Catfish

Documentary subject and photographer Nev Schulman is drawn into a long online relationship that begins with a painting from Abby's town. He embodies curiosity and openness, trusting online connections before discovering the deeper deception. The film follows his emotional journey as technology exposes gaps between perception and reality.

Megan's mother who orchestrates the deception by maintaining multiple Facebook profiles and portraying her daughter as a thriving artist. She lies about Megan's alleged rehab and cancer, and her actions are only fully revealed as the family confronts the truth. The film shows Angela's renewed passion for painting as she explains her motives.

Angela's husband, who cares for two severely mentally disabled children. He is initially unaware of the online deception and later confronted with the truth, providing a perspective from a family man trying to balance duty with the couple's artistic ambitions.

An eight-year-old prodigy artist from rural Ishpeming, Michigan, who sends Nev a painting that sparks the online correspondence. The film later reveals that Abby rarely paints and that some of the details about her art career may be fabricated within the wider deception.

The online persona created by Angela to pose as Nev's love interest. She is not a real person; all communications with Nev were conducted through Angela's various profiles, driving the documentary's central mystery.

The real model behind Megan's pictures, a professional model and photographer who lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and two children. The film reveals that the girl in the pictures is actually Aimee, not Megan, as part of unmasking Angela's ruse.

Nev's brother and co-director of the documentary. He documents Nev's experiences and participates in confronting the Pierce family, helping shape the narrative alongside Henry Joost.

Co-director and filmmaker, collaborating with Ariel to tell Nev's story. He directs alongside Ariel and participates in the documentary's investigative approach.