An iconic race is brought to life on the big screen thanks to the Ford v Ferrari cast, which consists of top-tier actors and actresses from across the industry. The upcoming sports drama tells the true story of a time where the Ford Motor Company tried to defeat the Ferrari racing team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Directed by James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale. The sports biographical film, which was originally titled Go Like Hell, is all about a race where the Ford Motor Company goes up against Ferrari after failing to buy them out. Trying to beat Ferrari was a challenge for Ford for a long period of time, but Ford v Ferrari focuses on one particular race which occurred in 1966. The outcome of the race is a highly celebrated moment for racing enthusiasts.

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As a movie based on a true story, Ford v Ferrari leans heavily on the lives of real-life figures in the racing business and automobile industry, particularly those who worked for the Ford Motor Company in the late 1960s. Here's what you need to know about the Ford v Ferrari cast, and the real people they play in the movie.

Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby

Matt Damon plays Carroll Shelby, one of the two protagonists in Ford v Ferrari. Shelby is remembered as a key figure in the history of the Ford Motor Company. He was a talented racer-turned-designer known for his work on the AC Cobra and Mustang for the Ford Motor Company. For the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, Carroll Shelby worked with Ken Miles to design a new model of the GT40 to beat Ferarri. Damon is an iconic actor in the film industry, known for his role as Jason Bourne as well as starring in movies like Good Will Hunting, The Martian, and more.

Christian Bale as Ken Miles

Christian Bale - the star of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy as well as films like Terminator Salvation and The Big Short - recently put on a lot of weight to play Dick Cheney in Vice, but lost it to portray Ken Miles alongside Matt Damon's Shelby in Ford v Ferrari. Prior to the events of Ford v Ferrari, British World War II veteran Ken Miles was already a racing legend and a test driver for Carroll's company, Shelby American. Miles was brought in by the Ford Motor Company to help gain a victory over Ferrari that had long been denied to them.

Caitriona Balfe as Mollie Miles

Ken and Mollie Miles staring at each other flirtatiously in Ford V. Ferrari

Outlander star and former model Caitriona Balfe plays Mollie Miles in Ford v Ferrari. Mollie is the wife of Christian Bale's character, Ken Miles. Ken and Mollie have been married since before World War II. The real-life Mollie has been described as an accomplished driver in her own right, and as a person who was deeply supportive of her husband in his career.

Jon Bernthal as Lee Iacocca

Jon Bernthal is best known for his roles as Shane in the first two seasons of The Walking Dead and the lead character in Marvel's Netflix series, The Punisher. In Ford v Ferrari, Bernthal plays Ford Motor Company executive Lee Iacocca, a person who was largely involved in some of Ford's most successful automobiles. In the movie and in the real-life story, Iacocca and Henry Ford II are the ones who task Shelby and Miles with designing  a vehicle that could defeat Ferarri. Originally, Iacocca was interested in purchasing Ferrari but the deal fell through.

Tracy Letts as Henry Ford II

Tracy Letts is an actor who has worked in several critically-acclaimed films, including Lady Bird, The Post, and The Lovers. Letts' character in Ford v Ferrari is Henry Ford II, the CEO of the Ford Motor Company and the grandson of its founder, Henry Ford. Ford was at the head of the company at the time of the Le Mans '66 race. He worked tirelessly to make sure that Ford's new GT40 put an end to Ferrari's long string of wins at Le Mans.

Josh Lucas as Leo Beebe

Josh Lucas, who has appeared in movies such as J. Edgar, Glory Road, American Psycho, and Secondhand Lions, plays the role of a Ford executive named Leo Beebe in Ford v Ferrari. In real-life, Henry Ford II put Beebe in charge of handling Ford's team at Le Mans '66. Beebe is credited with helping to engineer Ford's famous victory over Ferrari, but he has also taken a share of the blame for Miles losing to another GT40 driver. Beebe was mostly interesting in securing a win for the team, rather than for any one pair of drivers.

Remo Girone as Enzo Ferrari

As an actor who has worked primarily in Italian films, Remo Girone isn't well-known to American audiences, though he did appear as the antagonist in the Ben Affleck crime film, Live by Night. In Ford v Ferrari, Girone plays Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the Ferrari. Enzo Ferrari had a famous rivalry with the Ford Motor Company's Henry Ford II. Naturally, Ferrari is Ford's primary opponent in the race, since his racing team had dominated Le Mans for several years.

Supporting Characters

Christian Bales driver a race car in Ford V Ferrari

Noah Jupe as Peter Miles: Peter Miles is the teenage son of Ken Miles. He's previously appeared in Honey Boy and A Quiet Place.

Ray McKinnon as Phil Remington: Phil Remington is an engineer who worked for Carroll Shelby. McKinnon has starred in major films such as The Blind Side, Apollo 13, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?.

JJ Field as Roy Lunn: Engineer Roy Lunn, at the direction of Henry Ford II, was instrumental in the design of the first GT40. He is primarily known for his role as John Andre in TURN.

Benjamin Rigby as Bruce McLaren: McLaren is one of the winning drivers of the '66 Le Mans. He's previously starred in the movies Lion and Alien: Covenant.

Alex Gurney as Dan Gurney: Race car driver Alex Gurney plays his father, Dan Gurney, who was a  professional racer and instructor.

Joe Williamson as Donald F. Frey: Frey is an engineer for the Ford Motor Company who later becomes renowned for helping to develop the Mustang.

Next: Why Ford v Ferrari's Title Is Different In Europe (& Why It's Bad)

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