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| Joaquin Phoenix | John R. Cash |
| Reese Witherspoon | June Carter |
| Ginnifer Goodwin | Vivian Cash |
| Robert Patrick | Ray Cash |
| Dallas Roberts | Sam Phillips |
| Dan John Miller | Luther Perkins |
| Larry Bagby | Marshall Grant |
| Shelby Lynne | Carrie Cash |
| Tyler Hilton | Elvis Presley |
| Waylon Payne | Jerry Lee Lewis |
| Shooter Jennings | Waylon Jennings |
| Sandra Ellis Lafferty | Maybelle Carter |
| Dan Beene | Ezra Carter |
| Clay Steakley | W.S. 'Fluke' Holland |
| Johnathan Rice | Roy Orbison |
| Johnny Holiday | Carl Perkins |
| Ridge Canipe | Young J.R. |
| Lucas Till | Young Jack Cash |
| Carly Nahon | Young Reba Cash |
| McGhee Monteith | Reba Cash |
| Wyatt Entrekin | Tommy Cash at 5 |
| Hailey Anne Nelson | Rosanne Cash |
| Kerris Dorsey | Kathy Cash |
| Delaney Keefe | Cindy Cash |
| Victoria Hester | Carlene Carter |
| Deborah Rawlings | Diner Waitress |
| James DeForest Parker | Inmate |
| James Keach | Warden |
| Davielle Boyce | Maid at Door |
| Glenn Alan Gardner | Texarkana Stage Manager (as Alan Gardner) |
| Danny Vinson | Texarkana MC |
| Dave McPhail | Armory MC |
| Bob King | Armory Stage Manager |
| Natalie Canerday | Lady in the Aisle |
| Rhoda Griffis | Five and Dime Manager |
| Jeff Bailey | El Paso Taxi Driver |
| Ross Harkins | Record Executive |
| J. D. Evermore | F.B.I. Man |
| J.D. Evermore | F.B.I. Man |
| Helen Ingebritsen | Bank Teller |
| J.W. Williams | Pill Man |
| J. W. Williams | Pill Man |
| Shane Bowen | JR's Agent |
| Tim Ware | A & R Man #1 |
| Dolan Wilson | A & R Man #2 |
| J. Allen Scott | Dyess Doctor |
| Clare Grant | Lissome Girl (as Clare Johnson) |
| Michael Ingersoll | Donzil |
| Carter Thrower | Sheriff |
| J.P. McNeely | Musician (as Jean-Paul McNeely) |
| Jean-Paul McNeely | Musician |
| Brian Deas | NCO |
| Glenda Pannell | Neighbor Woman |
| Amy Lavere | Wanda |
| Tracee Mae Miller | Birdie Perkins |
| Tracee Miller | Birdie Perkins |
| Ken Axmaker Jr. | Record company executive |
| Alan C. Blomquist | Executive Producer |
| David Caffey | Record company executive |
| John Carter Cash | Bob Neal |
| Phedon Papamichael | Director of Photography |
| Brian Crider | Prisoner |
| Michael McCusker | Film Editor |
| Jeff Droke | Prisoner |
| T Bone Burnett | Composer |
| Marc Farley | Ferlin |
| Paul Massey | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Cody Hanford | Tommy Cash age 9 |
| D. M. Hemphill | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Katie Lindsey | Rosey Nix |
| Peter Kurland | production sound mixer |
| Donald Meyers | Record company executive |
| Donald Sylvester | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Vince Palazola | Prisoner |
| Ted Caplan | Sound Designer |
| Rich Parham | Salesman / |
| Arianne Phillips | Costume Designer |
| Brittany Shaw | Etta Grant |
| David J. Bomba | Production Designer |
| Rob Simons | Art Director |
| Ben Taylor | Jack the Drunk |
| Matt Taylor | Prisoner |
| Robert Stromberg | Visual Effects |
| Ron Bolanowski | Visual Effects |
| Wendy Craig | Costume Designer |
| Jane Galli | Make-Up Artist |
| Michelle Vittone-McNeil | Make-Up Artist |
| Brad Wilder | Make-Up Artist |
| Judy Ponder | Make-Up Artist |
| Gloria Belz | Make-Up Artist |

