An ambitious carnival man with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychologist who is even more dangerous than he is.
| Stanton Carlisle | Bradley Cooper |
| Dr. Lilith Ritter | Cate Blanchett |
| Zeena the Seer | Toni Collette |
| Clem Hoatley | Willem Dafoe |
| Ezra Grindle | Richard Jenkins |
| Molly Cahill | Rooney Mara |
| Bruno | Ron Perlman |
| Mrs. Kimball | Mary Steenburgen |
| Pete | David Strathairn |
| The Major | Mark Povinelli |
| Judge Kimball | Peter MacNeill |
| Anderson | Holt McCallany |
| Geek #1 | Paul Anderson |
| Louise Hoatley | Lara Jean Chorostecki |
| Sheriff Jedediah Judd | Jim Beaver |
| Funhouse Jack | Clifton Collins Jr. |
| Carny Boss | Tim Blake Nelson |
| Dr. Elrood | David Hewlett |
| Abigail | Sarah Mennell |
| Dogboy Jojo | Mike Hill |
| Drunk #1 | Caleb Ellsworth-Clark |
| Fee Fee the Birdgirl | Dian Bachar |
| The Snake Man | Troy James |
| Human Skeleton | Matthew MacCallum |
| Zizi the Pinhead | Samantha Rodes |
| Geek #2 | Jesse Buck |
| Hotel Manager | Perry Mucci |
| Stanton’s Dad | Bill MacDonald |
| Deputy #1 | Dan Lett |
| Copa Woman | Catherine McGregor |
| Bus Station Shaving Man | Martin Julien |
| Lilith’s Receptionist | Natalie Brown |
| Patron #1 | Daniel Falk |
| Armed Guard #1 | Tim Post |
| Armed Guard #2 | Will Conlon |
| Hobo #1 | Stephen McHattie |
| Train Yard Man | James Collins |
| Woman in Floral Dress | Lili Connor |
| Piano Player | Danny Waugh |
| Drunk | Walter Rinaldi |
| Train Worker | Andrew Locke |
| Policeman | Calvin Desautels |
| Stagehand | Derrick Moore |
| Brofo the Small | Linden Porco |
| Deputy #2 | Grant Bradley |
| Geek Pit Patron | Dani Klupsch |
| Geek Pit Patron | Vikki Ring |
| Geek Pit Patron | Vanessa Botbyl |
| Geek Pit Patron | Michael Bridgeman |
| Geek Pit Patron | Charles Langille |
| Geek Pit Patron | Paul Taylor |
| Geek Pit Patron | Clyde Whitham |
| Party Guest (uncredited) | Romina Power |
| Security Guard (uncredited) | Keith Lukowski |
