smart is best recognized for her roles inThe Brady Bunch Movie,Sweet Home Alabama,The Accountant,A Simple Favor, andGuinevere, among others.
Tobey Maguire as James McKay
James McKay is a drug-addled gangster, who only dreams of fame. But his success depends on how he navigates the dangerous town and its people. He is also known to be quite unpredictable.
FormerSpider-ManactorTobey Maguirestars as the gangster James McKay. Maguire is best known forSam Raimi’sSpider-Mantrilogy, for which he won multiple awards. From his first ever film appearance in 1989’s The Wizard, Maguire appeared in several movies and television shows likePleasantville,The Cider House Rules,Wonder Boys, andGreat Scott!etc. He gained recognition from projects likeSeabiscuitwhich he also produced and was nominated for at the Academy Awards, followed by the critically acclaimed and Golden Globe-nominatedBrothers, and the Academy Award-winning filmThe Great Gatsby, among others. He is also credited as one of the executive producers ofBabylon.
Li Jun Li as Lady Fay Zhu
Lady Fay Zhu is an actress in the big, wide, chaotic world of Hollywood. She is also a performer and sings and dances at various Hollywood parties. There’s some indication of a romantic angle between Fay Zhu and Nellie, but there’s no way to tell where that is headed or how intense it is.
Playing the role of Fay Zhu is a television star,Li Jun Li. She is best recognized for her role in ABC’s crime drama,Quantico, followed byBlindspotandWu Assassins, as well as movies likeThe HumblingandRicki and the Flash. Li has also appeared in other popular shows and series likeBlue Bloods,Chicago PD, etc. Since 2019, she has been appearing in CBS’sEvil.
Jovan Adepo as Sidney Palmer
Sidney Palmer is the fourth main character in this story of Nellie, Jack, and Manny. He is a trumpet player who gets the opportunity to start a career in films.
Emmy-nominated British-American actorJovan Adepoplays the role of Sidney Palmer. He had a supporting role inFenceswhich was nominated for several awards, followed byOverlordandThe Violent Heart. Adepo has appeared in television roles in series likeThe Leftovers,Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,Sorry for Your Loss, andWhen They See Us. Adepo earned most recognition for his role inWatchmen, for which he got a Primetime Emmy nomination. He will next appear in the 2023 filmMisanthropeand the upcoming Netflix seriesThe Three-Body Problem.
Related:New ‘Babylon’ Featurette Teases the “Depravity and Debauchery” of Early Hollywood
Max Minghella as Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalbergis one of the few characters of Babylon based on/inspired by real people. Thalberg was an Academy Award-winning film producer who was most recognized in the early days of Hollywood. He was fondly called The Boy Wonder by his colleagues and contemporaries for his production talent. He made popular films likeThe Hunchback of Notre Dame,Grand Hotel,A Night at the Opera,Mutiny on the Bounty,Camille,Marie Antoinette,Mata Hari, andRomeo and Juliet, among many others.
English actor, producer, director, and screenwriterMax Minghellaplays the role of Irving Thalberg. He is best known for his roles in movies likeSyriana,How to Lose Friends & Alienate People,Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, andThe Social Networkfor which he was nominated for various awards, along withHorns,Teen Spirit, etc. On television, Minghella has appeared inThe Mindy Projectand since 2017 has been a regular onThe Handmaid’s Tale.
Other Characters in Babylon
For a massive, star-studded project like Babylon, the story can’t be limited to the four/five main characters but moves across various others. These other characters might appear for a brief moment or in a blink-and-you-miss-it role, but each of them is significant to the story in some way or the other.
Babylon’s exhaustive cast includesLukas Haasas George Munn, a film producer, and friend of Jack Conrad;Samara Weavingas actress Constance Moore and Nellie’s rival;Olivia Wildeas Ina Conrad, Jack’s ex-wife;Katherine Waterstonas Estelle, a stage actor, and Jack’s third wife;Eric Robertsas Robert LeRoy, Nellie’s father and her manager;Jeff Garlinas Don Wallach, a studio executive who discovers Nellie’s true potential;Olivia Hamiltonas Ruth Adler, a director;Spike Jonzeas German film director Otto Van Strassberger,Chloe Finemanas a real-life actor, producer, and screenwriterMarion Davies.
There’s alsoKarina Fontesas Jen,Telvin Griffinas Reginald,Rory Scovelas The Count,P.J. Byrneas Max,Fleaas Bob Levine, along withEthan Suplee,Damon Gupton,Phoebe Tonkin,Troy Metcalf,Lewis Tan, andShane Powersin various roles.
