If you mean the 2001 remake, the main actors in 13 Ghosts are Tony Shalhoub, Matthew Lillard, Shannon Elizabeth, Embeth Davidtz, F. Murray Abraham, Rah Digga, Alec Roberts, and JR Bourne. The quickest way to avoid confusion is to check the year: the stylized Thir13en Ghosts title and this cast belong to the 2001 film, not the 1960 original.
Who stars in 13 Ghosts?
The 2001 film keeps its human cast fairly tight, which makes it easier to remember who does what once the glass house, ghost-viewing glasses, and Black Zodiac mythology take over. If you are checking a cast list before rewatching, start with the Kriticos family, then the two people who explain the house, and finally the characters tied to Cyrus's plan.
| Actor | Character | Why the role matters |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Shalhoub | Arthur Kriticos | The grieving father who inherits the house |
| Matthew Lillard | Dennis Rafkin | The psychic who understands the ghosts before anyone else does |
| Shannon Elizabeth | Kathy Kriticos | Arthur's older child, caught between fear and protectiveness |
| Embeth Davidtz | Kalina Oretzia | The character who knows the house's occult purpose |
| F. Murray Abraham | Cyrus Kriticos | Arthur's uncle and the person behind the trap |
| Rah Digga | Maggie Bess | The family's nanny and the most grounded outsider in the chaos |
| Alec Roberts | Bobby Kriticos | Arthur's young son, raising the emotional stakes |
| JR Bourne | Benjamin Moss | The lawyer connected to Cyrus and the inheritance |
Tony Shalhoub as Arthur Kriticos
Tony Shalhoub plays Arthur Kriticos, the widowed father who believes the inherited mansion might give his family a fresh start. That makes Arthur useful as the audience's entry point: he is not a ghost expert, a collector, or a thrill-seeker. He is a parent walking into a trap before he understands the rules.
Matthew Lillard as Dennis Rafkin
Dennis Rafkin is the person you watch when you want to know how dangerous the house really is. Matthew Lillard plays him as a psychic who can sense spirits, but not as a calm supernatural guide. He is jumpy, angry, frightened, and usually several steps closer to panic than everyone else.
Shannon Elizabeth as Kathy Kriticos
Shannon Elizabeth plays Kathy Kriticos, Arthur's teenage daughter. Kathy gives the family scenes a more skeptical, emotional edge because she is old enough to question what is happening but still trapped in a situation controlled by adults and forces she cannot manage.
Embeth Davidtz as Kalina Oretzia
Kalina Oretzia, played by Embeth Davidtz, is the character who turns the movie from a haunted-house chase into a story with a system behind it. She knows more about the ghosts, the house, and the Black Zodiac than the Kriticos family does.
For viewers trying to follow the lore rather than just the scares, Kalina is the one to pay attention to. Her scenes explain why the spirits were collected and why the house has been built with such a specific design.
F. Murray Abraham as Cyrus Kriticos
F. Murray Abraham plays Cyrus Kriticos, Arthur's wealthy uncle and the owner of the house before Arthur inherits it. Cyrus is important because the mansion is not a random cursed property; it is part of a deliberate plan.
Abraham gives Cyrus a controlled, calculating presence. The ghosts may be the most visually memorable part of the film, but Cyrus is the reason the danger has direction.
Rah Digga as Maggie Bess
Rah Digga plays Maggie Bess, the Kriticos family's nanny and housekeeper. Maggie stands out because she is not trying to solve the mythology or claim the inheritance. She reacts more like an ordinary person would: this place is wrong, people are in danger, and getting out matters more than understanding every symbol on the walls.
Alec Roberts as Bobby Kriticos
Alec Roberts plays Bobby Kriticos, Arthur's young son. Bobby's role is simple but effective: a child inside a moving glass maze filled with violent spirits immediately makes the danger feel less abstract.
If you are rewatching the film for the family story rather than the ghost designs, Bobby is one of the reasons Arthur's choices feel urgent. The plot is not just about surviving the house; it is about a father trying not to lose more of his family.
JR Bourne as Benjamin Moss
JR Bourne plays Benjamin Moss, the lawyer involved with Cyrus's estate and the transfer of the house. His polished, official role helps sell the inheritance as something normal long enough for the family to enter the mansion.
How the main 13 Ghosts characters fit the story
The easiest way to follow 13 Ghosts is to separate the cast by story function. Arthur, Kathy, and Bobby supply the family stakes. Dennis and Kalina help the audience understand the supernatural danger. Cyrus and Benjamin make the inheritance feel like a trap rather than bad luck. Maggie gives the movie a practical outsider reaction.
That matters because different viewers look up the cast for different reasons. If you are trying to remember "the frantic psychic," you want Matthew Lillard. If you are trying to place "the uncle who owned the house," that is F. Murray Abraham. If you are checking which character explains the Black Zodiac, look for Embeth Davidtz.
- Start with Arthur if you want the emotional center of the movie.
- Watch Dennis and Kalina if the ghost rules or Black Zodiac lore are what you care about.
- Follow Cyrus and Benjamin if you want to understand the setup behind the inheritance.
- Notice Kathy, Bobby, and Maggie if you are paying attention to the family-survival side of the story.
Arthur is the father who inherits the house
Arthur is the character who makes the inheritance feel personal rather than just spooky. He accepts the house because his family is struggling, so the setup has a cruel twist: what looks like rescue becomes another threat.
His first priority is not solving the occult machinery. It is getting Kathy and Bobby out alive, which keeps the movie grounded even when the house becomes more elaborate and strange.
Dennis is the psychic helping the family
Dennis helps the family because he can sense what the house is hiding, but he is not a steady mentor figure. His fear is part of his usefulness. He shows the audience that the ghosts are not just legends or special effects inside the story; they are dangerous presences he physically reacts to.
Kathy and Bobby are Arthur's children
Kathy and Bobby give Arthur something concrete to protect. Kathy is old enough to push back and react with teenage suspicion, while Bobby's vulnerability makes the house feel immediately more dangerous. Together, they stop the story from becoming only a puzzle about ghosts and machinery.
Cyrus is Arthur's uncle and the house's owner
Cyrus is not just the relative who leaves Arthur a strange mansion. He is the person whose wealth, secrecy, and obsession make the house possible.
That distinction is worth remembering when people describe the film as a haunted-house movie. The house is haunted, but it is also engineered. Cyrus turns the supernatural elements into a controlled trap.
Kalina knows the secrets behind the ghosts
Kalina gives the movie its explanation layer. Before she becomes central, the family is mostly reacting to impossible events; after her role expands, the ghosts fit into a larger occult design.
For someone watching the film after seeing clips of the ghost characters online, Kalina's scenes are the bridge between the striking creature designs and the rules of the story.
Maggie stays with the Kriticos family
Maggie is useful because she has no reason to treat the house like a mystery worth studying. She is there with the family, gets trapped with them, and responds with blunt survival instincts. In a movie full of lore, that ordinary reaction makes her easy to root for.
13 Ghosts and Thir13en Ghosts
13 Ghosts and Thir13en Ghosts usually point to the same 2001 remake in modern searches. The stylized title was used for branding, while the simpler version is what many people type when they want the cast, streaming information, or ghost names.
The only real caution is the 1960 film. If a page lists an older black-and-white movie, a William Castle credit, or names that do not include Tony Shalhoub and Matthew Lillard, you are probably looking at the original rather than the remake.
- Check the year: 2001 is the remake; 1960 is the original.
- Check the cast: Shalhoub, Lillard, Elizabeth, Davidtz, and Abraham mean the remake.
- Check the plot details: the glass house and Black Zodiac belong to the 2001 version.
Thir13en Ghosts is the stylized 2001 title
Thir13en Ghosts is the official stylized title used for the 2001 remake. The number inside the word is a branding choice, not a sign that it is a separate cut or a different movie.
13 Ghosts commonly refers to the same remake
Most people use 13 Ghosts because it is easier to type and say. If you are searching casually for the cast, reviews, or the Black Zodiac ghosts, the shorter title will usually lead you to the same 2001 film.
The 1960 original has a different cast
The 1960 13 Ghosts is a different film with a different cast, including actors such as Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow, Martin Milner, Rosemary DeCamp, Donald Woods, and Margaret Hamilton. It shares the broad haunted-house idea, but not the 2001 remake's cast, visual style, or Black Zodiac mythology.
So if your goal is to identify Matthew Lillard's character, the Jackal, the Juggernaut, or the glass-house version, stay with the 2001 listing.
Conclusion
The 2001 13 Ghosts cast is easiest to remember by role: Tony Shalhoub carries the family story, Matthew Lillard brings the psychic panic, Embeth Davidtz explains the mythology, and F. Murray Abraham gives the trap its human source. If you are comparing pages or trying to identify a performer, check the release year first; that one detail usually separates the remake from the 1960 original and clears up most cast confusion.