Hold Your Breath Cast & Character Guide

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Hold Your Breath.

The Hulu original movie Hold Your Breath has a strong yet small cast led by Sarah Paulson’s protagonist Margaret Bellum. Hold Your Breath was released exclusively on Hulu on October 3, 2024. Directed by Karrie Crouse and William Joines and written by Crouse, Hold Your Breath takes place in Oklahoma in the 1930s as horrific dust storms infiltrate the rural area, inspiring strange things to happen. Paulson leads the cast of Hold Your Breath, which also includes Amiah Miller, Alona Jane Robbins, Annaleigh Ashford, and 2-time Emmy winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The film debuted with a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 42% and has received mixed reviews.

Throughout Hold Your Breath, Paulson’s Margaret and her two daughters, Rose (Miller) and Ollie (Robbins), must defend themselves from a series of dust storms that seem to have mysterious and sinister powers. They cover every crack and crevice in their home to keep out the mythical Grey Man, who is a character in a spooky story that apparently comes to life. The opening passage of the story reads, “The Grey Man…seeps through the cracks…You’ll breathe him in…do terrible things.” By the end of Hold Your Breath, Margaret does her best to protect Rose and Ollie, but she is unable to protect them from the true threat: herself.

Hold Your Breath
is streaming on Hulu.

Sarah Paulson as Margaret Bellum

Actor: Sarah Paulson, 49, has appeared in dozens of notable films and television series including the recent Emmy Award-winning show The Bear. Paulson is a household name in the American Horror Story universe, having appeared in 95 of its 129 episodes across its various anthological seasons. She is an 8-time Emmy nominee and winner for her role as Marcia Clark in American Crime Story. She recently appeared in the Prime series Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the FX series American Crime Story, the Netflix series Ratched, and several notable films such as Glass (2019), Bird Box (2018), Ocean’s Eight (2018), and The Post (2017).

Notable Works:

Character: Paulson plays Margaret Bellum, a protective mother of two daughters who becomes a target of The Grey Man in Hold Your Breath.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Wallace Grady

Actor: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, 47, is best known for his role as Richie in The Bear, for which he also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Bachrach graduated from Columbia University and rose to prominence in the celebrated HBO series Girls (2014–2017). He made his feature film debut in 2001’s The Believer, which also starred Ryan Gosling and Billy Zane. His most notable works outside of The Bear and Girls include 2023’s No Hard Feelings starring Jennifer Lawrence, 2017’s The Punisher, 2022’s Andor, and 2008’s John Adams, in which he portrayed John Quincy Adams. He will make his MCU debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).

Notable Works:

Character: Moss-Bachrach plays Wallace Grady, a mysterious drifter and preacher who appears to have mystical healing powers in Hold Your Breath.

Amiah Miller as Rose Bellum

Actor: Amiah Miller, 20, is a rising actress and model. She made her feature film debut in the 2016 thriller Lights Out before landing her breakthrough role in War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017 as Nova. With the release of Hold Your Breath, Miller has appeared in a total of eight feature films this far in her professional career, including Trafficked, House by the Lake, Anastasia: Once Upon a Time, The Water Man, and My Best Friend’s Exorcism. She got her start in television in the 2014 TV movie Clementine and has also appeared in episodes of Henry Danger, Richie Rich, How We Live, and MacGyver. She is set to star in several upcoming projects, including The Stranger in My Name, The Madison, and Burn Alive.

Notable Works:

Character: Miller plays Rose, the eldest daughter of Paulson’s Margaret in Hold Your Breath.

Hold Your Breath Supporting Cast & Characters

Annaleigh Ashford as Esther Smith: Annaleigh Ashford plays Esther Smith in Hold Your Breath, a close friend of Margaret’s family. Ashford has starred in several notable television series, such as Masters of Sex and American Crime Story as well as the HBO original film Bad Education.

Alona Jane Robbins as Ollie Bellum: Alona Jane Robbins made her feature film debut as Ollie Bellum, Margaret’s youngest daughter, in Hold Your Breath. She previously appeared in episodes of New Amsterdam and Law & Order.

Arron Shiver as Sheriff Bell: Arron Shiver plays Sheriff Bell in Hold Your Breath, the local town sheriff. Shiver has also appeared in Boardwalk Empire, 3:10 to Yuma, and The Book of Eli.

Frances Lee McCain as Bertha Bell: Frances Lee McCain plays Bertha Bell, a member of the community in Hold Your Breath. She has appeared in classic films such as Back to the Future, Gremlins, Footloose, and Stand by Me.