Who’s Who
‘NYAD’ Cast: Meet the Swimmer and the Support Team
Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, and Rhys Ifans are on the adventure of a lifetime.
Nov. 6, 2023
NYAD Cast: Annette Bening and Jodie Foster Real Characters Explained. - Netflix Tudum
Diana Nyad doesn’t give up. In the new film NYAD, Annette Bening plays the irrepressible swimmer who sets out to complete a swim from Cuba to Florida 32 years after her first attempt ended in failure. At the age of 60, and with the help of a resilient crew, Nyad is determined to finish what she started when she was 28 years old.
Just as Nyad was surrounded by an indefatigable team who helped make her dreams come true, directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin sought to support Bening as she embarked on her physically trying performance.
“Annette was always the one,” Vasarhelyi tells Tudum. “It was really important that we could find someone to do the work and do the training, and it was very much a dialogue between us before she accepted the role.” That process, like Nyad’s swim, took hard work and plenty of preparation. But finally, the effort paid off. “When she did that first stroke on camera, you could feel the excitement of the crew,” Vasarhelyi says.
You can find out who plays Nyad’s own crew below, and watch NYAD on Netflix.
Liz Parkinson/Netflix
Annette Bening
as Diana Nyad
About the Character
Four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening plays Diana Nyad, the long-distance swimmer who sets out to finish an endurance swim from Cuba to Florida 30 years after her failed first attempt. Like Nyad, Bening is a performer with her own history of persistence and power.
“Annette is amazing,” Chin says. “She was often in the tank for hours at a time because she wanted to swim and wanted it to be authentic. The stunt team was blown away.”
Previously In
American Beauty, The Grifters, The Kids Are All Right, 20th Century Women, Being Julia, Captain Marvel, Postcards from the Edge, The American President
Kimberley French/Netflix
Jodie Foster
as Bonnie Stoll
About the Character
Bonnie is Diana’s rock, her best friend and coach, who agrees to guide Diana through the swim and cannot be underestimated either. Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster plays Bonnie, and her casting was a pleasant surprise for Vasarhelyi and Chin.
“We never imagined we could get Jodie Foster,” Chin says. “This story is very much about friendship, and seeing the two phenomenal actors play off each other was incredible. Jodie is the heart in the film and embodies Bonnie perfectly.”
Previously In
The Silence of the Lambs, The Accused, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Taxi Driver, Panic Room, Contact, Inside Man
Kimberley French/Netflix
Rhys Ifans
as John Bartlett
About the Character
John Bartlett is the expert navigator of Diana’s dangerous voyage. He’s played by Rhys Ifans, who burst onto the scene 24 years ago with his scene-stealing role as Hugh Grant’s bizarre roommate in Notting Hill.
Previously In
Notting Hill, The Amazing Spider-Man, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1, The King’s Man, House of the Dragon, Kevin & Perry Go Large, Enduring Love
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