Full Metal Jacket

Private (later Sergeant) James T. "Joker" Davis, a wisecracking young Marine. On set, Modine kept a diary that in 2005 was adapted into a book and in 2013 into an interactive app.

Matthew Modine

R. Lee Ermey

Vincent D'Onofrio

Sergeant "Animal Mother", a nihilistic, combat-hungry machine gunner in the Lusthog Squad who takes pride in killing enemy soldiers, and scorns any authority other than his own.

Adam Baldwin

Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence, an overweight, slow-minded recruit who is the subject of Hartman's mockery. According to Kubrick, Pyle was "the hardest part to cast in the whole movie"; Modine suggested D'Onofrio to Kubrick. D'Onofrio was required to gain for the role.

Vincent D'Onofrio

"Lee Ermey") as Gunnery Sergeant L. Hartman, a harsh, foul-mouthed and ruthless senior drill instructor. Ermey had played a similar character in the 1978 Vietnam War film The Boys in Company C. Ermey used his actual experience as a U.S. Marines drill instructor in the Vietnam War to improvise much of his dialogue.

R. Lee Ermey (credited

Corporal "Eightball", an African-American member of the squad unfazed by racial slurs, and Animal Mother's closest friend.

Dorian Harewood

Private (later Sergeant) "Cowboy" Evans, a friend of Joker originally from Texas and a member of the Lusthog Squad.

Arliss Howard

Private First Class "Rafter Man", a combat photographer.

Kevyn Major Howard

First Lieutenant Walter J. "Mr. Touchdown" Schinoski, the Lusthog Squad's platoon leader.

Ed O'Ross

First Lieutenant Lockhart, the editor in charge of the Da Nang division of Stars and Stripes.

John Terry