Privileges: Cast & Character Guide
A character guide for HBO Max’s “Privileges,” featuring who plays who, details about each character, and the show as a whole.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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World Overview
Privileges is set within and around Paris, with a strong focus on the luxury hotel known as The Citadel, and our lead, Adéle. She is in prison for attempted murder, with less than two years left on her sentence. But, between her fellow inmates and going stir-crazy, she needs something more than waiting out her time.
Enter a second-chance program run by The Citadel, despite its prestige. Through that, Adéle gets a work release that allows her to gain experience, even a job during the day, and be back in prison at night. But, between her team lead and The Citadel’s general manager, it is hard to say if Adéle may not end up with a new group that leads to her getting into familiar trouble.
This character guide is part of our ongoing Privileges coverage, which includes recaps, reviews, and episode breakdowns.
Character(s) Introduced in Season 1/ Episode 1
For full context, see our recap and review of Season 1, Episode 1
Character Summary
With an attempted murder charge on her record, Adele knows life is going to be hard. Add in having cut off most of her former associates who got her put into prison, and she has few stable friends or allies. But, with wanting to make a way and get out of prison as much and as soon as possible, Adele is desperate for options.
Character Details
Character Summary
Deborah is one of Adele’s remaining friends, who often acts as her chauffeur to and from The Citadel.
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Character Summary
Esther leads the support staff at The Citadel and runs a tight ship. This makes Adele do her best to impress her, but Esther sees Adele’s tattoos and knows her background, which leads to preconceived notions.
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Character Summary
Michel is one of The Citadel’s top baggage handlers, but also is a bit of a troublemaker. Luckily for him, however, a personal connection to Eduardo keeps his job relatively safe.
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Edouard is the general manager of The Citadel, who strives for it to be one of the top hotels in the world. Mind you, not just through incomparable service but also ethically ambiguous tactics, if need be.
Character Details
Character(s) Introduced in Season 1/ Episode 2
For full context, see our recap and review of Season 1, Episode 2
Character Summary
Amal is Edouard’s boss and shown to be his lover, but it seems she is far more into the relationship than he is.
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- (SE)
Character Summary
Reem is Amal’s sister, who seems less interested in the hotel business compared to her other ventures.
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- (SE)
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Mark is Reem’s fiancé, who is American and is a worrisome addition to the people Edouard has to cater to.
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- (SE)
Character Summary
Steve is, or perhaps was, head of security for The Citadel until Mark pushed for him to be fired.
Character Details
- Relationship Status (S1E3): We learn he is married
Character Summary
Mika is someone taking care of and taking advantage of Deborah.
Character Details
- (SE)
Character Summary
Yak is part of the concierge team, often tasked with picking up things for guests, and he was also in the same program Adele is in. It’s been about two years, however, since he was, and now he is out, living in an apartment that The Citadel gives certain employees.
Character Details
- (SE)
Character Summary
Issa is an up-and-coming athlete, soon to be on the PSG football team, who is a bit isolated, especially after being taken advantage of by his brother. But he finds himself bonding with Adele.
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- (SE)
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Marina is one of the heads of the concierge desk who has a ambiguous relationship with Adele, that pushes the need to question if she is friendly because she likes Adele, because she sees Adele is gaining influence, and when she is hard on Adele, is it because she wants her to be better and earn staying, wants Adele to pay her dues, or genuinely doesn’t like her but isn’t sure how far she can go?
Character Details
- (SE)
Character(s) Introduced in Season 1/ Episode 3
For full context, see our recap and review of Season 1, Episode 3
Character Summary
Najib is a part-owner of The Citadel, alongside his wife, and his daughters are Amal and Reem.
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Chanel is an authority figure amongst the housekeeping staff and one of the staff’s union representatives. This is despite only being on the job for approximately four years.
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- (SE)
Character Summary
Lana is the leader of one of the gangs in the prison where Adele was held. Taking note of Adele’s privileges, of which the prison guards were mainly benefiting, she coerced her to do her a favor and lit a fire under Adele regarding getting out of prison.
Character Details
- (SE)
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