Beau Is Afraid Cast & Character Guide

Joaquin Phoenix leads the Beau is Afraid cast in one of the wildest roles of his career, but he is also backed by an outstanding cast that pulls him through his surreal story. Written and directed by Ari Aster, the filmmaker who brought audiences Hereditary and Midsommar, Beau is Afraid follows Beau Wasserman (Phoenix), an anxious, fearful man who has a complicated relationship with his mother Mona. After her death, Beau goes on a journey of self-discovery and realization as he attempts to get home in time for her funeral.

Aster’s latest, and most challenging movie yet, isn’t exactly a horror in the same way its predecessors are, but there is still a sense of unease that permeates Beau is Afraid. The film Aster takes Beau down an intriguing, strange, and complex path filled with colorful and absurd characters. The ensemble alongside Phoenix includes acclaimed actors, some known primarily for comedic roles, showing new sides of their talents in this nightmarish movie.

Joaquin Phoenix

As Beau Wassermann

Character: Beau Wasserman is the main character of Beau is Afraid, a troubled man suffering from mental health issues. Beau is overcome with anxiety due to his past trauma which is kept a mystery from the audience. His struggles with the world he lives in are heightened by the chaotic universe of the movie. Beau is immediately confronted with one danger after another as soon as he steps outside his door, confirming all of his fears and making his journey all the more difficult.

Actor: Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation, earning an Oscar for his role in Joker while also receiving three nominations for Gladiator, Walk the Line, and The Master. Phoenix has also starred in movies like Signs, Her, Inherent Vice, You Were Never Really Here, and Napoleon. He recently reprised his Oscar-winning role in Joker: Folie à Deux and will next reteam with Ari Aster in the Western Eddington, also starring Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, and Austin Butler.

Armen Nahapetian

As Teen Beau

Character: Armen Nahapetian also takes on the titular role in the Beau is Afraid cast, playing young Beau in the movie's flashback sequences. The sequences highlight the tumultuous relationship Beau has with his mother over the years, as well as giving a glimpse at some of the happier moments in Beau's life, such as when he was a teenager and fell in love for the first time.

Actor: Beau is Afraid marked a breakout role for young American actor Armen Nahapetian. Prior to starring in Ari Aster's movie, Nahapetian has appeared in series like The Orville, NCIS, and AJ and the Queen. He made his feature film debut in aTypical Wednesday while also appearing in an episode of The Rookie in season 6. He will next be seen in the horror movie Stay at Home.

Patti LuPone

As Mona Wassermann

Character: One of the veteran actors in the Beau is Afraid cast is Patti Lupone, who takes on the role of one of the key people in the story, Beau's mother, Mona. From his interactions with his mother in the flashback sequences to the ones taking place when Beau is an adult, it is clear that Mona is a big part of why Beau struggles with anxiety. She constantly adds to it with her guilt trip techniques and her sense of disappointment in him. However, Beau also thinks there are aspects of his past his mother is hiding from him.

Actor: Mona is played by acting legend Patti LuPone. LuPone is most celebrated for her career on Broadway which has earned her three Tony Awards for Evita, Gypsy, and 2022's Company, alongside many more nominations. However, she also has a strong career on screen, with roles in Witness, Driving Miss Daisy, and Heist. Most recently, she earned strong acclaim for her scene-stealing role as part of the cast of Agatha All Along, in which she played Lilia Calderu.

Amy Ryan

As Grace

Character: Grace is one of the few people to offer Beau some kindness in the strange and dangerous world he finds himself in, even if it is short-lived. Grace is a woman who takes Beau in and cares for him after hitting him with her car. She looks after him in a maternal way, hinting at a warmth that Beau has been denied by his own mother. However, it is also suggested that Grace's dedication to Beau is her coping with the loss of her son.

Actor: Amy Ryan takes on the role of Grace, having broken through with her role as Beadie in The Wire and her Oscar-nominated turn in Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone. Ryan is also best known for her pivotal recurring role as Holly in The Office and her more recent guest-starring role as Jan in Only Murders in the Building. She has also starred in Birdman, Bridge of Spies, Central Intelligence, Beautiful Boy, and Wolfs.

Nathan Lane

As Roger

Character: Roger is a surgeon and Grace’s husband who also cares for Beau in a time of need. Adding a comedic contrast to the intensity of the movie, Roger is a generally unserious man, filled with a positive energy and a lot of friendly dad jokes to help lighten the mood. However, as with Grace, there seems to be something darker and unhinged underneath the surface of this gentle and nice man.

Actor: Nathan Lane is another actor who has had massive success on Broadway. Like Lupone, he has three Tony wins to his name, along with several nominations, with The Producers likely marking the biggest title of his career. In movies, Lane has become iconic for his role as Timon in The Lion King. He has also had a scene-stealing role in The Birdcage as well as shows like Modern Family, The People vs OJ Simpson, and Only Murders in the Building.

Beau Is Afraid Supporting Cast & Characters

Zoe Lister-Jones as young Mona - Zoe Lister-Jones plays the younger version of Mona, who appears in flashbacks alongside teen Beau. Lister-Jones is an accomplished writer-director who is best known for her roles in Band Aid, Life in Pieces, How it Ends, Consumed, Salt and a recurring role on New Girl.

Kylie Rogers as Toni - Toni is Grace and Roger’s teenage daughter who has many thoughts regarding Beau staying over. Toni is played by Kylie Rogers, who has appeared in Yellowstone, the Sundance film Landscape with Invisible Hand, the 2002 remake of Cheaper by the Dozen, and Collateral Beauty.

Denis Ménochet as Jeeves - Jeeves was a friend of Grace and Roger’s son and is a troubled former soldier himself. Denis Ménochet has appeared in Inglourious Basterds, Hannibal Rising, and The Beasts.

Parker Posey as Elaine Bray - Elaine Bray is a woman Beau has romantic feelings for. Aside from playing Elaine, Parker Posey is best known for Blade: Trinity, Superman Returns, Lost in Space, Josie and the Pussycats, and Dazed and Confused.

Julia Antonelli as teen Elaine - Julia Antonelli plays teen Elaine, who appears alongside teen Beau in a flashback to a vacation with his mother. Antonelli is best known for Netflix’s Outer Banks, WITS Academy, and the series Every Witch Way.

Stephen McKinley Henderson as the therapist - Stephen McKinley Henderson portrays Beau’s therapist, who listens to him often speak about his relationship with his mother. Besides Beau is Afraid, Henderson has also appeared in Causeway, Lady Bird, Fences, Lincoln, Dune, and Civil War.

Richard Kind as Dr. Cohen - Dr. Cohen is Mona’s lawyer. Richard Kind is best known for his roles in Argo, Disney Pixar’s Inside Out, A Bug’s Life, and Mad About You.

Hayley Squires as Penelope - Penelope is a woman Beau meets along his journey. Hayley Squires has appeared in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, and I, Daniel Blake.

Michael Gandolfini as Beau’s son - Michael Gandolfini portrays Beau’s adult son. Gandolfini is best known for The Many Saints of Newark, Cherry, and Landscape with Invisible Hand.

Théodore Pellerin as Beau’s son - Théodore Pellerin also plays Beau’s son. The actor has appeared in Never Rarely Sometimes Always, On Being a God in Central Florida, and Boy Erased.

Mike Taylor as Beau's son - Mike Taylor portrays Beau’s third son. Besides Beau is Afraid, Taylor has also been in the DCTV series Titans, Cardinal, and Schitt’s Creek.

Beau Is Afraid (formerly known as Disappointment Blvd.) is a new supernatural horror/comedy film from Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar.) Joaquin Phoenix stars as the titular Beau in his older years, as a young man with a strained relationship with his mother. After her death, his return home is marked by strange supernatural occurrences.

Release Date April 21, 2023

Runtime 179 minutes

Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Nathan Lane , Patti LuPone , Amy Ryan , Kylie Rogers , Parker Posey , Stephen McKinley Henderson , Hayley Squires