Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans is the director's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama based on his boyhood dreams of becoming a filmmaker, and the cast of The Fabelmans is full of A-list stars. Like many of Spielberg’s greatest projects, The Fabelmans is a highly entertaining adventure that uses the romanticism of youth to paint a nostalgic picture of family and independence — with several more mature tones hidden beneath the surface story. It features an outstanding cast of both veteran actors and breakthrough stars, who bring this layered narrative to life with their complex performances, forging this personal story that Spielberg had always wanted to create.
The Fabelmans is among Spielberg's best movies, rivaling even the most iconic and acclaimed projects in his filmography. It was met with widespread critical acclaim, receiving a total of seven nominations at the Academy Awards — including Best Picture, Best Director, and multiple acting categories. It’s an incredibly tender and personal story that only could’ve been told by somebody with as keen of a cinematic eye as Spielberg. Though Spielberg’s direction and Tony Kushner’s writing are just as impressive as ever, it’s the talented cast of The Fabelmans that really brings this story to life.
Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy Fabelman
Filled with optimism and ambition, Sammy Fabelman represents a fictionalized version of Spielberg himself. Instead of casting somebody famous and well-known in the role, the director chose an unknown actor named Gabriel LaBelle for the cast of The Fabelmans. The Fabelmans is fairly accurate to Spielberg’s childhood, so it would’ve likely been disingenuous to cast somebody famous. Although Sammy Fabelman is the film’s protagonist, he’s actually passive to many of the story’s most important moments. It’s his parents’ domestic conflict and subsequent divorce that pushes The Fabelman’s plot forward, but Sammy’s unique perspective allows this thread to unfold in a fascinating way.
Despite appearing in the TV series American Gigolo as a young Julian Kaye and in The Predator as EJ, LaBelle has never been given the chance to tackle a lead role before this movie. He delivers an acclaimed performance as the young director, channeling all the emotion and sensitivity that makes The Fabelmans' central conflict so devastating. Although he wasn't recognized at the Oscars, it’s undeniable that LaBelle’s astute take on Sammy Fabelman was a huge contributor to The Fabelmans receiving a Best Picture nomination. The Fabelmans would have been a very different movie without LaBelle's performance as Sammy.
Michelle Williams As Mitzi Fabelman
Mitzi Fabelman is among the film’s most exciting characters, not only because of her eccentric personality but also because of her unpredictable dynamic with Sammy’s father. It’s this relationship that really takes center stage in The Fabelmans, allowing Spielberg to retroactively criticize the parents that raised him while simultaneously forgiving them and admitting just how invaluable they were to his childhood. Michelle Williams in the cast of The Fabelmans perfectly captures this moral conflict within Mitzi — while she loves her family unconditionally, she makes several questionable decisions that have irreversible effects on her children.
The Oscars proved that Williams nailed her Fabelmans role by awarding her a nomination in the Best Actress category. It marks the actress’ fifth appearance at the Academy Awards, following nominations for projects such as Brokeback Mountain where she plays Alma Beers del Mar, and Manchester By The Sea where she plays Randi. She is also known for her breakout role as Jen Lindley in the '90s teen drama series Dawson's Creek.
Paul Dano As Burt Fabelman
Burt Fabelman is a much more reserved character than his wife, but that also causes several problems for Sammy. Paul Dano joins the cast of The Fabelmans as Sammy’s father. By the end of The Fabelmans, Burt might not have changed much, but he’s learned several crucial lessons about the importance of family, parenting, and fighting for the things that matter. Dano captures all of these emotions in an impressively subtle performance, matching his co-stars’ eccentricity with a much-needed restraint.
Dano is known for starring in acclaimed films, including The Batman as the Riddler, Swiss Army Man as Hank, and There Will be Blood as both Paul and Eli Sunday. However, it’s his performance in Little Miss Sunshine as Dwayne that he is most famous for. Despite receiving a Screen Actors Guild nomination for his work in The Fabelmans, Dano was ultimately omitted from the winners' lineup and the Oscars nominations altogether. But he’s one of the most valuable members of the cast of The Fabelmans, keeping things grounded in reality when the whimsy of Spielberg’s storytelling threatens to drift too far into sentimentality.
Seth Rogen As Bennie Loewy
Many of Seth Rogen’s best movies are very different from The Fabelmans, often falling strictly within the comedy genre. As part of the cast of The Fabelmans, he plays Bennie Loewy, a different sort of character. While that sense of humor is still there, his story is much more dramatic and emotional than Rogen usually portrays. Bennie is a close friend of Burt's, but he’s soon found to be having a longstanding affair with his wife. This betrayal impacts Sammy’s journey in many ways, teaching him about the true harshness of the real world.
Rogen’s dramatic performance is surprisingly powerful, differing strongly from his comedic roles in movies like Knocked Up as Ben Stone, Neighbors as Mac Radner, and Pineapple Express as Dale Denton. His part in the cast of The Fabelmans adheres closer to his dramatic parts, like when he played Steve Wozniak in Steve Jobs or Herschel and Ben Greenbaum in An American Pickle. Rogen’s work as a producer has also seen him earn two Golden Globe nominations, for 50/50 and The Disaster Artist. His part as Rand Gauthier in Pam & Tommy earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series.
Judd Hirsch As Uncle Boris Podgorny
Despite only appearing for a matter of minutes, Judd Hirsch’s role in the cast of The Fabelmans managed to secure an Oscar nomination for his performance as Sammy’s uncle Boris Podgorny. He’s a source of comfort and familiarity for Sammy in his darkest and most difficult moment, delivering a powerful speech that really summarizes the film’s key themes of family, independence, and never giving up. Hirsch's best-known film roles include Dr. Helinger in A Beautiful Mind and his Academy Award-nominated performance as Dr. Tyrone C. Berger in Ordinary People. Even more notably, Hirsch starred as Alex Reiger in the hit TV series Taxi.
The Fabelmans’ Supporting Cast And Characters
David Lynch as John Ford: Appearing in a single scene, David Lynch steals the show as a fictionalized account of legendary director John Ford. Ford made plenty of iconic Westerns, and he's clearly had a huge impact on Spielberg's understanding of the medium. Lynch is best known for directing such films as Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, and The Elephant Man, all which earned him Oscar nominations. But his most famous work is likely Twin Peaks, which he co-created with Mark Frost.
Julia Butters as Reggie Fabelman: Julia Butters appears in the cast of The Fabelmans as Sammy’s sister Reggie. She doesn’t play a huge role in the story, but her difficult relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Fabelman mirrors Sammy’s own domestic struggles. Butters is best known for her breakout performance as Trudi Frazer, Leonardo DiCaprio's character's screen partner in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord as Young Sammy: Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord appears in the cast of The Fabelmans as the younger version of Sammy. This is Francis-DeFord's first feature role only appearing in a short film, The Best Things in Life, before this.
Keeley Karsten as Natalie Fabelman: Natalie Fabelman, another of Sammy's sisters is played by Keeley Karsten in the cast of The Fabelmans. Karsten appears in Hunters in a bit part for one episode and also plays a cheerleader in Entanglement.
Alina Brace as Young Natalie: Alina Brace appears in the cast of The Fabelmans as the younger version of Natalie Fabelman. Brace's career is still early, but she has appeared in two television series: Sweet Magnolias and Average Joe.
Birdie Borria as Young Reggie: Playing the younger version of Reggie, is Birdie Borria. Borria appears in an episode of You as Zoe Brigham and four episodes of Pivoting as Nora.
Sophia Kopera as Lisa Fabelman: Sophia Kopera is in the cast of The Fabelmans as Lisa, Sammy's third and youngest sister. Kopera has a recurring role on the Apple TV Plus show Platonic as Maeve.
Jeannie Berlin as Hadassah Fabelman: Jeannie Berlin appears in the cast of The Fabelmans as Hadassah Fabelman, Burt's mother. Berlin was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her role as Lila Kolodny in The Heartbreak Kid. She also appears in Succession and You Hurt My Feelings.
Robin Bartlett as Tina Schildkraut: Tina Schildkraut, Mitzi's mother, is portrayed by Robin Bartlett in The Fabelmans. Bartlett appears in Shutter Island, Inside Llewyn Davis, and American Horror Story: Coven.
Sam Rechner as Logan Hall: Sam Rechner appears in the cast of The Fabelmans as Logan Hall, a class bully at Sammy's school. Rechner has only one role before this one, as Jack in the Australian drama Ruby's Choice.