Cheryl Strayed
Cheryl Strayed (portrayed by Academy-Award winning actress Reese Witherspoon) is the protagonist of the film. The movie is biographical, focusing around real-life events in her life chronicled in her memoir. Cheryl is a deeply troubled woman who decides to take a 1,000 mile+ nature hike after her recent divorce to reflect on her life and the events that have led to her current situation. Throughout the hike, more and more of her difficult life is revealed, from her childhood, to the death of her mother from cancer, which led Cheryl to develop a heroine addiction that would cause her separation from her husband.
Bobbi Grey
Bobbi Grey was Cheryl's mother, who played a large role in her upbringing. Unfortunately, she developed cancer and died from it. Bobbi was shown as a caring, kind woman; understandably, her death deeply affects Cheryl. It caused Cheryl to fall into a deep hole of depression, adopting damaging habits such as engaging in recreational drug use and casual sex, even as she was married.
Paul
Paul is Cheryl's ex-husband, played by Thomas Sadoski. Paul is usually a patient, understanding man, however because of Cheryl's damaging actions, he divorces her. He tries to dissuade her from taking the hike, but cannot find the right words to communicate to her his feelings about it.
