This 2014 science fiction film became the first of the Divergent series. A major reason why the movie’s storyline resonated with lots of audiences is that it speaks of the dysfunctionality of governments.
Divergent is set in a futuristic world where humans seek to create a Utopian society. To achieve this, five factions were created to ensure everyone contributed to the society – Abnegation, Amity, Candle, Dauntless, and Erudite.
Like with most human systems, it was only a matter of time before flaws would be seen. To save the world from itself, it needed a mind free from the conditioning of the factional society. Divergents are the few who do not conform and fit into any faction.
Beatrice must hide her identity from those in power and help save the world from itself. With the movie’s success, its sequel, Insurgents, was released in 2015. The sequel also brought about a third film, Allegiant.
Throwing our minds back to the movie that started it all, here is the cast of the 2014 Divergent movie.
Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley)
Credit: Divergent
This would not be Shailene Woodley’s first role on screen, but it would become one of her most popular and successful. Woodley plays the movie’s main protagonist Beatrice Prior. Beatrice is born into a family in the Abnegation faction. Among the five factions, Abnegation is the one in government.
At 16, when she goes in for the test to determine her futuristic faction, she discovers she’s a Divergent. Tori Wu, her proctor, convinces her to hide her true identity. Tris will later identify as Dauntless. The movie’s storyline follows Tris as she tries to prevent the annihilation of Abnegation and stop the Erudite from causing chaos in the city.
Tobias “Four” Eaton (Theo James)
Credit: Divergent
Theo James goes from playing David in Underworld: Awakening to playing Four, a Dauntless instructor. However, when he crosses paths with Tris, like her, he chooses not to reveal his true identity.
Four – Tobias Eaton – is the son of the leader of Abnegation. Four will, later on, become Tris’ love interest and help her stop Erudite from killing Abnegation. Four learns that Tris is Divergent and tells her to hide her identity. He will later reveal to her that he’s also Divergent.
Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet)
Credit: Divergent
Kate Winslet plays the movie’s main antagonist, Jeanine Matthews, leader of the Erudite faction. Matthews puts plans in place to ensure the overthrow of Abnegation.
She believes the Erudite, who are the intellectuals, should be the ones to rule the country. However, her plans are stopped by Tris, Four, and their growing forces.
Natalie Prior (Ashley Judd)
Credit: Divergent
Ashley Judd plays the role of Natalie Prior, the mother of Beatrice and Caleb Prior. Natalie would help try to save Tris and Four when they were captured. Although successful, she gets shot and killed.
Ashley Judd has starred in other notable movies like 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen and 2017’s Trafficked.
Andrew Prior (Tony Goldwyn)
Credit: Divergent
When Tony Goldwyn is not playing President of the United States of America in the TV series Scandal, he’s Andrew Prior, a member of Abnegation’s ruling council. Andrew Prior is also the father of Tris and Caleb, as well as the husband of Natalie Prior.
Like his wife, Andrew sacrifices himself to save Tris and ensure she succeeds in her mission to stop Jeanine Matthews, the leader of the Erudite faction.
Caleb Prior (Ansel Elgort)
Credit: Divergent
Although born into Abnegation like Tris, Caleb chooses the Erudite faction. When Tris visits him at the Erudite base, he informs Tris of Erudite plans to kill and overthrow Abnegation.
Ansel Elgort plays Caleb Prior. You can catch Ansel Elgort in other movies like 2014’s The Fault in Our Stars, 2017’s Baby Driver, and 2018’s Billionaire Boys Club.
Eric Coulter (Jai Courtney)
Credit: Divergent
Eric Coulter is the ruthless leader of Dauntless. As a no-nonsense leader, he threatens the new Dauntless initiates to meet the training standards or get thrown out and be factionless. Eric doesn’t particularly like Tris.
With Dauntless now under mind control to raid Abnegation, Eric discovers Four is unaffected by the serum. Eric orders the arrest of Four and the execution of Tris. Jai Courtney breathes life into Eric’s character.
Christina (Zoë Kravitz)
Credit: Divergent
Super-talented American actress, Zoë Kravitz, plays Christina. Christina is one of the initiates of Dauntless. She becomes close friends with Tris and Four.
Peter Hayes (Miles Teller)
Credit: Divergent
Peter Hayes is in the Dauntless faction. Dauntless leader, Eric, puts Peter to fight Tris as part of the Dauntless training and test. He defeated Tris and continued to play her nemesis.
Miles Teller is no stranger to movies. He has starred in movies like 2015’s Fantastic Four, 2017’s Thank You for Your Service, and 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick.Shailene Woodley’s
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