| Nicolas Cage | John McLoughlin |
| Maria Bello | Donna McLoughlin |
| Connor Paolo | Steven McLoughlin |
| Anthony Piccininni | JJ McLoughlin |
| Alexa Gerasimovich | Erin McLoughlin |
| Morgan Flynn | Caitlin McLoughlin |
| Michael Peña | Will Jimeno |
| Armando Riesco | Antonio Rodrigues |
| Jay Hernandez | Dominick Pezzulo |
| Joe Starr | Subway Rider |
| Jon Bernthal | Christopher Amoroso |
| William Jimeno | Port Authority Officer (as Will Jimeno) |
| Nick Damici | Lieutenant Kassimatis |
| Jude Ciccolella | Inspector Fields |
| Martin Pfefferkorn | Homeless Addict #1 |
| Razame de la Crackers | Homeless Addict #2 |
| Nelson Peña | Street Hood #1 |
| Marcos Palma | Street Hood #2 |
| Andre Ward | Port Authority Hustler |
| Lisa Yuen | Port Authority Tourist |
| Cliff Bemis | Desk Cop |
| Harmonica Sunbeam | 9th Avenue Hooker |
| Ned Eisenberg | Officer Polnicki |
| Nicholas Turturro | Officer Colovito |
| Danny Nucci | Officer Giraldi |
| Tyree Michael Simpson | Officer Washington (as Tyree Simpson) |
| Kevin Feely | Plain Clothes Officer |
| Mark Elliot Wilson | Street Businessman |
| Tawny Cypress | Bleeding Woman |
| Robert Blanche | WTC Desk Officer |
| Tom Wright | Officer Reynolds |
| Terry Quinn | Fire Fighter in Concourse |
| Ed Jewett | Wisconsin Cop |
| Maggie Gyllenhaal | Allison Jimeno |
| Maria Helan | Allison's Co-Worker (as Maria Helan Checa) |
| Brad William Henke | Allison's Brother |
| Patti D'Arbanville | Donna's Neighbor |
| Donna Murphy | Judy Jonas |
| Nicky Katt | Volunteer Fireman |
| Lucia Brawley | Will's Sister |
| Kimberly Scott | Sergeant King |
| Dara Coleman | Officer Boel |
| Tiffany Romano | Bianca Jimeno (as Tiffany Marie Romano) |
| Gregory Jbara | Accountant in Karnes Office |
| Michael Shannon | Dave Karnes |
| Jordan Lage | Karnes' Pastor |
| Wass Stevens | Pat McLoughlin |
| Peter McRobbie | Allison's Father |
| Dorothy Lyman | Allison's Mother |
| Julie Adams | Allison's Grandmother |
| Tony Genaro | Will's Father |
| Aixa Maldonado | Will's Mother |
| Jay Acovone | Donna's Male Neighbor |
| Howard Samuelsohn | Downtown Resident |
| David H. Ahl | National Guard Officer at Barricade |
| Arthur J. Nascarella | Fire Chief at Ground Zero (as Arthur Nascarella) |
| Thom Prin Jr. | Fireman at Ground Zero |
| Steve Chappell | Figure of Jesus |
| William Mapother | Marine Sergeant Thomas |
| Thomas F. Duffy | NYC Command Centre Operator |
| Stephen Dorff | Scott Strauss |
| Frank Whaley | Chuck Sereika |
| Stoney Westmoreland | Paddy McGee |
| Tommy Asher | Fireman in Hole |
| Charles A. Gargano | Port Authority Commander (as Charles Gargano) |
| Thomas McHale | Port Authority Sergeant |
| Lalanya Masters | Allison's Nurse |
| Greg Collins | Will's Rescue Fireman |
| Scott Fox | Firefighter #1 John's Rescue |
| Louis Raimondi | Firefighter #2 John's Rescue |
| Victor Spadaro | Firefighter #3 John's Rescue |
| John Kiernan | Firefighter #4 John's Rescue |
| Liz A. Randall | Will's Arrival Nurse (as Liz Randall) |
| Roger R. Cross | Will's Doctor (as Roger Cross) |
| Jossara Jinaro | Will's Operation Nurse |
| Joseph Esposito | Fireman Joe |
| Gary Stretch | John's Paramedic |
| Viola Davis | Mother in Hospital |
| Kurt Caceres | John's Rescue Fireman |
| Lola Cook | Olivia Jimeno |
| Douglas J. Aguirre | Officer Bavli (uncredited) |
| Nick Rey Angelus | Injured Trade Worker #2 (uncredited) |
| Michael Arthur | Officer #1 (uncredited) |
| Amanda Saphire Billingham | Teenage Junkie (uncredited) |
| David Boston | Motorist (uncredited) |
| Barry Brisco | Paramedic (uncredited) |
| Ryan Caldwell | Rescue Team Leader (uncredited) |
| Luna Rocio Cantale | Victim 2 (uncredited) |
| Francesca Casale | Donna's Friend (uncredited) |
| Robin Dill | Police Captain (uncredited) |
| Jonathon Downs | Volunteer at Stretcher Handoff for John McLoughlin (uncredited) |
| Barbra Dunn | Bleeding Woman (uncredited) |
| Benjamin Fitch | NYPD Officer (uncredited) |
| Paul Grace | NYC Command Center Officer (uncredited) |
| Jay Gutierrez | Street Pimp (uncredited) |
| Sean Hampton | Doctor (uncredited) |
| Frank Hopf | Port Authority Desk Sergeant (uncredited) |
| Lou Irizarry | Officer Stolzman (uncredited) |
| Edward M. Kelahan | NYC Pedestrian (uncredited) |
| Carolyn Kennedy | Port Authority Patron (uncredited) |
| Katia Louise | Family Member (uncredited) |
| Pamela Martin | Tourist With Bag (uncredited) |
| Basil McCurry | Ground Zero Volunteer (uncredited) |
| John C. McDonnell | Pittsburgh Officer (uncredited) |
| John C. McGinley | Fireman (uncredited) |
| Robert Myers | Commuter (uncredited) |
| Kai Nuuhiwa | EMT (uncredited) |
| J. Woodward Palmer | Fireman (uncredited) |
| Loukas Papas | NYC Port Authority Pedestrian (uncredited) |
| LynNita Puma | NYC Paramedic (uncredited) |
| Lalo Reyes | Nurse (uncredited) |
| Brieann Rich | FDNY Paramedic (uncredited) |
| Michael Rich | Boy with Dog (uncredited) |
| Nicholas Rich | NYPD ESU Paramedic (uncredited) |
| Vincent James Russo | Concerned Spectator (uncredited) |
| Sahlima | Business Woman (uncredited) |
| Norman Schleiffer | Pedestrian (uncredited) |
| Maz Siam | NYPD ESU #4 (uncredited) |
| Donn Andrew Simmons | Surgeon (uncredited) |
| Arne Starr | Man in Lobby (uncredited) |
| Klatann Thomas | ESU Worker (uncredited) |
| Pete Turner | Ed (uncredited) |
