The painfully beautiful story of Kya and her life of solitude in Where the Crawdads Sing is making its way from printed pages of well-loved books to screens everywhere. While fans of the novel are afraid as always that the film won’t be able to capture the meditative, magnificent, mysterious story that they’ve read, hopes are high that the powerfully written characters, and the actors who portray them, will bring this story to life.
More than a murder mystery, and more than a coming of age story, the tale of Kya, the Marsh Girl, is one of solitude, melancholy, strength, love, and hope. With such a large audience already loving the story that author Delia Owens has written, the actors filling the shoes of the characters in this emotional tale surely feel the weight that the roles carry. All of them fans of the novel itself, the actors were reportedly excited to take on the roles every day that they were on set, giving the heartfelt, heavy story their all. Here’s a look at who will be portraying who in the dramatic, thrilling film.
Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kya
Kya, abandoned in the marsh at the age of seven, leaves school after only one day of incessant teasing from her peers. Labeled the marsh girl by the townspeople of Barkley Cove, Kya hides out in her grandfather's fishing shack, making friends with the creatures and plants of the marsh, and living off of foraged mussels and ten-cent grits that she buys from her only human friend, Jumpin. Ruddy and brawny, yet slim and strikingly beautiful, Kya is a mysterious, celestial wonder to those who dare go near, yet those who do not understand her call her filthy marsh trash, and shame her for the way that she lives, not knowing that the child lives alone. After years of very little human interaction, Kya learns to keep herself safe from strangers by following what she has learned from the native wildlife, such as the deer who taught her to hide in the palmettos from predators, and the Cooper's Hawk who taught her that some people will come back. More than a murder suspect, Kya’s journey is painfully beautiful as she becomes a woman, learns to read and write, finds her first love, and toys with the idea of trusting humans. At the age of 22, she becomes a published author of marshland biology, an expert on the land that raised her, and builds herself a beautiful, yet lonely life. When a young local man is found dead in the marshes, however, her life of solitude beyond the oak trees turns to one behind bars, and Kya must learn to lean on those around her to fight for her freedom. Believing that her solitude is her strength, she must learn that her desire for love and kinship is what makes her weak. And it's okay to be weak.
Daisy Edgar-Jones will be taking on the role of the unkept and socially-feral naturalist Kya. You may recognize Edgar-Jones from her role as Marianne in the television series Normal People. The London-born actress has recently appeared in many works as a breakout star, appearing in three films and five television series in the last three years alone. Most recently Edgar-Jones appeared in the comedy-thriller Fresh, in which she portrays the lead character Noa, a woman who fights to survive the world of modern dating.
The role of the barefoot abandoned Little Kya will be taken on by young actress Jojo Regina. This will be Regina’s feature film debut, having previously acted in commercials.
Harris Dickinson as Chase Andrews
The star football player, pride of his parents and the small town they reside in, Chase Andrews had it all; the fanciest bike, the most popular friends, the prettiest dates to the Elk’s lodge dances. But, there was something that he secretly wanted more than anything. One sunny afternoon, while throwing a football around on the beach, Chase happens to spot a wild-haired, muddied, stunning beauty hiding from him behind the ferns. Her deep, dark eyes staring back at him with a fear of holding another person's gaze. He wanted her but said that the strange Marsh Girl couldn’t be part of his regular, popular, man-of-the-town life. Years later, Chase is found dead at the base of the lonely fire tower outside of town. An apparent accident, but the local sheriff isn’t so sure.
Harris Dickinson, an actor, director, and writer, takes on the role of the good ol’ boy town hero, Chase Andrews. Dickinson is known for his starring roles in the Kingsman prequel movie, The King's Man, and as Frankie in the dark and dreamy drama, Beach Rats, where he portrays a troubled young man experimenting with drugs and his sexuality. Dickinson’s performance in the haunting story was powerful as his character wrestled with heavy emotions. Fans of the novel hope to see Dickinson bring the same emotional intensity to his character in Where the Crawdads Sing. Apart from his role as the chauvinistic murder victim in the novel-based crime-thriller, Dickinson has four other projects in the works for this year, including two more murder mysteries: the comedy film See How They Run, and a television miniseries titled Retreat.
Taylor John Smith as Tate Walker
Fishing by himself in the twisting marshland, his unruly blonde curls stuffed under a baseball cap, Tate Walker is approached by a seven-year-old girl, alone and lost in her father's dingy old boat. The boy helps the lost Marsh Girl find her way home, and as the years draw on he becomes somewhat close to her, or rather as close as she will allow him. Eventually teaching her to read and write, she lets him, and only him, into her home and her world. By the age of fifteen, she explores the marshland with him, sharing a love of the plants, creatures, pebbles, and shells, though something more blossoms between them just before Tate must leave for school in another city. When he returns four years later he tries to patch things up with the young woman he left behind, but Kya is wary of trusting him ever again.
Taylor John Smith, who is known for his role as Bash Casey in the 2016 film Cruel Intentions, takes on the role of the kind and understanding biology scholar Tate Walker. Smith is no stranger to working in the genre of thrillers, having previously taken on the character of John Keene in the mini-series Sharp Objects, a murder mystery set in the south, which is based on the synonymously named novel by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn. Smith is known for his smoldering gaze and light-hearted, calm demeanor, which made him a perfect fit for the role of the heart-on-his-sleeve scientist.
Garret Dillahunt as Pa
One of the most pivotal and hard-hitting characters of the story is Pa. An abusive drunk, Pa is known for existing only in two states: silence and shouting, which made hiding from him in the lush forest a normal occurrence for his wife and children. His belligerence is the reason that Kya’s Ma and four siblings left. Awaking from a drunken stupor, it took Pa some time to realize that his four eldest children followed in the footsteps of his estranged wife, taking leave of the rickety shack with him left to care for his seven-year-old daughter. Unable to care for himself even, Pa put Kya in charge of the cleaning, cooking, and grocery shopping until one day when he didn’t return from a night of gambling and drinking, leaving Kya to fend for herself in the swampy wilderness. Pa hadn’t always been poor, but after his parents lost their plantation, the young man pawned the last of their treasures and used the money to woo an unsuspecting young woman, who soon came to be his wife. After taking shrapnel to his leg in the war, and not being given the promotions he wanted from his father-in-law, Pa gave up, moving his family from their large home in New Orleans to the shack in North Carolina, drinking his days away until his family couldn’t take it anymore. Pa is an important character in Kya’s development, having his relationship with Ma be the only example of love and romance that she knew growing up, leaving her guarded yet curious as she becomes a woman.
Garret Dillahunt will take on the role of belligerent, never-sober Pa. You may recognize Garret from the 2021 film Army of the Dead in which he played the character Martin, an operative secretly on the heist crew for villainous reasons. He has also recently appeared in the long-running series Fear the Walking Dead, in which he portrays John Dorie, a bearded, depressed character whose dearest love left him, much like the character he takes on in Where the Crawdads Sing.
Ahna O’Reilly as Ma
Ma had no idea what she was getting into when she married Pa. A young woman from a well-off family, she was tricked by the man who used pawn shop money to take her on fancy dinner dates. Her father gave her new husband a job at his shoe factory, but when Pa returned from the war and moved her and her children to the shack, her grand life of frilly dresses and sunny afternoons on wrap-around porches was turned upside down. Ma took the brunt of the abuse from her husband, until one day she suffered from a mental breakdown, packed her things, and left, walking down the sandy road in her fake alligator skin pumps, suitcase in hand. It takes Kya years to understand why Ma left her and her four siblings there with Pa, but as she comes into adulthood Kya learns the truth, and decides she doesn’t want to live the way Ma did, hiding in fear.
The unstable yet loving Ma will be portrayed by Ahna O’Reilly. O’Reilly is known for portraying Elizabeth Leefolt in the 2011 drama The Help. An accomplished actress, O’Reilly has worked in film and television, as well as voicing two characters in the podcast series, Day by Day. She is set to star in the upcoming drama film Match, which is currently in post-production.
Logan Macrae as Jodie
Seven years older than Kya, Jodie was her closest sibling in age and was often the one to play with her. With their stick swords, they would pretend to be explorers searching for pirates coming across the sea. Jodie was also the last of her siblings to leave. Unable to look Jodie in the eyes as he explained why he had to go, Kya could hear in the way that he spoke that Pa had beaten him to a pulp, and the young man told his sister that he couldn't stay there any longer. Jodie plays a large role in Kya’s ability to trust, often feeling as though no one ever sticks around or comes back, he does what he can to prove her wrong during her trial.
Logan Macrae will be taking on the role of Kya’s scarred brother Jodie. Macrae began his acting career in 2019, appearing as the character Carson in the horror film The Vigil. The up-and-coming actor has had a busy year, with four projects currently in post-production, including an appearance in the upcoming drama series Black Bird.
Sterling Macer Jr. as Jumpin
Known as Jumpin for the way he jumps up whenever a boat pulls up to his dock, the aging Black man who runs the little store and gas pump was often Kya’s only friend. Still, in a time of segregation, the story shows how Jumpin and his family were treated with prejudice by some Barkley Cove residents, though not Kya, who loved the man dearly and came to him whenever she was in need. Kya took to foraging mussels and oysters to sell to the man, who loved her like a daughter and helped Kya as much as she would let him.
Sterling Macer Jr., known for his 1993 role as Jerome Sprout in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, will be portraying the always kind and understanding father figure, Jumpin. Often portraying a police officer or deputy in television series such as NCIS, Bones, and NYPD Blue, Macer will be switching things up as he plays the character of the protective, always-laughing Jumpin.
Michael Hyatt as Mabel
Mabel, the wife of Jumpin, is described as large, soft, and kind. Mabel was the only person Kya allowed to hug her, feeling loved and cared for as she rested against the woman's pillowy bosom twice in her life.
Michael Hyatt will be taking on the role of sweet, loving, bountifully bosomed Mabel. Hyatt is known for taking on the role of Detective Frontieri in the dark drama-thriller, Nightcrawler. More recently she has appeared regularly in the television series Snowfall, in which she portrays Sharon "Cissy" Saint.
David Strathairn as Tom Milton
Tom Milton, with his peachy cheeks and linen suits, is described as an almost ironic southern lawyer. The kind man, who’d rather just be called Tom, came out of retirement to work for Kya on her case, pro bono.
David Strathairn will appear as the peach-cheeked lawyer, Tom Milton. Strathairn began his acting career in 1980, appearing in the drama film Return of the Secaucus Seven. Since then, he has appeared in many films and television shows, including a recurring role as Peter Kotsiopulos in the James Spader-fronted series The Blacklist, though, Strathairn is better known for his role as Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck, as well as William Steward in the 2012 film Lincoln.
Other Characters Appearing in the Movie
Eric Ladin as Eric Chastain
Young and loud, throwing his arms about and raising his voice, Eric Chastain is the prosecutor assigned to the case of Chase’s murder. Kya likens him to the smaller males of the species who must make themselves appear larger, louder, and more important than they actually are. Understandably, she has a distaste for the man attempting to put her behind bars.
Eric Ladin, known for his role as Kerry Stone in the award-winning series Ozark, will be portraying the flashy, loud prosecutor.
Joe Chrest as Dr. Cone
Dr.Cone, with a small but important role in the book, is the coroner assigned to the Chase Andrews murder case. His examination of fibers found on Chase’s jacket and the wounds on his head may sway the jury one way or the other.
The role of Dr. Cone will be taken on by a familiar face, Joe Chrest, who you may recognize as Ted Wheeler, the hardworking, somewhat inattentive father of Mike Wheeler, in the Netflix series Stranger Things. Chrest is currently filming a television series titled A Friend of the Family, in which he portrays a character by the name of Bishop Matthew Paulson. Chrest, a United States Air Force veteran, has appeared in over 100 screen roles, as well as over 60 roles on stage.
Bill Kelly as Sheriff Jackson
Sheriff Jackson, a local to Barkley Cove, doesn’t feel that things match up just right for Chase’s death to be an accident. Bill Kelly, who you may recognize as Coach Wright of The Wonder Years, will be taking on the role of the inquisitive small-town sheriff.
Jayson Warner Smith as Deputy Joe Purdue
Deputy Joe Purdue goes over the evidence with Sheriff Jackson in their small office near the wharf. Listening to the townspeople’s witness testimonies and taking notes, often with the promise of a diner po’boy and some blackberry cobbler at the end of his day.
Jayson Warner Smith, the actor known for his role as Gavin in The Walking Dead, will be portraying the helpful Deputy Joe Purdue.