Have you ever tried horror games? Horror games are the best gaming genre in the world, aren’t they? While discussing horror games, there is ‘Until Dawn’, and there are others to compete for the second place. Being one of the early horror games released in 2015 and staying active for around a decade, the game still gives chills and an unmatched gaming experience to gamers who embrace horror games. The demand for the game skyrocketed when it was released for PC and PS5 in October 2024. The remake featured enhanced graphics, gameplay, and story elements.
Here, we explore the characters that boost the game and take the gaming experience to a whole different level. The main characters in Until Dawn are Ashley Brown, Christopher Hartley, Emily Davis, Jessica Riley, Joshua Washington, etc. To add horror and scary elements in the game, we can see the presence of The Psycho and The Wendigos as antagonists.
What is Until Dawn?
Until Dawn is an interactive drama survival horror game released in 2015. The game is developed by Supermassive Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. In this game, players can take control of eight young adults who are in constant danger and need to survive on Blackwood Mountain. The Butterfly Effect plays a key role in Until Dawn; in this game, any choice by the player will cause entirely different consequences later in the story.
The choices players make in the game can lead to extreme chaotic scenarios and violent incidents that could lead the characters to their deaths. Players explore the Until Dawn environment from a third-person point of view, and they will be engaging in finding different clues that might help them solve the mystery.
The game has 10 chapters, with each one having an intermission. During the intermission, the characters will be consulted by a psychiatrist (Dr Hill) to analyse the players’ mental condition and fears they faced based on the choices they have made.
Main Characters in Until Dawn
Until Dawn is all about making appropriate decisions that can make a big difference between life and death. The characters in the game need to immerse themselves in a horrific environment where violence and gunshots are active companions. Here is a table that shows the main 8 protagonists and the prominent actors who featured in the respective characters.
| Sl No. | Characters | Actors Featured |
| 1 | Samantha Giddings | Hayden Panettiere |
| 2 | Michael Munroe | Brett Dalton |
| 3 | Ashley Brown | Galadriel Stineman |
| 4 | Christopher Hartley | Noah Fleiss |
| 5 | Emily Davis | Nichole Sakura |
| 6 | Matthew Taylor | Jordan Fisher |
| 7 | Jessica Riley | Meaghan Martin |
| 8 | Joshua Washington | Rami Malek |
Here is the detailed explanation of the main characters in Until Dawn.
1. Samantha Giddings
Samantha Giddings, or Sam, played by Hayden Panettiere, is one of the eight playable protagonist characters in Until Dawn. Characteristics like resourcefulness, firm determination to control her situation define her nature and make her one of the most level-headed members of the group. She can be considered the leader of the group because her initiative whenever there is chaos and the way she takes charge make her a born leader and an unidentifiable guardian of the gang. Whenever there is fear and chaos surrounding her, she remains composed and prioritizes saving her friends; these qualities in her personality make her one of the strongest and bravest characters in the game.
Hayden Panettiere mentioned that she and Sam have a few things in common, such as being huge lovers of animals and that Sam is vegan. She stated that Sam is a pacifist, although she was not quite sure if she would classify herself as one.
However, she described Sam as spunky and cool. Hayden expressed her belief that Sam is made fun of a bit by others who find her morals and beliefs in that area somewhat ridiculous and do not agree with them, but emphasized that Sam doesn’t care, and it doesn’t stop her from being herself. She added that this is something she hopes to have in common with Sam.
2. Michael Munroe
Michael Munroe, or Mike, played and voiced by Brett Dalton, is a confident character who often takes the leadership responsibility within the group. In Until Dawn, Mike is portrayed as a young, attractive American man who is always volunteering to lead their group in various dangerous situations. In his personal life, he started dating Jessica after he broke up with Emily, both are two of his close friends in the gang.
Brett Dalton stated that Mike was like the “big guy on campus” and mentioned that he was the class president who had some charm and was smart. He expressed uncertainty, saying that people seemed to like Mike. However, he noted that Mike got away with a lot and could be somewhat jerky.
3. Ashley Brown
Ashley Brown is a sensitive person in the group; she always gets easily scared and usually doesn’t do anything for her friends’ survival and the group’s collective resurrection from dangers. Since she is a sensitive character, we can neither love nor hate her; she is an individual who mostly keeps herself safe, and her decisions and actions cost big things, like getting some of her friends killed throughout the game.
Ashley is very close to Chris and even has a crush on him. Their relationship and romantic journey make the game a little more interesting and relatable. She is not like the brave characters who are always ready to make big decisions and choices; Ashley is more of a vulnerable individual who struggles to make tough choices. Ashley Brown is played and voiced by Galadriel Stineman.
4. Christopher Hartley
Christopher Hartley is one of the most important playable characters in Until Dawn. The character is played and voiced by Noah Fleiss, a famous American film and television actor. He is a guy who loves technology and has the stereotypical costumes of a techy who wears black rectangular-framed glasses.
He is a character who can lighten the situation, even in some intense and horrific situations. Like Ashley has a crush on Chris, he too has a crush on her, but was hesitant to open it up to her, which makes us feel for him. In simple words, he is a courageous lad who is brave enough to save his friends at the Washington lodge by risking his own life, but not brave enough to tell his love towards Ashley.
5. Emily Davis
Emily Davis, played by Nichole Sakura, is a teenage Asian-American girl who is intelligent, persuasive, and resourceful. She is portrayed as a character who has a quick tongue and a sharp wit, which makes her less likable. In the game, she is displayed as an individual with an adamant personality and a narcissistic attitude. When she is in danger or in a risky environment, she becomes fragile and shows her weaker side.
Nichole Sakura commented on Emily’s personality, and she opined that Emily knows what she wants, and she manages to get that from whoever it is.
6. Matthew Taylor
Matthew Taylor, or Matt, is one of the ideal characters in the game. The character was played and voiced by the actor Jordan Fisher. According to Until Dawn, Matt is a teenage African-American boy with short black hair who is a loyal boyfriend to Emily. He is a guy with high protective instincts, and he will lead the group whenever there is a danger or a critical condition arises.
Jordan Fisher commented on the character he played (Matthew Taylor) has a big heart, which is very evident, especially in how he treats his girlfriend Emily. He described him as kind of a meathead, but in the best way possible. He mentioned that he wants everyone to be happy and that he is a people pleaser.
7. Jessica Riley
Jessica Riley is a character with blonde hair and is portrayed as a peppy character who is always brightening up her surroundings with her vibrant personality. The character Jessica is played by Meaghan Martin, a popular American actress and singer. In Until Dawn, Jess is described as a trusting and confident girl, which is just contrary to her name, but in the remake version of the game, she is redefined as a driven, impulsive, and typically provocative girl.
Meaghan Martin conceived the character of Jessica as someone with a whole lot of personality. She described her as definitely the sort of mean girl character who, at school, knew she was pretty, was aware that boys liked her, and was going to use it to her advantage.
8. Joshua Washington
Joshua Washington, also known as ‘The Psycho’, is one of the eight main playable characters in Until Dawn. Joshua is the brother of two missing twin sisters, Beth and Hannah, and the one who blames his close friends for his sisters’ disappearance. The character of Joshua Washington is played by Rami Malek, one of the prominent American actors who is well known for his uncompromised performance in Mr. Robot, an American drama thriller TV series.
He lost his sisters at a lodge, a year ago, and he has never been in control of his right mind ever since. After one year, he invited his friends, misleading them by saying that it was the first anniversary of his sister’s disappearance, but it was a prank, and all he wanted was his revenge.
He was a warm and accommodating character, but after an incident at school, Josh was referred to a psychiatrist and diagnosed with a depressive disorder at the age of 11. His constant medications and depressive behaviors gifted him an alter ego named The Psycho, who often supersedes the common nature of Joshua.
Related Coverage: What is the Wendigo in Until Dawn? Complete Lore and Myth Explained
The Bottom Line
The characters in Until Dawn represent a common group of teenagers with different characteristics and personalities that we can see in our society. The realistic representation of characters in the game adds an extra flavour to the game and makes it one of the best games that people can relate to.
The way different characters adopt survival mechanisms and the way they struggle in their own way makes the game more enjoyable and distinct in its own way. If you are interested in the character description of Until Dawn, you can give it a try because the game and its horrific elements are out of this world and never disappoint.