Apollonia (Diane Salinger): She is completely paralyzed, but is able to telepathically communicate with her daughter, Sofie.
Reverend Norman Balthus (Ralph Waite): Methodist minister who found and raised Iris and Justin Crowe after they were orphaned because of a train crash.
Iris Crowe (Amy Madigan): Justin Crowe's older sister, who is completely dedicated to him.
Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown): Methodist minister who has begun to have visions, which he believes are messages from God.
Tommy Dolan (Robert Knepper): A reporter who takes an interest in Iris and Justin's story.
Dora Mae Dreifuss (Amanda Aday): Older Dreifuss daughter, who offends the residents of Babylon, which results in dire consequences.
Libby Dreifuss (Carla Gallo): Younger Dreifuss daughter who becomes friends with Sofie.
Felix 'Stumpy' Dreifuss (Toby Huss): He jeopordizes his marriage to Rita Sue with his behavior after the events in Babylon.
Rita Sue Dreifuss (Cynthia Ettinger): Matriarch and long-time dancer, who is now grooming her daughters.
Gabriel (Brian Turk): Strongman and Ruthie's son
Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl): Young man with strange talents that he was taught to repress by his mother.
Clayton Jones (Tim DeKay): An ex-pitcher who is head of the rousties and fiercely loyal to Samson.
Lila (Debra Christofferson): The bearded lady who is involved with Professor Lodz.
Management (voiced by Linda Hunt): Mysterious owner who has long searched for Scudder and 'expected' Ben Hawkins.
Professor Lodz (Patrick Bauchau): Blind seer who has taken a keen interest in Ben Hawkins' unique talents.
Ruthie (Adrienne Barbeau): Snake-charmer who was once involved with Scudder and is now taken with Ben Hawkins.
Samson (Michael J. Anderson): Formerly a strongman and now Management's right-hand man.
Henry 'Hack' Scudder (John Savage): Known to several of the carnies, he turns out to be Ben Hawkins' father.
Sofie (Clea DuVall): Apollonia's maturing daughter who serves as a mouthpiece for her mother's reading of fortunes.
