Myrtle/Tilly
Born Myrtle Dunnage, Tilly has changed her name after being exiled from the small town of Dungatar. She was exiled because she is the only person in town without an alibi to prove that she was not responsible for the death of her classmate, Stewart Pettyman, 25 years earlier. In her time away from her hometown, Tilly becomes a successful dressmaker with an eye for design and a talent for creating couture, which brings her a lot of attention when she returns to Dungatar. Every woman in town wants to wear her designs.
Throughout the film, Tilly struggles with a great deal of self-doubt in spite of her talents; she is sure that she is "cursed." She wants desperately to learn what happened all those years ago, all while struggling against her infamy in the town and people's distrust of her and her mother. She is a warm character with a tough side, who fights hard for what she believes in, and does her best to believe in herself even when she has no one on her side. She suffers many tragic events in the film, but keeps going when she realizes that she has the gift of creation, and that her talents as a dressmaker give her special powers to transform and manipulate her world.
Molly
Molly is Tilly's mother, a batty and cantankerous old woman who denies even knowing who Tilly is at the start of the film. She lives in squalor and is a pariah in the town, labeled a "slut" by many of the townspeople. She has a little sparkle in her eye, even in spite of her cranky attitude, and eventually acknowledges that Tilly is her daughter and reaches out to her and helps her in her darkest moments. Molly proves to be a soulful, intelligent, and vulnerable woman whose own maligned status in the community prevented her from reaching out to her daughter in the moment she needed her the most. In the course of the film, she makes amends for this.
Farrat
Farrat is the local police constable who sent Tilly away as a child. When Tilly returns to town, he is excited to see her, having heard about her success in the fashion world. As we soon find out, Farrat has a special love of women's couture, donning it in private. The only reason he sent Tilly away as a girl is because Evan Pettyman threatened to reveal his transvestism to the town. In the end, Farrat makes it up to Tilly by taking the fall for giving Mrs. Almanac hashish brownies (which Tilly made).
Evan Pettyman
Local councillor Pettyman is the primary villain of the film. He has cheated on his wife throughout their marriage, regularly drugs her in order to rape her, and tries to ruin other people's reputations to save his own. Pettyman uses blackmail as his main tool of control in the town and is not really respected. He is also Tilly's illegitimate father, and Tilly exacts her revenge on him by telling his wife about his infidelity, which drives Mrs. Pettyman to murder him.
Marigold Pettyman
Marigold is Evan's unfortunate wife, a sickly and vulnerable woman who cannot get over the loss of her child. She is seemingly unaware of her husband's perpetual cheating and also of the fact that Evan regularly drugs her in order to take advantage of her. She is eventually vindicated when Tilly tells her the truth about Evan.
Teddy McSwiney
A talented football player and working-class citizen of Dungatar, Teddy was attracted to Tilly when they were kids and remains attracted to her when she returns. He feels guilty because he has always known how Stewart died, but has never told anyone. He is a loving, warm, and helpful person, always trying to help Tilly realize what a special person she is, in spite of her horrible self-esteem.
Gertrude Pratt
Gertrude is the homely daughter of Mr. Pratt, the general store owner. She believes that she can never win over the wealthy William, due to her commonness, but Tilly gives her a dress that transforms her entire aura. She is grateful to Tilly and does what she can to cultivate a relationship with her, but ultimately becomes yet another vindictive and gossiping townsperson, suspicious of Tilly and determined to keep her down.
Beulah Harredine
Beulah Harredine was Tilly and Stewart's schoolteacher. She is the one who made the initial allegations that Tilly killed Stewart, because she does not like Tilly and did not want to get blamed for her student's death. She is a cowardly and villainous character in the film.
