Ryan Gosling as Stephen Meyers, Morris' junior campaign manager.[6]
George Clooney as Mike Morris, Governor of Pennsylvania and a Democratic presidential candidate.[6]
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Paul Zara, Morris' campaign manager and Meyers' superior and mentor.[7]
Paul Giamatti as Tom Duffy, Ted Pullman's campaign manager.[8]
Evan Rachel Wood as Molly Stearns, an intern for Morris' campaign[8] and Meyers' love interest.
Marisa Tomei as Ida Horowicz, a reporter for the New York Times.[8]
Jeffrey Wright[7] as Democratic Senator Franklin Thompson from North Carolina.
Jennifer Ehle as Cindy Morris, wife to Governor Mike Morris.
Gregory Itzin as former Senator Jack Stearns, father of Molly Stearns and the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Michael Mantell as Ted Pullman, Senator of Arkansas and Morris' opponent in the Democratic primaries.
Max Minghella as Ben Harpen,[7] a member of Morris' campaign staff.