Melanie “Mel” Monroe is the heart of the Virgin River. Her story is about second chances, much like the central theme of the show. 

In the show, Mel is a talented nurse practitioner and midwife who arrives in the small town of Virgin River to escape her painful past. We see a sweet love story unfolding between Mel and Jack Sheridan, a local bar owner. As the romance blossoms, Mel slowly comes to terms with her grief and becomes an integral part of the close-knit rural community.

Actress Alexandra Breckenridge does a wonderful job balancing Mel’s emotional turmoil and her never-ending acts of kindness. Her impressive resume spans over twenty years.

Her most notable performance was in the American Horror Story anthology, where she portrayed a housemaid with a haunting dual appearance in Murder House (2011) and the young witch Kaylee in Coven (2013). She further cemented her reputation as a versatile actress with her role as Sophie in This Is Us.

Breckenridge also starred in hit shows like Walking Dead and Family Guy (voice acting Miss Emily) and several romantic comedies, including Christmas Around the Corner (2018), She’s the Man (2006), and The Ex-List (2008).

Jack Sheridan is a charismatic owner of the eponymous Jack’s Bar and a central figure in the Virgin River community. Jack is a former US Marine, and much like Mel, he is also struggling with his past as he tries to build a peaceful life in the tranquil town.

Mel and Jack’s palpable chemistry is what makes the show thoroughly enjoyable.

In an interview with Virgin River’s author, Robyn Carr, Martin explained why Jack and Mel’s chemistry has been instrumental to the book’s success. 

“The fans are lapping it up, and they love the characters,” Martin shared, referring to Virgin River’s devoted audience. “I think, at the heart, there’s a degree of just mutual respect between me and Alexandra.”

He explained how their off-screen dynamic mirrors that of their characters, Jack and Mel. “It also parallels what the characters have for one another, because that’s essentially what the friendship’s built on.”

Martin believes this authentic connection is key to the show’s success. “I think that’s why the love and the romance that is there is the whole drive of the show. It comes out of a genuine friendship. And I think, luckily, Alex and I have that with each other.”

Before Virgin River, Henderson played the character of Dr. Nathan Riggs, a cardiothoracic surgeon on Grey’s Anatomy. He also played a doctor in Off the Map, a medical drama set in a remote South American village. You may also recall him as the handsome Noah Clay in The Ring.

Dr. “Doc” Vernon Mullins is introduced as a grumpy and cantankerous doctor with a reputation for being irritable. When Mel starts working at his clinic, his emotional wall begins to crack, and we see him soften and gradually open up to the community. 

He has his own share of struggles – a complex relationship with his estranged wife and a glaucoma diagnosis that threatens his identity and career. 

Tim Matheson, who plays Doc, shed some light on why his character is so grumpy. “Part of it was underneath at all, it’s his defensiveness that he’s got weaknesses and his human fallibility, and so he’s pushing back against those things,” Matheson told Entertainment Weekly.

Matheson is a masterclass in acting. He was nominated twice for an Emmy for his portrayal of Vice President John Hoynes in The West Wing and received critical acclaim for the uproarious 1978 comedy Animal House.

As Doc, Matheson adds gravitas to the role with an occasional snarky one-liner and playful banter.

Hope McCrea is the spirited mayor of Virgin River and Doc Mullins’ estranged wife. Hope may be the central figure in the community (she’s the mayor, after all), but her character is quite polarizing. She often butts in others’ affairs and plays hot and cold with Doc. Several fans describe her character as “annoying”.

Annette O’Toole, who plays Hope, thinks the character is misunderstood. In an interview with Tudum, she confirmed this saying, “I’ve always been kind of shocked when I’ve heard that people think Hope is a busybody. I just wanted there to be energy — I wanted her to just kind of attack her life.

She then continued explaining how Hope’s role as mayor shapes her behavior, “I think because she’s the mayor, she feels like she can go anywhere and that she has the right to put her nose in places.”

And that’s exactly what makes Annette such a great actor. Her character, Hope, elicits visceral responses because she taps into raw emotions and doesn’t hold back.

Annette is a versatile actress, and her filmography includes notable roles such as Lana Lang in Superman III (1983), Martha Kent in Smallville (2001–2011), and Beverly Marsh in It (1990).

Because of the pandemic travel restrictions (the show is filmed in Canada), she had a limited presence in Virgin River's Season 3. But she has since become a big part of the show, and in season 6, fans can expect her to lead Jack and Mel’s wedding planning.

“You okay, buddy?” This may perhaps be Preacher’s most common dialogue in the show. He’s frequently checking in on Jack and is a shoulder for Paige to lean on. He’s also always there to cover the bar while Jack constantly goes to talk to everyone in person (texting isn’t a thing in Virgin River).

Last season Preacher got some more depth to his character. He’s running a kitchen in the bar — albeit a small one. And he buries a body to protect Paige. The ghost of his deeds will surely come to haunt him in season 6. However, it’s unclear whether he’ll return.

There’s some speculation that he may be leaving the show after he uploaded a video on his Instagram, saying, “Hey y’all, it’s me again. This is season five, Virgin River and this would be the last scene of Virgin River with Preacher and the lovely Kandyse McClure.”

Could it mean that Preacher will go to jail for hiding the body? We’ll find out soon.

Colin Lawrence, who plays Preacher, was last seen in Battlestar Galactica (2006–2009) as Hamish “Skulls” McCall, a Raptor pilot. He also appeared in Riverdale (2017–2019) as Coach Floyd Clayton.

Bad boy Brady appears to be turning a new leaf in season 6. We might finally see him redeem himself after getting caught up in the drug trade last season.

“This season, Brady is a volunteer firefighter,” actor Benjamin Hollingsworth, who plays Dan Brady, told PEOPLE. “He’s kind of like Brady 2.0 so a little less bad boyish, although he’s still a bad boy,” he added.

There’s also a steamy love triangle between Brady, Brie, and Mike to look forward to. The way the storyline is written, Brady and Brie appear to be the endgame. However, we saw them break up in season 5, when Brie discovers Brady’s shady dealings. Brie was growing closer to police officer Mike last season after the breakup. However, Brie-Brady shippers still want to see the couple together.

Hollingsworth teased there’s something to look forward to. “A lot of twists and turns. A lot of cliffhangers. Um, again, steamy, spicy. I feel like it’s a 2024 thing and everyone’s turned up the heat a bit,” Hollingsworth added in his interview with PEOPLE.

Before Virgin River, Hollingsworth played the passionate and headstrong ER resident Dr. Mario Savetti in Code Black. He also appeared as a guest star in Suits.

Muriel is an actress and unapologetically flirtatious on the show. However, she hasn’t had much success on the romantic front. First, she was flirting with Doc, who was nursing a soft spot for his estranged wife Hope. Then, she moved on to the much younger Dr. Cameron.

This relationship also seems to be doomed because Cam wants to have kids, while Muriel, who is well over 50, tells him she can’t have any. All hope isn't lost for this relationship though, because we saw Cam offer a room at his house to Muriel after her house burned down in the wildfire.

Teryl Rothery, who plays Muriel, is a seasoned actress with a portfolio spanning television, film, and theater. She is best known for her role as Dr. Janet Fraiser in the sci-fi series Stargate SG-1. She’s also appeared in several Christmas movies, including Miracle in Bethlehem, A Bramble House Christmas, and Christmas with a Crown.

Brie is Jack Sheridan’s younger sister and a successful lawyer. Like everyone else in the show, she also moves to the Virgin River to escape her painful past. 

Zibby Allen, who plays Brie, explains the magic behind the town’s healing powers. “Virgin River is a peaceful, sadly fictional place where everybody who’s there is sort of coming to heal from something. I think what Virgin River as a town does really well is community. The nature, the quietude and the simplicity gives a great backdrop to people being able to come to terms with whatever’s inside of them and learn to rely on one another,” she told Today.

Brie’s character rapidly developed, and we saw her give up pills and alcohol and turn into a strong lawyer. However, her love life is still a mess. In the S6 trailer, we saw her cozy up to both Brady and Mike. So, who will she choose? Hopefully, we’ll find out soon.

Before Virgin River, Zibby Allen appeared as Nurse Zibby in Grey’s Anatomy and as Dr. Tanya Lamden in The Flash.

Mike is an ex-Marine turned deputy sheriff of Virgin River. As a law enforcement officer, he is often at odds with Brady’s rebellious nature and questionable activities. Add to that, he is romancing Brie, Brady’s ex. So you can expect plenty of drama around his storyline this season.

Marco Grazzini, who plays Mike, has spent the last 15 years building a career in TV and films. He played Alejandro in the popular Canadian sitcom Kim’s Convenience. Additionally, he had minor roles in Supernatural, The Magicians, and The Flash. His most recent project is the romantic comedy Right In Front of Me.

Dr. Cameron Hayek (played by Mark Ghanimé) joined in Season 4 as a new pair of hands helping out at Doc’s clinic. His smashing good looks caused quite a stir in the sleepy town in the beginning. However, he had a crush on Mel in Season 4, even though she was with Jack.

We might see him take on a bigger role this season as Doc struggles with his eyesight and considers handing the clinic duties to Hayek full-time.

Before Virgin River, Mark played a doctor on Supernatural, Arrow, and Private Eyes. He was also part of shows like The Helix, The Bold Type, and The Wedding Planners, to name a few.