Nina is a young actress who lives across the lake from Sorin's estate and dreams of achieving fame on the stage. She admires Arkadina and becomes entangled in relationships complicated by her ambitions and ideals.

Arkadina is a celebrated actress whose fame and beauty are beginning to fade. She navigates complex relationships with her son Konstantin, whom she often belittles, and Trigorin, who is her lover.

Trigorin is a successful author who visits Sorin's estate as Arkadina's lover. He is introspective about his literary work and becomes involved with Nina, which leads to further complications in his relationships.

Masha is Polina and Shamraev's daughter who resides on Sorin's estate. She is characterized by her unrequited love for Konstantin and her melancholy expression of it.

Sorin is Arkadina's brother and the owner of the estate where the play unfolds. He is kind-hearted and supportive of Konstantin, but feels unfulfilled with his own life experiences.