Apocalypse Now

U.S. Army Captain Benjamin L. Willard, a veteran assassin who is serving his third tour in Vietnam. The soldier who escorts him at the start of the film recites that Willard is from the 505th Battalion, of the elite 173rd Airborne Brigade, assigned to MACV-SOG. The opening scene—which features Willard staggering around his hotel room, culminating in him punching a mirror—was filmed on Sheen's 36th birthday when he was heavily intoxicated. The mirror that he broke was not a prop and caused his hand to bleed profusely, but he insisted on continuing the scene, despite Coppola's concerns. Sheen has said this performance where he writhes and smears himself in blood was spontaneous and was an exorcism of his longstanding alcoholism. Sheen's brother Joe Estevez stood in for Willard in some scenes and performed the character's voiceover narrations while his son Charlie appears in the film as an extra. Both went uncredited.

Martin Sheen

Colonel Walter Kurtz, a highly decorated United States Army Special Forces officer with the 5th Special Forces Group who goes rogue. He runs his own military unit based in Cambodia and is feared as much by the U.S. military as by the North Vietnamese Army, Viet Cong, and Khmer Rouge.

Marlon Brando

Lieutenant Colonel William "Bill" Kilgore, commander of 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment and surfing fanatic. His character is a composite of several real-life officers, including Colonels David Hackworth and John Stockton, Lieutenant General Hank "Gunfighter" Emerson, General James F. Hollingsworth and George Patton IV, also a West Point officer whom Robert Duvall knew. Duvall reports that he was upset that a scene where Kilgore saves the life of a Vietnamese baby during the beach assault was cut by Coppola, as he felt that it added to the complexity of his character. The scene is included in the Redux version. Duvall said that he found that the version of the character as originally written was too over-the-top, and asked Coppola for permission to change the character. Duvall also asked people in the military on how to portray the character as a tough unflinching officer.

Robert Duvall

Chief Petty Officer George Phillips. The Chief runs a tight ship and frequently clashes with Willard over authority.

Albert Hall

Engineman 3rd Class Jay "Chef" Hicks, a tightly wound aspiring chef and saucier from New Orleans. His vocational training was interrupted by his draft notice. Now, Hicks is horrified by his new surroundings.

Frederic Forrest

Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Lance B. Johnson, a former professional surfer from Orange County, California. In the bridge scene, he mentions having taken LSD. As the film progresses, Lance becomes increasingly strung out on drugs. He is completely silent in the last act of the film, entranced by the Montagnard tribe and participating in the sacrifice ritual.

Sam Bottoms

"Larry Fishburne") as Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Tyrone "Mr. Clean" Miller, the cocky 17-year-old South Bronx-born crewmember. Fishburne was only 14 when shooting began in March 1976, as he had lied about his age in order to be cast in the role. The production took so long, he was 18 by the time the film was released in August 1979.

Laurence Fishburne (credited

an American photojournalist, a manic disciple of Kurtz who greets Willard. According to the DVD commentary of Redux, the character is based on Sean Flynn, a famed news correspondent who disappeared in Cambodia in 1970. The character may also have been partially inspired by the British-Australian photojournalist Tim Page.

Dennis Hopper

Lieutenant General R. Corman, military intelligence (G-2), an authoritarian officer who fears Kurtz and wants him removed. The character is named after filmmaker Roger Corman, who gave Coppola his first directorial work.

G. D. Spradlin

Colonel G. Lucas, aide to Corman and an Army intelligence specialist who gives Willard his orders. The character is named for George Lucas, who had directed Ford in American Graffiti and Star Wars, and with whom Coppola had founded American Zoetrope in 1969. Lucas was also intended to direct Apocalypse Now before getting busy making Star Wars.

Harrison Ford

Jerry Moore, a CIA officer in civilian clothing who sits in on Willard's initial briefing. His only line in the film is "terminate with extreme prejudice." Ziesmer was also the film's assistant director.

Jerry Ziesmer