Nightbitch’scast extends boasts some impressive talent opposite Amy Adams' commanding performance.Nightbitchis a black comedy riff on a classic creature feature, combining the themes of films likeAn American Werewolf in Londonwith an exploration of motherhood. The film centers aroundAmy Adams' nameless Mother, who finds herself increasingly frustrated by her domestic life as a mother and wife above all else. Mother finds new freedom in the evenings however, especially as she steadily seems to begin transforming into a dog.
Although the overall film received mixed reviews from critics,Amy Adams’Nightbitchhas become a streaming success on Hulu. While the film is anchored by Amy Adams' impressive central performance, the movie also features a strong supporting cast who bring out different shades of the lead character. The stars ofNightbitchrange from veterans of the silver screen to modern character actors, all in service of a quietly bizarre and extremely compelling exploration of motherhood.
Born June 15, 2025
Active Since:1999
Actor:Amy Adams is the star ofNightbitch, playing the unnamed Mother. Born in Aviano, Italy to American parents, Adams made her screen debut in 1999’sDrop Dead Gorgeous, and subsequently appeared in several shows likeBuffy the Vampire Slayer,That 70’s Show, andThe Office. After catching the attention of Steven Spielberg (and landing a supporting role inCatch Me If You Can),Adams found her breakthrough with her Academy Award-nominated performance inJunebug. Since then, Adams has juggled high-profile blockbusters like Man of Steel and Disney musicals like Enchanted with Oscar-nominated films likeDoubt,The Master, andArrival.
Arrival
Dr. Louise Banks
Character:Mother is the unnamed protagonist ofNightbitch. A frustrated artist who has given up on her personal ambitions to care for her two-year old Son, Mother increasingly finds herself connecting with a more animalistic sider of her personality. While this provides her with a sense of self, it also increasingly creates tension with the more uptight mothers around her and with her spouse, the unnamed Husband.
Born June 15, 2025
Active Since:2001
Actor:Scoot McNairy appears opposite Amy Adams inNightbitchas the unnamed Husband. Born in Dallas, Texas, McNairy initially found success in commercials before making the transition to more feature film and television roles. After appearing in small roles in films likeWonderland,Art School Confidential, andMonsters,McNairy’s big break came opposite Brad Pitt in Andrew Dominik’s neo-noir modern classic,Killing Them Softly. Since then, McNairy has appeared in several dramatic roles, in shows likeFargoandTrue Detectiveas well as films likeSpeak No EvilandA Complete Unknown.
A Complete Unknown
Woody Guthrie
Character:Husband is the spouse to Mother inNightbitchand the father of their two-year old Son. Husband is portrayed as a well-meaning but somewhat absent figure in the film. While his partner has been forced to leave behind her career to become their Son’s primary caretaker, Husband travels frequently for work and leaves his spouse with those parental responsibilities. This builds the tension between the pair,which becomes one of the main emotional throughlines of the film.
Born July 30, 2025
Active Since:2006
Actor:Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Zoë Chao got her start appearing in theatrical productions of plays likeSidways,Amadeus, andFriend Art.Chao’s breakout role came in the starring role of Isobel in the critically laudedStrangers. Chao subsequently starred in shows like Max’sLove Life, Apple TV+‘sThe Afterparty, and the third season of Starz’Party Down. Chao also voices Nina Mazursky in the DC animated series,Creature Commandos, which could set the stage for further appearances in future DC projects.
Creature Commandos
Nina Mazursky
Character:Jen appears as a direct contrast to the unnamed mother inNightbitch. While Amy Adams’ Mother is exhausted and increasingly shifting back into a more natural animal-like state,the chic Jen seems to have a better handle on the situationas she befriends Mother. However, the film quietly implies there may be more going on with Jen than what meets the eye.
Nightbitch’s Supporting Cast & Characters
Nightbitch’s Quietly Stacked Cast All Give Amy Adams Contrasts To Bounce Off Of
Nightbitch’s focus remains heavily centered on Mother, but there are somenotable young and veteran actors who also appear in the film alongside Amy Adams. The rambunctious Son are played by the twins Arleigh and Emmett Snowden. The other women among Mother’s peers of fellow mothers or art professionals include Mary Holland (The Big Door Prize) as Miriam, Archana Rajan (Grey’s Anatomy) as Liz, and Ella Thomas (NCIS: Los Angeles) as Naya. Jessica Harper (Suspiria) appears as Norma, a librarian who provides important books to Mother as she wrestles with the reality of her transformation.
Kerry O’Malley (The Killer) appears as Mother’s Mother, playing a minor but important role in the film when revelations about Mother’s childhood comes to light.The strong supporting cast is ultimately in service to Mother’s story inNightbitch, with the cast bouncing well off of Amy Adams' acclaimed performance in the lead role. These supporting roles give Mother interesting shades inNightbitch, especially as ways to showcase the changes in Mother across the course of the film.
Nightbitch
Cast
A suburban mother struggles with the isolation of stay-at-home life while raising her young son. As she begins to embrace her primal instincts, she experiences strange transformations, leading her to question whether she’s losing her mind or becoming something altogether different—something feral and dangerous.
