WHO WILL YOU BECOME?
Thackeray Wills
Brilliant, impulsive, athletic and fiercely independent, Thackeray is a young scholar of Japanese history who has spent much of her life fighting rules, authority, and anyone who tells her she isn’t ready. An expedition to Kauaʻi pulls her out of academia and into a centuries-old mystery connected to her own past. Quick-witted and funny, but emotionally guarded, Thackeray begins the story determined to prove herself and gradually discovers that courage may have less to do with independence than with accepting responsibility for other people.
Lead
Kalani Cruz
Supporting LeadFit, capable and completely at home on Kauaʻi, Kalani has an easy confidence and humor that initially clashes with Thackeray’s tightly controlled academic world. A rancher who knows the island intimately, he is equally comfortable on horseback, in the ocean or moving through the forest. Beneath his relaxed exterior is someone courageous, loyal and protective when circumstances become dangerous. His relationship with Thackeray develops from playful friction into a genuine partnership and romance without losing the humor between them.
Supporting Lead
Miyu
A young Japanese samurai from another time, Miyu is small, disciplined, dangerous, and unmistakably still a child. Raised in the traditions of the Satsuma clan, she is skilled with a bow and sword, intensely loyal to Lady Sayuri, and initially suspicious of the strange modern world around her. Beneath the warrior training is a mischievous, curious and deeply affectionate girl whose growing bond with Thackeray becomes one of the emotional centers of the film. Miyu must move effortlessly between ferocity, humor, innocence and heartbreak.
Supporting LeadDelacroix
Cultured, charismatic and impeccably self-assured, Delacroix presents himself as a seasoned explorer with a genuine appreciation for history, scholarship and the finer things in life. Beneath that sophistication is a ruthless obsession with possessing the Celestial Amulets and a willingness to use anyone necessary to get them. Intelligent, theatrical and often disarmingly charming, Delacroix becomes increasingly dangerous as control begins to slip from his hands.
Solene
Quiet, lethal and almost unnervingly controlled, Solene is a highly trained fighter working alongside Delacroix. She speaks little, observes everything, and can turn violent with frightening speed. Yet beneath her hardened exterior is a personal code and an emotional life she rarely allows anyone to see. Her relationship with Mandal reveals unexpected warmth, while her encounters with Sayuri force her to confront something deeper than simple loyalty to her employer.
Lady Sayuri
Weathered, disciplined and formidable, Sayuri is a samurai of the Satsuma clan who has survived far beyond the world that created her. She carries herself with absolute control and possesses extraordinary skill with sword and bow, but beneath that severity is a deeply protective and maternal bond with Miyu. Sayuri recognizes something in Thackeray before Thackeray understands it herself and becomes the bridge between her forgotten family history and the path she is being forced to confront.
Mandal
Calm, charming and effortlessly smooth, Mandal is one of Delacroix’s closest operatives and often serves as the composed counterweight to Solene’s volatility. French-speaking, observant and socially adept, he can move from flirtatious charm to violence without losing his composure. His relationship with Solene reveals a warmer, more playful side and gives both characters an unexpected humanity beneath the danger surrounding them.
Dean Sato
Quiet, disciplined and deeply perceptive, Dean Sato carries the authority of someone who rarely needs to raise his voice. A senior academic at Windameer University, he watches Thackeray carefully, challenges her without controlling her, and ultimately helps place her on the path she is meant to follow. His presence should suggest both the modern academic world and something much older beneath it.
Thad
Dr. Hubert’s earnest lead research assistant and doctoral candidate, Thad is intelligent, rule-following and painfully nervous when placed in the spotlight. He genuinely admires Hubert, takes academic procedure seriously and often finds himself caught between Hubert’s expectations and Thackeray’s chaos. His awkward sincerity makes him naturally funny without ever needing to play for laughs.
Captain
Professional, disciplined and controlled, the Black Crest Captain leads the armed tactical team brought in to recover the Celestial Amulets. Unlike many of the men around him, he is not reckless or theatrical; he approaches violence as a job and carries himself with calm authority. Even when confronting Thackeray and her group, he maintains a code of conduct and expects his operatives to follow orders.
THE ADVENTURE IS JUST BEGINNING
IS THERE A ROLE FOR YOU?
Not every adventure belongs to its heroes…
Beyond our principal characters, THACKERAY will need an extraordinary collection of people to bring its world to life. From small speaking roles and one-line appearances to featured background performers and everyday faces from Kaua’i, there may be a place for you in this story.