The world of Nimona is full of magic and monsters, and at the center of it is Nimona herself, an anarchic changeling with a heart of gold. When up-and-coming knight Ballister Boldheart is framed for a terrible crime, he goes on the run — and finds an unlikely ally in Nimona. Together, the duo head off to prove Ballister’s innocence, and uncover a conspiracy that may bring their entire medieval science fiction kingdom crumbling to the ground. You can check out a trailer for the new film above.

“There’s a surprise at every turn with this story,” Nimona screenwriter Robert L.Baird told Netflix. “Not only does it have deeply resonant themes, but Nimona is also an incredibly unique character and this very untraditional antihero.” She’s not the only character who breaks ground here; Nimona is full of figures who flaunt conventional fairy-tale archetypes. Read on to learn more about these colorful characters, and catch Nimona when she hits Netflix on June 30.

Chloë Grace Moretz

Who she plays: Nimona, the courageous shape-shifter at the center of the film
Fun fact: Moretz’s breakout role came with the foulmouthed child vigilante Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass (2010) — a character that inspired author ND Stevenson’s original idea of Nimona.
Where you’ve seen her: (500) Days of Summer, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Clouds of Sils Maria, If I Stay, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
What she has to say about Nimona’s impact: “I loved everything that Nimona stood for. To me, she was all about the acceptance of oneself, no matter what the societal obligations or implications are. She stands for what it means to be an individual. She is unabashedly Nimona and she shirks any societal pressures.”
Where to follow: Twitter and Instagram

Riz Ahmed

Who he plays: Ballister Boldheart, a knight on the run from his former colleagues
Fun fact: Ahmed won an Academy Award for his work on The Long Goodbye short film.
Where you’ve seen him: Sound of Metal, The Night Of, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Venom, Mogul Mowgli, Nightcrawler, Jason Bourne
How he related to Ballister: “When I heard about this story, I just felt an instant connection to it and to Ballister. I think others will too, because most of us have known what it’s like to be on the outside. It’s something that I’ve definitely felt at different points in my life — like I’m the odd one out, either in school or in my profession.”
Where to follow: Twitter and Instagram

Eugene Lee Yang

Who he plays: Ambrosius Goldenloin, Ballister’s former partner — currently heading the manhunt against him
Fun fact: Viral star Yang was cast after production designer Aidan Sugano saw his coming-out video on YouTube. 
Where you’ve seen him: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Try Guys
What drew him to playing Goldenloin: “My favorite quality of Goldenloin is that above all else, he’s constantly seeking the truth. He’s in a position where he has to balance believing everything that he’s being told by the Institute, versus what he feels in his heart. And I think that that’s a really interesting dynamic of dark versus light, and duty versus love.”
Where to follow: Twitter and Instagram

Frances Conroy

Who she plays: The Director of the Institute, the school that trains the kingdom’s knights
Fun fact: Conroy won three Screen Actors Guild Awards for her work on Six Feet Under. 
Where you’ve seen her: American Horror Story, The Power of the Dog, Joker, The Mist, Dead to Me, Casual, The Aviator
What she thinks the character represents: “For us, The Director represents institutionalized thinking, whether it’s your coach, your religion, your government or your parents. She’s someone who has a set of principles and thinks she’s doing the best thing for everybody.”

Beck Bennett

Who he plays: Sir Thoddeus Sureblade, an overconfident knight of the Institute
Fun fact: Bennett can currently be seen in one of the standout sketches of I Think You Should Leave Season 3. 
Where you’ve seen him: Saturday Night Live, Brigsby Bear, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Sing, Zoolander 2
Why Thoddeus is funny, according to Bennett: “Todd’s a fun kind of character to play because he has no filter. He speaks his mind and is very childish, so you get to be really awful and obnoxious and act in a way we all try not to in real life.”
Where to follow: Twitter and Instagram

Julio Torres

Who he plays: The Squire, an Institute assistant
Fun fact: During his time on the SNL writing staff, Torres wrote some of your favorite sketches, including “Papyrus” and “Wells for Boys.”
Where you’ve seen him: Los Espookys, Shrill,  My Favorite Shapes, The Special Without Brett Davis, the upcoming Problemista
What he loves about small roles:  “I was so humbled to be asked to be a part of this movie! I grew up watching animated fantasy films that have remained influential to me till today. The smaller parts in particular always stayed with me so getting to be an overwhelmed fantasy/sci-fi squire was a dream come true!”
Where to follow: Instagram

Lorraine Toussaint

Who she plays: The Queen of Ballister and Nimona’s kingdom
Fun fact: Toussaint played antagonist Vee Parker in the second season of Orange Is the New Black. 
Where you’ve seen her: Fast Color, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Concrete Cowboy, Dangerous Minds, Breaking In, Any Day Now, Law & Order, Saving Grace
What co-director Troy Quane has to say about casting Toussaint: “She needed to exude a rebellious confidence and poise. Lorraine has this incredible ability to make down-to-earth conversation sound so incredibly regal and weave such heart into every sentence!”
Where to follow: Twitter and Instagram

Indya Moore

Who they play: News anchor Alamzapam Davis
Fun Fact: Moore has been a model since the age of 15.
Where you’ve seen them: Pose, Queen & Slim, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions
Where to follow: Instagram

RuPaul 

Who he plays: News anchor Nate Knight
Fun Fact: RuPaul is, of course, a producer, host and judge on the long-running reality competition series RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Where you’ve seen him: But I’m a Cheerleader, Crooklyn, The Brady Bunch Movie, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, AJ and the Queen
Where to follow: Twitter and Instagram

Additional reporting by Liz Lee.

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