Chevalier

A prodigiously gifted violinist, composer, dancer, and fencer who rises from a Guadeloupe-born background to the Paris court. He endures constant harassment from white peers and teachers but channels his talent into a powerful, uncompromising artistic voice. His journey centers on balancing public triumph with private reconciliation to his heritage.

A leading soprano who becomes involved with Saint-Georges as the project of an opera unfolds. She navigates the constraints of marriage and courtly life while pursuing artistic opportunity, and she becomes entangled in a dangerous, intimate bond with the composer. Her choices illuminate the costs of ambition within the aristocratic world.

The Queen who first admires Saint-Georges after a fencing victory and grants him prestige, yet ultimately embodies the limits of patronage within a rigid court. She wields power to influence careers but cannot fully shield him from the social tide that marginalizes him. Her role exposes the fragility of privilege when faced with change.

Saint-Georges’s mother, a formerly enslaved woman who is freed after the father’s death and joins him in Paris. She represents memory, resilience, and the pull of heritage while watching her son navigate a world that simultaneously prizes and threats his brilliance. Her presence grounds the film’s exploration of freedom and identity.

A noble patron who helps to stage an opera to showcase Saint-Georges’s talent. She maneuver through social and political currents to expand opportunities for him, illustrating how patronage can be both enabling and entangled with power. Her involvement highlights gendered dynamics in cultural advancement.

Marie-Joséphine’s husband, a controlling aristocrat who blocks her performance and uses authority to police behavior. He embodies the oppressive social order Saint-Georges confronts and becomes a source of conflict that drives the tragedy and resistance within the court. His actions catalyze key turning points in the narrative.

Joseph’s white plantation-owner father who represents the colonial power structure. He recognizes his son’s talent and facilitates his path to Paris, while his death alters the family dynamic and the social landscape. His legacy underpins the film’s meditation on race, lineage, and power.

Marie-Madeleine Guimard, a prominent dancer and court social figure who embodies salon culture and influence. She navigates the currents of fashion, art, and status, shaping how Saint-Georges is perceived in aristocratic circles. Her presence reveals how social networks shape artistic opportunity.