Starling House: A Reese's Book Club Pick

Alix E. Harrow

Cast by Justin Cone

Jean Smart
Bev
Bev owns the run-down Garden of Eden Motel where Opal and Jasper live. She allows the siblings to stay for free due to a mysterious past arrangement with their mother. Despite her gruff exterior and frequent arguments with Opal, she acts as a subtle support system for the siblings.
Maya Hawke
Opal
A tough, guarded young woman in her early twenties with dyed-black hair and a scrappy, defensive demeanor born from years of poverty and caretaking; sharp-tongued but fiercely protective of her younger brother.
Why Maya Hawke? Her wiry intensity and guarded coolness fit Opal's defensive scrappiness.
Josh O'Connor
Arthur Starling
The brooding, reclusive heir to Starling House, tall and unkempt with an air of exhaustion and old grief; guarded and self-sacrificing, carrying the weight of a supernatural burden.
Xolo Maridueña
Jasper
Opal's younger brother, a sensitive, artistic teenage boy who loves drawing and dreams of a better life away from their small town. Hispanic or Latino. Teenager.
Why Xolo Maridueña? Has an earnest, soulful screen presence that fits a sensitive artistic teen dreaming beyond his hometown.
Reese Witherspoon
Elizabeth Baine
A polished, calculating operative for a mysterious extraction company; composed and ruthless, with an intimidating corporate menace beneath a controlled exterior.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Charlotte
A minor but memorable resident of Eden, embodying small-town gossip and suspicion toward the Starling family. African American woman in her 40s.
Why Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor? Brings a sharp, commanding presence and grounded Southern authenticity perfect for a gossiping small-town figure with layered suspicion.
Michael Shannon
Mr. Cole (Gravely)
One of the town's wealthy, sinister Gravely family members, tied to the coal mine and the dark history haunting Eden.
Why Michael Shannon? Brings an unsettling intensity and coiled danger perfect for a man tied to a haunted family legacy.