Cast and Characters (Coma) Coma

Principal Cast

Dr. Susan Wheeler — Genevieve Bujold

A surgical resident at Boston Memorial Hospital who notices a pattern of unexplained comas following routine operations and defies her superiors to investigate. Bujold carries the film almost single-handedly, playing Wheeler as sharp, driven, and increasingly desperate as the conspiracy closes in around her. Michael Crichton fought studio pressure to cast a male lead, insisting that the story demanded a woman protagonist.

"For once, Genevieve Bujold is perfectly cast. The movie is gothic from the word go, and, fortunately, Bujold, as a dominating female protagonist, is spunky and zesty enough to make the whole enterprise work as harmless, escapist entertainment." — Andrew Sarris, Village Voice (1978)

"In Genevieve Bujold, it has an incandescent and intrepid heroine." — Michael Sragow, Film Comment (2015)

Bujold was initially hesitant about the subject matter but was persuaded by Crichton, a personal friend. She appreciated that the role was traditionally the kind given to male actors, and during her first reading of the screenplay envisioned Paul Newman in the part. (afi)

"Bujold is terrific here, spunky and sharp with that great throaty voice of hers and those darkly intelligent, inquisitive eyes." — Ken Anderson, Dreams Are What Le Cinema Is For (2012)

"Bujold delivers a pitch-perfect performance playing a twenty-something surgical resident." — Kimberly Lindbergs, Cinebeats (2020)

"Bujold is an enthusiastic contributor, diving into the role of Susan Wheeler with conviction and giving the film's strong feminist stance plenty of steel." — The Ace Black Blog, The Ace Black Movie Blog (2014)

Dr. Mark Bellows — Michael Douglas

Susan's boyfriend and fellow surgical resident who initially dismisses her conspiracy theories as paranoia before gradually coming to believe her. Douglas plays the role as a reversal of the usual thriller dynamic: the man is the supportive partner allocated to the sidelines while the woman drives the investigation. It was a relatively undemanding part for Douglas, who was between producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and his later leading-man period, but he anchors the domestic scenes and provides a useful barometer for how far Susan has pushed beyond what the hospital establishment will tolerate.

"In a nice reversal of the 'supportive partner' role usually allocated to women in motion picture thrillers, Michael Douglas plays Bujold's allocated-to-the-sidelines boyfriend." — Ken Anderson, Dreams Are What Le Cinema Is For (2012)

"Michael Douglas, despite co-star billing, really isn't in the picture all that much." — Stuart Galbraith IV, DVD Talk (2012)

"A young Michael Douglas bolsters the interest with a good performance of his own." — Vince Leo, Qwipster's Movie Reviews (1997)

Dr. George Harris — Richard Widmark

The Chief of Surgery at Boston Memorial, avuncular and reassuring on the surface, dismissive and sinister underneath. Widmark plays Harris as a man whose warmth is a weapon. He treats Susan's concerns with a fatherly condescension designed to make her doubt herself, and Widmark calibrates every smile to feel like a warning.

"She's constantly called into the office of the chief of medicine — Richard Widmark, a real villain's villain." — Roger Moore, Movie Nation (2023)

"Richard Widmark is exceptional as her domineering boss." — Kimberly Lindbergs, Cinebeats (2020)

The genius of the casting is that Widmark had spent decades playing both heroes and heavies, and Crichton uses that ambiguity to keep the audience uncertain about Harris's true nature for as long as possible.

Dr. George — Rip Torn

The chief of anesthesiology at Boston Memorial, whose department comes under suspicion when Susan begins tracking the coma cases. Torn plays Dr. George as a man whose professional pride makes him bristle at any suggestion of incompetence, his hostility toward Susan reading as either guilt or wounded ego. Crichton stages a memorable confrontation between Torn and Bujold in his office, surrounded by an all-female staff whose smirking deference to their boss underlines the institutional sexism Susan is fighting against.

"Rip Torn does a good job of appearing appropriately threatening." — Kimberly Lindbergs, Cinebeats (2020)

Mrs. Emerson — Elizabeth Ashley

The administrator of the Jefferson Institute, a private facility where comatose patients are supposedly being cared for. Ashley plays Emerson as something between a corporate functionary and an automaton, her glacial composure and robotic affect creating the film's most unsettling single performance. Her introductory scene opposite Bujold jolted audiences into uneasy laughter and remains one of the film's signature moments.

"Ashley carves an indelible impression and is one of my favorite characters in the film." — Ken Anderson, Dreams Are What Le Cinema Is For (2012)

"The creepiest role in this film belongs not to any of the conspiring male cast, but to Elizabeth Ashley's performance as the dehumanized spokesperson." — Fletcher Metz, FilmFanatic.org (2021)

"It's a relatively small role for Elizabeth Ashley, but a most memorable one." — The Ace Black Blog, The Ace Black Movie Blog (2014)

Nancy Greenly — Lois Chiles

Susan's friend and fellow young woman at the hospital, whose routine surgery ends in an unexplained coma that triggers Susan's investigation. Chiles has limited screen time but makes an immediate visual impression, her presence in the early scenes establishing the human stakes before the conspiracy plot takes over.

"Chiles and Selleck make such strong visual impressions that we register their loss even though their characters barely exist." — Michael Sragow, Film Comment (2015)

Sean Murphy — Tom Selleck

A young surgery patient who, like Nancy Greenly, falls into an unexplained coma after a routine procedure. Selleck was cast based on his visibility as the Salem cigarette billboard model, years before Magnum, P.I. made him a household name. His role is brief but his physical presence registers, and the sight of his athletic frame reduced to a suspended body at the Jefferson Institute contributes to the film's horror. (afi)

"Keep an eye out for future stars Tom Selleck and Ed Harris in small but noteworthy roles." — Kimberly Lindbergs, Cinebeats (2020)

Supporting Cast

Actor	Role
Hari Rhodes	Dr. Morelind
Ed Harris	Pathology Resident
Lance LeGault	Vince
Richard Doyle	Jim
Joanna Kerns	Diane
Alan Haufrect	Dr. Marcus
Philip Baker Hall	Doctor (uncredited)