- Drew Barrymore as Danielle de Barbarac, the only child of the deceased Auguste de Barbarac and Nicole de Lancret
- Anna Maguire as Young Danielle
- Anjelica Huston as Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent, Danielle's wicked stepmother and Auguste's second wife
- Dougray Scott as Prince Henry of France, Danielle's love interest and son of King Francis and Queen Marie
- Patrick Godfrey as Leonardo da Vinci
- Megan Dodds as Marguerite de Ghent, Danielle's "evil" stepsister
- Elizabeth Earl as Young Marguerite
- Melanie Lynskey as Jacqueline de Ghent, Danielle's "nice" stepsister
- Alex Pooley as Young Jacqueline
- Timothy West as King Francis, King of France and Henry's father
- Judy Parfitt as Queen Marie, Queen of France and Henry's mother
- Jeroen Krabbé as Auguste de Barbarac, Danielle's father
- Lee Ingleby as Gustave, Danielle's best friend
- Ricki Cuttell as Young Gustave
- Kate Lansbury as Paulette, a servant to the de Barbaracs
- Matyelok Gibbs as Louise, Maurice's wife and a servant to the de Barbaracs
- Walter Sparrow as Maurice, Louise's husband and a servant to the de Barbaracs
- Jeanne Moreau as Grande Dame, Danielle and Henry's great-great grandaughter
- Richard O'Brien as Monsieur Pierre Le Pieu
- Peter Gunn as Captain Laurent
- Joerg Stadler as Wilhelm Grimm, author and Jacob's brother
- Andrew Henderson as Jacob Grimm, author and Wilhem's brother
- Toby Jones as Royal Page
Patrick Godfrey's wife Amanda Walker appears an old noblewoman.
