Late-20s to mid-30s Eastern European/Slavic actor (or someone who can convincingly play Russian) to portray a lean, intense, emotionally contained ex-collector trying to bury a violent past by disappearing into a Miami kitchen, hyper-controlled, obsessive about craft, carrying guilt without self-pity, with a Russian accent in English and some Russian lines, capable of strong physical acting (knife work, cooking choreography, controlled violence), reading dangerous even when silent, and able to handle stillness and micro-expressions.

A 22–30-year-old Latina (preferably Cuban-American/South Florida Latinx) to play a warm but resilient Miami server with quiet grace and a dry sense of humor, dreaming of more (dancer, lawyer) while grinding double shifts to help her family, finding brief escape in late-night coffees and drives with Dimitri, smart enough to see his damage before he admits it, fluent in English (Spanish a plus), embodying the emotional grounding of the film with real working-class authenticity, not glossy influencer vibes.

40s Latin chef, equal parts hustler, dad, and firefighter—running a drowning restaurant and a drowning family budget. Loves food and his crew but is under brutal financial pressure; he wants to believe in Dimitri and in “art,” but he also has 12 weeks before he loses the place. Calm authority in the kitchen, quietly terrified in the office. Specs: 38–50, Latino (ideally Cuban/Latin American, rooted in Miami), bilingual English–Spanish, moves naturally between both, charismatic and paternal, able to go from joking to brutally honest in one breath, and feels like someone who’s done 20 years on the line.

Late-20s grill cook, slick, territorial, and proud. Feels the restaurant is his home turf and Dimitri is the outsider who stole “his” spot on the line. Big ego, fragile underneath. Starts as petty rival, then becomes a reluctant partner in grey-area money-making and borderline crime. Not a mustache-twirling villain; he’s insecure and very human. Specs: 25–35, Latino (preferably Miami/Caribbean/Central or South American background), English with comfortable Spanish, talks a little too loud, flirts a little too hard, gambles when he shouldn’t, and can flip from clown to quietly menacing.

Mid-20s Russian, Sergei’s daughter. Lives in Miami running “accounts”—essentially debt collection with brains instead of brute force. Elegant, composed, physically controlled (pool laps/gym work), genuinely enjoys psychological leverage. She can be charming, but she’s fundamentally dangerous. Specs: 24–32, Eastern European/Slavic (or can convincingly play Russian), speaks Russian and English with confidence (not “tourist Russian”), ice-cold focus, chic and minimal with a shark underneath, never raises her voice, and the threat is always underplayed.

Line cook. Mustache, a bit of comic relief, but also constantly scrambling to keep up with Dimitri’s standards. He reacts to the chaos, jokes when he’s scared, and shows how Dimitri’s volatility lands on regular people. Specs: 25–35, open ethnicity (ideally fits Miami’s mix), English (Spanish a plus), likeable and slightly overwhelmed but not a clown think “fun guy on the line who’s one ticket away from a panic attack”; supporting role recurring in kitchen sequences.

30s German ex-military working as Katarina’s shadow and enforcer. The guy who carries the extra box, drives the car, and quietly reads the room. Minimal dialogue, but a constant presence whenever Katarina is moving pieces. He’s not a cartoon heavy; he’s professional, observant, and more about pressure than noise. Specs: 30–45, European (German or similar), European accent in English (Russian optional), physical and controlled with ex-special-forces energy, doesn’t need to be huge but must feel like someone who could break you without raising his heartbeat, strong supporting role with limited lines but key screen presence.

Fellow cook from New York, worn down but kind. He drives Dimitri to the bus, gives him the watch, and later calls to warn him that Russians are asking questions. Essentially the only person who genuinely cares about Dimitri without an angle. Specs: Early 30s–40, open ethnicity, feels like a blue-collar New Yorker, American accent with some kitchen slang (no Spanish/Russian required), tired, funny, loyal the friend who sees you clearly and still helps you move; small but meaningful supporting role (prologue + phone call VO).

Almost no dialogue; all physical presence. Specs: 30–45, Eastern European (or can pass as Russian mob heavy), quiet brute, no monologue required he’s what happens if you don’t pay; day player/stunt-heavy role (one big scene).

Cooks/driver Manuel plays cards with. Locker-room energy, loud, teasing; not outright criminals but used to grey money. They help flesh out the working-class Miami world and Manuel’s environment. Specs: 25–40, Latinx (feels like back-of-house Miami), funny and a bit shady but not evil, comfortable with card-table banter and improv; day players (one or two sequences).

20s beginner on the line moving tomato cans, doing grunt work. Mostly visual, but embodies the “new kid” in service. Specs: 20–28, any gender, open ethnicity (ideally fits the kitchen’s existing mix), a bit lost but trying, reacts to chaos more than drives it; featured extra/possible day player (may have a line or two).

50s, famous critic in white linen. His presence raises the stakes for the whole restaurant. Elegant, observant, not loud; the nod he gives at the end is basically a verdict on their lives. Specs: 45–65, Italian/Italian-American or similar European culinary-world vibe, quiet shark—the kind of guy whose single Yelp-style line can bury or save you; day player (one big night sequence).