JD Vance's Hillbilly Elegy: Complete list of cast in the movie

The Netflix movie Hillbilly Elegy is an adaptation of JD Vance's 2016 memoir of the same name. Directed by Ron Howard, it was released on November 24, 2020.

Hillbilly Elegy centres on the life of JD Vance, the very person and his story takes us back to his miserable childhood in a family from Appalachian and sees him flit to a world that is full of expectations of a better future.

Hillbilly Elegy fuelled a lot of conversations on social and cultural diversity, of dreams of people, and then, in particular, are concerned with the plight of the white working-class people in the Rust Belt and the Appalachian regions were living on the edge of the poverty line.

Although the critiques of the Hillbilly Elegy were mixed, its cast's performances were deeply appreciated and talked about.

The primary cast of Hillbilly Elegy

1) Amy Adams as Bev Vance

Bev Vance is JD's mom, a nurse who is fighting with addiction and has an unstable and chaotic life which is when JD's childhood gets worse. Her struggles with drug addiction and relationships are taking a toll on her relationship with her children, but she is the hub of JD's life.

Recognized for her diverse acting, Amy Adams has been the lead of well-received films namely Enchanted, American Hustle, Arrival, and Sharp Objects.

2) Glenn Close as Mamaw (Bonnie Vance)

Mamaw is JD's tough, no-nonsense gran who functions as his primary caregiver. She has a bounteous influence on JD, as she is the one who knows the real values of hard work and fostering a resolute spirit. Her tough but loving behaviour creates, for JD, a relationship that is rock solid.

Glenn Close is a widely known and respected star of stage and screen whose career has spanned ages performing in such films as Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, and The Wife.

3) Gabriel Basso as JD Vance

JD Vance is the main character in Hillbilly Elegy. The film follows him through his formative years in Middletown, his military service, and his consequent studies at Yale Law School. JD is the central figure whose conflict revolves around the legacy of his family and his pursuits.

Gabriel Basso has previously worked in movies and TV series like The Kings of Summer and The Big C.

4) Haley Bennett as Lindsay Vance

"Widow Clicquot" Red Carpet - The 18th Rome Film Festival

Lindsay Vance, who is JD's older sister, is also someone who is in the same situation as Jim and has to put up with the indecisiveness of their mother and the immobility of their home life. She becomes, at the same time, a protective figure to JD, a mother who wants a decent life for her kids and an equal to her hardships.

Haley Bennett is known for her roles in The Girl on the Train, The Magnificent Seven, and Swallow.

5) Freida Pinto as Usha

Closing Night Red Carpet - The Red Sea International Film Festival 2023

J. D. Vance's wife Usha, has been the most supportive of him in all his school as well as in his personal life. She helped him complete his graduation, drugs and other issues, yet with him only she was stable. On the other hand, she also symbolizes a future full of hope and happiness, while JD's past is chaos.

Freida Pinto rose to fame with her performance in the movie Slumdog Millionaire, and she has also been on the cast of films such as Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Immortals.

The additional cast of Hillbilly Elegy

1) Bo Hopkins as Papaw (JD's Grandfather)

He plays JD's beloved grandfather Papaw in Hillbilly Elegy, who is in direct conflict with Mamaw, but his place in JD's childhood is irreversible. Albeit his imperfection, he is considered the loving father in JD's life.

Bo Hopkins has previously worked in movies such as American Graffiti and The Wild Bunch.

2) Owen Asztalos as Young JD Vance

Owen portrays the role of young J.D. Vance in Hillbilly Elegy with his ever-chaotic family life and the unique bond between his mother and his grandmother. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul features an excellent performance from Owen Asztalos.

3) Jesse C. Boyd as Matt

Matt is a family friend and the character emerging in the narrative with JD and his family, thus, uncovering the broader social network around them.

Jesse C. Boyd has been noticed in TV shows such as The Walking Dead and Mindhunter.

4) Keedron Bryant as Darius

JD has a young friend named Darius whom he has peer relationships with during his formative years. Keedron Bryant, well known as the singer of the popular song I Just Wanna Live, was the one whose single I Just Wanna Live was a viral hit during the Black Lives Matter movement.

5) Mandy June Turpin as Aunt Wee

Aunt Wee is JD's aunt, who provides additional familial context and support within the family dynamic.

Mandy has previously worked in The Hate U Give and the television show NCIS.

Hillbilly Elegy is available to stream on Netflix.

Edited by Divya Singh