Train Dreams cast and character guide: Who played whom in the latest Netflix drama?

Train Dreams is a story that's more like a pipe dream for many. A simple life. It's a film adaptation of a novella of the same name that Denis Johnson wrote, and which was first published in The Paris Review. Clint Bentley directed the film while also co-writing it with Greg Kwedar, known for writing films like Transpecos (2016), Jockey (2021), Sing Sing (2023), and more.

It was first previewed at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in January this year and recently landed on the streaming platform Netflix. The story tells about the ordinary life of a man named Robert Grainier and his family as he spends time away from them.

In an interview with Tudum, Bentley said that,

"It’s a really special story and it feels very unique in that it is just about this one person’s life. This very simple life. Robert Grainier doesn’t do anything that really alters the course of history — he doesn’t fight in some great battle or create some invention that changes people’s lives, and yet he lives a very deep and rich life."

Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, and more stars in Train Dreams. We will now look at who plays whom in this critically acclaimed drama.

Train Dreams cast

Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier

The Black Mass (2015) actor plays Robert Grainier in the movie, who is a man of few words. Why Bentley chose Joel for the role is because he believed that he had a deep understanding of the character and the kind of story he was trying to tell.

Felicity Jones as Gladys Grainier

The Academy Award nominee plays Gladys, the wife of Robert, who is trying to build a life with her man even though he is away most of the time to make a living for his family. Edgerton called her role in the film "beautiful and organic" because she adapted the character naturally for her role in Train Dreams.

William H. Macy as Arn Peeples

While Robert is away from his home, he still spends time with people at his work. One of them is Arn Peeples, portrayed by the Boogie Nights (1997) actor William H. Macy. He is one of the fellow loggers and is full of wisdom in the isolated world that they are working and living in.

Kerry Condon as Claire Thompson

Another major character in Train Dreams is Claire Thompson, played by Kerry Condon, who was recently seen opposite Brad Pitt in F1 the Movie. Claire is a woman who loves solitude. It was a bit similar to the character she played in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022), which is one reason she was drawn to it.