An 'Inherent Vice' Explainer: Our Guide to the Movie's Gigantic Cast

Even by the standards of a Paul Thomas Anderson movie — which are famous for their star-packed ensembles — the director’s pot-laced California noir tale Inherent Vice (in theaters now) has a ridiculously giant cast. Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Reese Witherspoon, and Owen Wilson are some of the instantly identifiable stars populating Anderson’s version of 1970 L.A., but there’s a deep well of supporting players with semi-familiar faces that you may not recognize right away…particularly if you happen to be watching through the same addled gaze as Phoenix’s zonked out private eye. As a public service, here’s a handy guide to some of the film’s various and sundry characters and where you’ve seen them before. Call it…Vice-spotting.

Katherine Waterston with Phoenix

Katherine Waterston
Who She Plays In Vice: Shasta Fay Hepworth, Doc’s lost lady love and this mystery’s requisite femme fatale, last seen shacked up with a big-time real estate developer.
Where You Know Her From: Besides being Law & Order actor Sam Waterston’s daughter, the theatrically trained 34-year-old has also had small roles in films like Michael Clayton and Robot & Frank.

Jena Malone
Who She Plays In Vice: Hope Harlingen, an ex-junkie turned loving mom and mourning wife, with a set of pearly-white fake teeth that renders her almost unrecognizable. 
Where You Know Her From: She was the object of Donnie Darko’s affection and is currently part of Katinss Everdeen’s anti-Capitol revolution as Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games franchise.

Maya Rudolph (center)

Maya Rudolph
Who She Plays In Vice: Petunia Leeway, a receptionist at Doc’s “office” (which is actually a low-rent medical clinic).
Where You Know Her From: A Hall of Fame Saturday Night Live player and Anderson’s real-life partner.

Martin Short

Martin Short
Who He Plays In Vice: Dr. Rudy Blatnoyd, a cocaine-sniffing, garishly-attired, relentlessly energetic dentist. 
Where You Know Him From: Another ex-not-ready-for-primetime player most famous for sweetly naïve characters like Ed Grimley as well as comedies like Three Amigos and Innerspace.   

Eric Roberts
Who He Plays In Vice: Mickey Wolfmann, an L.A. real estate magnate and last-known connection to Doc’s missing girlfriend Shasta.
Where You Know Him From: Any number of direct-to-video B-movies, as well as being Julia Roberts’ older brother and Emma Roberts’ father. Kinda like Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights, Anderson has provided Roberts — a one-time A-lister — with his most high-profile Hollywood movie in several years.

Serena Scott Thomas

Serena Scott Thomas
Who She Plays In Vice: Sloan Wolfmann, Mickey’s icy-blonde wife, who may be plotting to have her hubby committed. 
Where You Know Her From: Sister of Kristin Scott Thomas, she’s had roles in such diverse projects as The World is Not Enough and the TV movie William & Kate.

Michael K. Williams
Who He Plays In Vice: Tariq Khalil, an ex-con who provides Doc with a key piece of intel.
Where You Know Him From: Does this sound familiar? “Omar’s coming, yo!” If not, time to binge-watch The Wire.

Christopher Allen Nelson
Who He Plays In Vice: Glen Charlock, Tariq’s prison acquaintance, and a Wolfmann bodyguard.
Where You Know Him From: Make-up artist for and occasional onscreen victim in genre movies like Vacancy 2: The First Cut and Rise: Blood Hunter.

Michelle Sinclair
Who She Plays In Vice: Clancy Charlock, Glen’s sister and Tariq’s intimate acquaintance.
Where You Know Her From: She’s actually recently-retired adult-industry performer Belladonna.

Joanna Newsom (left) with Phoenix and Waterson

Joanna Newsom
Who She Plays In Vice: Sortilège, the movie’s occasional narrator and a good friend of Doc’s, as well as a possible figment of his imagination. 
Where You Know Her From: A singer/songwriter who tickles the harp strings with expert panache, she’s also married to Rudolph’s former SNL cast mate Andy Samberg.

Sasha Pieterse behind Martin Short

Sasha Pieterse
Who She Plays In Vice: Japonica Freeway, who ran off from her wealthy family to join Dr. Blatnoyd’s non-stop party.
Where You Know Her From: A regular cast member on ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars.

Martin Donovan
Who He Plays In Vice: Croker Fenway, Japonica’s rich daddy and a major mover and shaker in L.A. high society.
Where You Know Him From: Veteran of stage and screen and indie director Hal Hartley’s favorite leading man. His past “that guy” roles include Pastor Skip from Saved! and Bill from The Opposite of Sex.

Hong Chau

Hong Chau
Who She Plays In Vice: Jade, a massage parlor employee with knowledge of the sinister sounding organization, the Golden Fang
Where You Know Her From: Appearances on such TV shows as Treme, CSI and the just-canceled A to Z.

Shannon Collis
Who She Plays In Vice: Bambi, Jade’s fellow masseuse.
Where You Know Her From: A former regular on the family TV show, Darcy’s Wild Life.

Jeannie Berlin
Who She Plays In Vice: Aunt Reet, one of Doc’s regular contacts, glimpsed at home early in the film getting ready for a big date.  
Where You Know Her From: Oscar-nominated co-star of The Heartbreak Kid, not to mention memorable roles in Portnoy’s Complaint and Margaret.

Peter McRobbie
Who He Plays In Vice: Adrian Prussia, a vicious loan shark.
Where You Know Him From: Veteran character actor with appearances in such movies as School Ties, World Trade Center and Lincoln.

Keith Jardine
Who He Plays In Vice: Puck Beaverton, a heavily muscled (and strategically tattooed) enforcer.
Where You Know Him From: If he looks like a MMA fighter, that’s because he used to be one. During his career, he took on and triumphed over big-name fighters like Chuck Liddell, but has turned his attention to acting in recent years, appearing in films like Crank: High Voltage and John Wick.

Sam Jaeger and Timothy Simons
Who They Play In Vice: FBI agents Flatweed and Borderline, who detain a meddling Doc.
Where You Know Them From: Jaeger has had numerous supporting roles on the big and small screen (including Friday Night Lights and Her), while Simons is the eternally obnoxious Jonah on Veep.

Jefferson Mays

Jefferson Mays
Who He Plays In Vice: Dr. Threeply, the disturbingly calm head of a disturbingly calm holistic getaway.  
Where You Know Him From: A Tony-award winning Broadway actor who has also appeared in films like The Notorious Bettie Page and TV shows like The Good Wife.

Jillian Bell
Who She Plays In Vice: Chlorinda, a sarcastic waitress at a local dive — you’ll likely recognize her voice rather than her face, since the latter isn’t really on camera.
Where You Know Her From: Stealing 22 Jump Street away from Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.

Samantha Lemole
Who She Plays In Vice: The unnamed matriarch of the Golden Fang
Where You Know Her From: If you’re into comedy, Swingers and Legally Blonde; if you’re a horror fan, Saw V-VI.

Watch the movie’s trailer below:

Image credits: Everett Collection