It’s her last summer before college, and Auden (Emma Pasarow) is ready to step outside her comfort zone. After years of being the perfect student and the ideal daughter to her demanding mother, Auden is taking the summer off to live with her dad and his new wife and baby in Colby, North Carolina, where the beaches are plentiful and the teenage nightlife is thriving. It’s not Auden’s natural habitat, but with some help from her new friends, and a charming boy, she learns to embrace the Colby lifestyle and enjoy being a kid. Let’s meet Colby’s most important residents.

Auden (Emma Pasarow)

When Auden goes to stay with her dad and stepmom for the summer, she’s hoping to have some of the teenage fun she missed out on in high school. But when she accidentally alienates the other teenage girls in Colby, she ends up spending time with a fellow outcast Eli, who makes it his mission to give her all the childhood experiences by completing an epic list of “quests.”

Auden is played by relative newcomer Emma Pasarow. Though she got her first IMDb credit in 2012 as “Tween Girl” in an episode of the short-lived series Touch, Pasarow is just starting to break out. In addition to leading Along for the Ride, the actor also has a role in Tig Notaro’s Am I OK? 

You can follow Pasarow on Instagram. 

Eli (Belmont Cameli) 

Like Auden, Eli is an outsider. A native of Colby, he grew up working on bikes and doing BMX tricks. He had a promising BMX career until tragedy caused him to step back. Now he works at the local bike shop and spends his nights riding alone on the pier — until he meets Auden. 

Like Pasarow, Cameli is a relative newcomer. He got his breakthrough role playing Jamie Spano in Peacock’s Saved by the Bell reboot.

You can follow Cameli on Instagram and Twitter.

Robert (Dermot Mulroney)

Auden idolizes her father, Robert, a writer who’s more in love with his work than his family. He spends hours on end in his study, working on his next masterpiece, while his new wife, Heidi, takes care of their newborn daughter. As happy as he is to spend time with Auden, he has a habit of putting his writing above all else.

Mulroney is a rom-com legend — he had the privilege of being loved by both Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts in the 1997 hit My Best Friend’s Wedding — and has been acting for the last three decades. Fans will also recognize him as “Fancy Man” Russell on New Girl and, most recently, for his work in Amazon Prime’s Hanna. He’s also an accomplished cellist who has played on multiple film scores, including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Incredibles 2. 

Victoria (Andie MacDowell)

Auden was raised primarily by her mother, Victoria, a professor who expects Auden to be less of a teenage daughter and more of an adult colleague she can discuss literature with. To say she isn’t thrilled at the idea of her daughter spending the summer with her father is an understatement.

Victoria is played by Andie MacDowell, another rom-com veteran who’s been acting since the ’80s and is best known for her starring roles in Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Her expansive career has continued to thrive over the years, and she recently starred in the Netflix original series Maid alongside her daughter, Margaret Qualley. 

You can follow MacDowell on Instagram.

Heidi (Kate Bosworth)

Auden’s stepmother, Heidi, is overwhelmed. As a new mom, she’s struggling to balance taking care of a newborn, running her own store and bonding with her stepdaughter. Auden is more than willing to help out, but how long can she watch her dad leave Heidi by herself to take care of their child?

Kate Bosworth got her big break in Disney’s Remember the Titans. Two years later, she became an overnight star thanks to Blue Crush, the surfer girl movie to end all surfer girl movies. She’s been working steadily since then as an actor and producer. Recently, she produced and starred in The I-Land. 

You can follow Bosworth on Instagram and Twitter. 

Maggie (Laura Kariuki)

Maggie is everything Auden isn’t: She’s friends with everyone, has boy drama and, as one of the girls who works in Heidi’s shop, she’s even close with Auden’s stepmom. But, after a rocky start, Maggie and Auden learn that they have more in common than they might think.

Maggie is played by Laura Kariuki, who already has some major credits to her name. She made her on-screen debut last year with a recurring role on Black Lightning, and she’s currently starring in The Wonder Years.

You can follow Kariuki on Instagram.

Lea (Genevieve Hannelius)

Lea is one of Maggie’s BFFs and a co-worker at Heidi’s shop. She enjoys pushing Auden to be more social and insists on getting all the “deets” about her relationship with Eli. 

Lea is played by Genevieve Hannelius, who started her on-screen career on the Disney Channel. Her first credit was for Hannah Montana. She also appeared on the network’s Sonny with a Chance, Good Luck Charlie, and Dog with a Blog. Outside of acting, Hannelius graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2021 and launched her own nail polish company called G Polish. 

You can follow Hannelius on Instagram.

Esther (Samia Finnerty)

Esther rounds out the trio of Auden’s new friends and co-workers. A little more awkward than the rest, Esther relates to Auden and is quick to extend an olive branch to the new girl in town. She’s known in Colby for her slightly rebellious streak and for singing the same song at every single party.

Esther is played by Samia Finnerty, an actor/singer who also happens to be the daughter of beloved Hocus Pocus star Kathy Najimy. Under the name Samia, she recently went on tour and released an EP, Scout, and an album, The Baby Reimagined. She also directs her own music videos, which you can find on YouTube. 

You can follow Finnerty on Instagram and Twitter.