Opus cast and character guide: Who plays whom in A24's much-anticipated thriller film?

Opus is a thriller film offering from A24 and it was written and directed by Mark Anthony Green. It is produced by Josh Bachove, Collin Creighton, Jelani Johnson, Brad Weston, and Poppy Hanks. The film revolves around a writer who receives an invitation to the location of a pop singer who had gone missing three decades ago.

Opus had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and it will have its theatrical release by A24 on March 14, 2025. Here's the official synopsis:

"An iconic pop star returns after decades missing."

Here's a comprehensive guide to all the cast and characters in the film.

Opus cast and character guide

Opus was shot in Pojoaque, New Mexico in late 2023 and had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight section of screenings. The film boasts a set of really interesting actors who are portraying different characters.

(1) Ayo Edebiri as Ariel Ecton

Ayo Edebiri plays the role of Ariel Ecton who is a young writer. She goes to a remote place where a famous pop star went missing nearly 30 years old. Edebiri is known for her performance in FX's popular dramedy show The Bear. It has earned her several accolades including the Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award.

(2) John Malkovich as Alfred Moretti

John Malkovich In Krakow, Poland - Source: Getty

John Malkovich plays the character of Alfred Moretti who was an extremely popular pop star but had disappeared thirty years ago. The entire story of Opus revolves around him and his sudden resurrection as the protagonist visits his isolated place to meet the journalists who are looking into the issue. Malkovich has had a career spanning over five decades and has appeared in a variety of films and shows that are successful.

(3) Juliette Lewis as Clara Armstrong

Juliette Lewis is Clara Armstrong in Opus. While not much is known about her character, we can expect her to be one of the journalists in a remote place. Lewis has appeared in both mainstream as well as arthouse films in different genres. Some of her famous works include Naturalborn Killers, Cape Fear, and Kalifornia.

(4) Murray Bartlett as Stan

Murray Barlett is playing the role of Stan in Opus and it's expected to be one of the most pivotal roles in the entire story. The Australian actor has acted in shows like The White Lotus, The Last of Us, and Welcome to Chippendale among others. Other cast members of the film include:

Amber Midthunder as Belle
Stephanie Suganami as Emily
Young Mazino as Kent
Tatanka Means as Najee
Tony Hale as Soledad Yusef
Melissa Chambers as Bianca Tyson
Tamera Tomakili as Rachel
Aimee McGuire
Chris Highlands
Ayo Edebiri as Ariel Ecton
John Malkovich as Alfred Moretti
Juliette Lewis as Clara Armstrong
Murray Bartlett as Stan
Amber Midthunder as Belle
Stephanie Suganami as Emily
Young Mazino as Kent
Tatanka Means as Najee
Tony Hale as Soledad Yusef
Melissa Chambers as Bianca Tyson
Tamera Tomakili as Rachel

In an interview with Collider, Green spoke about Malkovich's character in Opus. He said,

"When I gave [script] to John and, he read it, you know, he really is a director's actor. And he's like, I'll read whatever you say, and I'll watch whatever you say. And I could tell that he internalized the macro thought of it, which is, this is a human. John actually kind of lives like this. So he didn't have to reach that far. But this is a human being that is limitless, that knows no border [or] boundary. Whatever curiosity thing that he finds creative, interesting, his group of friends, the whole thing. The writing of it was great. But then when it got into his hands, it became real. "