The Love Hard cast features Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang and Darren Barnet. This info article contains minor spoilers for Hernán Jiménez’s 2021 Netflix movie. Check out more streaming guides in Vague Visages’ Know the Cast section.

Love Hard follows Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang as Natalie Bauer and Josh Lin, respectively. The characters develop a romantic relationship online but live 3,000 miles apart. Natalie heads east to surprise her love interest, Josh, only to discover that she has been catfished. Still, the protagonists try to make the best of their first meeting during the holiday season in Lake Placid, which results in familial squabbles and misunderstandings. Here’s every main performer and character in Love Hard.

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Godspeed’

Love Hard Cast: Nina Dobrev as Natalie Bauer

Character Profile: A Los Angeles journalist. She writes a romance-themed column under the pseudonym “Always a Bridesmaid.” Natalie gets catfished and tries to maintain a friendly relationship with her online pal.

Dobrev’s Resume: Elena Gilbert/ Katherine Pierce/Amara in The Vampire Diaries (2009-17), Candace in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), Vicki Summers in The Final Girls (2015), Becky Clearidge in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), Clem in Fam (2019)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘F*ck Love Too’

Love Hard Cast: Jimmy O. Yang as Josh Lin

Character Profile: A native of Lake Placid, New York. He catfishes Natalie and tries to make up for his mistakes. Josh creates “masculine” candles based on his grandfather’s scent.

Yang’s Resume: Jian Yang in Silicon Valley (2014-19), Dun Meng in Patriots Day (2016), Bernard Tai in Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Officer Delancey in The Happytime Murders (2018), Dun Meng in Fantasy Island (2020)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Senior Year’

Love Hard Cast: Darren Barnet as Tag

Character Profile: Josh’s best friend through 8th grade (and the person in his profile photo). He’s a privileged Lake Placid local who loves the outdoors. Tag pursues a relationship with Natalie and believes that she is Josh’s cousin.

Barnet’s Resume: Corby in S.W.A.T. (2017), Hot Seth in Turnt (2018), Grant in American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules (2020), Wilfred ‘Freddy’ Malick in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2020), Paxton Hall-Yoshida in Never Have I Ever (2020-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Along for the Ride’

Love Hard Cast: James Saito as Bob Lin

Character Profile: Josh’s father. He’s an easy-going gentleman who own a sporting goods store. Bob believes that Josh intends to marry Natalie.

Saito’s Resume: The Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (1990), Dr. Frank Chen in Eli Stone (2008-09), Harry in Always Be My Maybe (2019), Kenji in Modern Love (2019), Arthur Mori in Dash & Lily (2020)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘The Perfect Family’

Love Hard Cast: Rebecca Staab as Barb Lin

Character Profile: Bob’s wife. She is pleasantly surprised when Natalie arrives in New York. Barb organizes an engagement party and thus causes a few problems for her son and Natalie.

Staab’s Resume: Elizabeth Barrington in Port Charles (2002-03), Colleen DeKizer in Somewhere Between (2017), Bethany in The Miracle Season (2018), Cindy Rieger in Breakthrough (2019), Eileen Bruce in The Chronicle Mysteries: The Wrong Man (2019-)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Toscana’

Love Hard Cast: Harry Shum Jr. as Owen Lin

Character Profile: Josh’s brother, “the prodigal son.” He’s an arrogant character who makes rude statements. Owen investigates Natalie’s background.

Shum Jr.’s Resume: Mike Chang/Joe Hart in Glee (2009-15), Magnus Bane/Valentine Morgenstern in Shadowhunters (2016-19), Peter in Single by 30 (2016), Charlie Wu in Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Brendan in Tell Me a Story (2019-20)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘A Perfect Pairing’

Love Hard Cast: Althea Kaye as Grandma June Lin

Character Profile: Josh’s 70-year-old grandmother. She values the written word and believes that “the pen is mightier than the penis.” She recruits Josh and Natalie for an online dating speech at a local nursing home.

Kaye’s Resume: Tai Chi Lady in Kung Fu (2021), The Biddy in Motherland: Fort Salem (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Heartstopper’

Love Hard Cast: Mikaela Hoover as Chelsea Lin

Character Profile: Owen’s wife. Chelsea inadvertently upsets Josh when she and her husband announce that they are pregnant.

Hoover’s Resume: Madison Westerbrook in Sorority Forever (2008), Jackie in Happy Endings (2011-12), Nova Prime’s Assistant in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Raziya Memarian in The Belko Experiment (2016), Camila in The Suicide Squad (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Russian Doll’

*

The Love Hard cast also includes Matty Finochio (The Order, Day of the Dead), Heather McMahan (If Loving You Is Wrong, The Trap), Fletcher Donovan (A Million Little Things, Big Sky), Kwasi Thomas (Pup Academy, Snowpiercer) and Seth Depner (The Order, Riverdale).

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor.