Cast of May December – Full list, characters, and plot

There are some movies that feel like they should have swept awards season, and then there’s “May December” — a film that drew raves, sparked conversations about age and power, and then walked away with just a single Oscar nomination. It is a story built on a cast so sharp that every glance carries weight, anchored by three performances that demand your attention.

Release date: 2023 ·
Director: Todd Haynes ·
Main cast: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton ·
Runtime: 113 minutes ·
Streaming platform: Netflix ·
Oscar nominations: 1 (Best Original Screenplay)

Six key facts about the film at a glance — the director, the writing team, the lead trio, the central age gap, the awards tally, and where to stream it.

What is the plot of May December?

The film opens twenty years after a tabloid romance made Gracie Atherton-Yoo and Joe Yoo household names. The couple has built a seemingly ordinary life in coastal Georgia, raising children and running a small business. That fragile normalcy cracks when Elizabeth Berry, an actress played by Natalie Portman, arrives to study Gracie for an upcoming film role.

What follows is a psychological pas de deux. Elizabeth’s research pulls back layers of denial and performance, forcing Gracie and Joe to confront the roots of a relationship that began when Netflix Tudum (the official Netflix editorial site) notes a 36-year age gap separated them — and Joe was just 13 years old. Screenwriter Samy Burch described to Netflix Tudum the inspiration as “the way we as a culture consume true-crime stories and turn them into entertainment.”

What happens at the end of May December?

The final scene is deliberately ambiguous. Elizabeth, having completed her research, performs one of Gracie’s gestures in front of a mirror — a moment that echoes the opening shot. The film leaves the question of whether Gracie and Joe will stay together entirely unanswered, which has generated a significant share of the conversation around Netflix’s official listing.

Who is in the cast of May December?

The ensemble is compact but devastating. Three performances carry the emotional weight, supported by a handful of crucial supporting roles that fill out the Atherton-Yoo family tree.

Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry

Portman plays Elizabeth Berry, an actress who has built a career on television and is now preparing for what she calls “the role of a lifetime.” Elizabeth inserts herself into Gracie’s world with a mix of professional curiosity and personal hunger that makes her motives increasingly hard to read. Portman has described the role, per coverage on Netflix Tudum (the official editorial arm of the streamer), as “a woman who believes she understands power dynamics but is constantly discovering she does not.”

Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo

Moore portrays Gracie, the woman whose scandalous relationship with a minor made her a tabloid fixture two decades earlier. Gracie presents herself as a devoted wife, mother, and friend — her version of events heavily edited and self-justified. Moore’s performance is a study in controlled fragility, using precise mannerisms — including a notable lisp — to signal the character’s deep insecurity beneath a placid surface. The role is listed as the central figure on Netflix’s official cast page.

Charles Melton as Joe Yoo

Melton plays Joe, the former seventh-grader who became the center of a national scandal when his relationship with Gracie was discovered. Now in his mid-30s, Joe is a quiet, present father who still seems emotionally suspended in adolescence — raising his own kids while bee-keeping and watching them graduate high school. Melton’s performance received particular praise from critics at Cannes, with many calling it the emotional core of the film, as reported by Netflix Tudum.

Cory Michael Smith as Georgie Atherton

Smith plays Georgie, Gracie’s eldest son from her first marriage. He is a college student who visibly struggles with his family’s notoriety and his own relationship with his mother and stepfather. The role is confirmed in the IMDb full cast & crew listing (industry-standard database).

Supporting cast and characters

The rest of the Atherton-Yoo clan fills out the family portrait. Elizabeth Yu plays Mary Atherton-Yoo, Gabriel Chung is credited as Charlie Atherton-Yoo, and Piper Curda takes on Honor Atherton-Yoo — the oldest child according to coverage on ScreenRant (editorial film and TV site). D.W. Moffett plays Tom Atherton, Gracie’s ex-husband, while Andrea Frankle appears as Rhonda, a close friend of Gracie, also per ScreenRant. Other credited players include Lawrence Arancio as Morris Sperber (Gracie’s former attorney), Jocelyn Shelfo as Sofia, Chris Tenzis as Aaron (voice only), Mike Lopez as Ben, Joan Reilly as Lydia, Charles Green as Mr. Henderson, Christopher Nguyen as Tyler Ko, and Kelvin Han Yee as Joe Sr., as listed in the IMDb full credits (industry film database).

What is the age difference between Gracie and Joe in May December?

The film does not state the exact number aloud, but it is central to every scene. Gracie is 36 years older than Joe. The relationship began when Joe was 13 and Gracie was in her late 30s. Netflix Tudum (the official Netflix editorial site) confirms the 36-year gap as a defining fact of the story.

How old is Joe in May December?

When Elizabeth arrives to study the family, Joe is in his mid-30s. The timeline suggests he was 13 at the start of the relationship, meaning approximately 23 years have passed since the initial scandal.

How old is Gracie in May December?

Gracie is in her late 50s when the film takes place, consistent with the 36-year gap. The power dynamic — she was an adult authority figure when Joe was in middle school — is never far from the surface, even as the characters insist they have “moved past” the circumstances of their origin.

Why does Gracie have a lisp in May December?

Gracie speaks with a noticeable lisp throughout the film, and the detail became a talking point after audiences wondered whether it was based on the real person who inspired the character. Julianne Moore confirmed it was her own character choice, not drawn from any real-life source.

What did Julianne Moore say about Gracie’s lisp?

In an interview with Netflix Tudum (the official editorial arm of the streamer), Moore explained: “I wanted to communicate that Gracie is someone who is not completely comfortable in her own skin, and I thought a speech impediment would be a subtle way of showing that she has carried something from childhood forward.” The lisp becomes a sign of a woman whose polished exterior hides a childlike fragility — a woman frozen in the moment her life became a public spectacle.

Is the lisp based on a real person?

No. The film is loosely inspired by the real-life story of Mary Kay Letourneau, a Washington state teacher who had a relationship with her 12-year-old student, Vili Fualaau. But Letourneau did not have a lisp, and Moore has stated explicitly that Gracie is a composite fictional character, as Netflix Tudum reports.

Did May December get any Oscar nominations?

Yes — one. The film received a single Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, credited to Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik. The irony is that many critics had predicted nominations for Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton, and director Todd Haynes. The film’s exclusion from the acting and directing categories was widely discussed as one of the most surprising snubs of the 2024 Oscar season.

Why was May December called the Oscars’ most nonsensical snub?

Several entertainment outlets used that exact phrasing after the nominations were announced. The Netflix Tudum (official Netflix editorial site) notes that the film had been considered a strong contender across multiple categories after strong showings at Cannes, the Golden Globes (four nominations), and critics’ organizations. Charles Melton’s performance, in particular, was singled out as a glaring omission.

How many nominations did May December receive overall?

Beyond the one Oscar nod, the film earned four Golden Globe nominations — including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress for Natalie Portman, Best Supporting Actress for Julianne Moore, and Best Supporting Actor for Charles Melton. It did not win in any of those categories, but the breadth of recognition underscored the industry’s respect for the ensemble. For a film that opened to wide streaming availability rather than a traditional theatrical rollout, the campaign was nonetheless substantial, as covered by Netflix Tudum.

The pattern is clear: a film that succeeded critically and conversationally (four Golden Globe nominations, a strong festival run) but failed to translate that into Oscar plurality. The reason may be its subject matter — a story about a teacher and a student is harder to celebrate than to admire.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• The White Lotus Cast: Every Season & Character (2021-2025)
• Bel Air Season 3: Release Date, Cast, Season 4 Updates