Millie Dillmount
The titular protagonist, Millie is a young, ambitious woman moving from Kansas to New York City, who vows to marry for money instead of love. In the 1900's, when women were becoming more eminent in the workforce, this was a "modern" desire. She becomes enamored with the lifestyle of "flappers", cutting her hair short and wearing a short red dress. Millie is headstrong and stubborn, determined to pursue her dream life, but over the course of the story, she realizes that in some instances, perhaps love is inevitable.
Jimmy Smith
Jimmy is an attractive salesman Millie meets in New York City. Their first confrontation ends in him lecturing Millie about responsibility and how she should not get her hopes up with her big dreams. However, her subsequent retorts, showing her willful and independent nature, leads him to take an interest in her. Jimmy is fairly wealthy, but he is humble about his money, a stark contrast to Millie's aspirational goals.
Miss Dorothy Brown
Dorothy is an amateur actress who moved to New York City from California. She is Millie's best friend and roommate, and a wealthy woman who wants to learn about the life of the impoverished. Unbeknowst to Millie, Jimmy and she are actually brother and sister; they hid their family names because they did not want the attention that came with being a member of the van Hossmere family.
Mrs. Meers
The owner of the Hotel Priscilla, where Millie lives, Mrs. Meers is a former actress. She runs a slavery ring in China, and threatens Millie with deportation to the Orient (however, Millie was saved by the appearance of Mrs. Brown, who she then makes a deal with). Mrs. Meers is a ruthless, cruel woman who does not hesitate to use shady methods to make profit, including drugging and selling unwilling girls into the slave business.
Muzzy van Hossmere
Muzzy van Hossmere is the stepmother of Jimmy and Dorothy, an extremely prominent and wealthy singer.
Ching Ho and Bun Foo
Two Chinese workers in Mrs. Meers' slave business who are trying to earn enough money for their mother to immigrate over to the United States from Hong Kong. Ching Ho falls in love with Mrs. Dorothy, which plays a part in how events play out.
