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Mark Cohen

Originally played by Anthony Rapp

• Adorkable
• Expy: Of Marcello, the painter, from La Boheme.
• Heterosexual Life Partners: With Roger.
• How We Got Here: Inverted by Halloween. "How did we get here, how the hell..."
• The Ishmael: Mark. There really is no central character, though the movie would like to believe it's Roger, it seems.
• Jewish and Nerdy
• Le Film Artistique: Mark's raison d'être.
• Man Hug: Mark and Roger on several occasions, most notably at the end of "What You Own" (only in the movie, they don't actually see each other in the show).
• Stepford Smiler: While he's always attempting to be Roger's happy, supportive best friend, the song "Halloween" marks him (pun intended) as someone contemplative, mournful, and terrified of the reality of his situation. And when I capture it on film, will it mean that it's the end and I'm alone?
• Unreliable Narrator

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Roger Davis

Originally played by Adam Pascal

• Big No: In "Finale A".
• Character Development: He eventually defrosts, thanks to his friends and Mimi.
• Defrosting Ice King
• Don't You Dare Pity Me!
• Driven to Suicide: April, Roger's girlfriend before the start of the show. All she left Roger was a note informs him only that they tested positive in their HIV antibody test, before slitting her wrists.
• Expy: Of Rodolfo, the poet, from La Boheme.

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Mimi Márquez

Originally played by Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rosario Dawson in The Movie)

• Ambiguously Brown: Mimi is said to be Latina, but since her first actress was half-black, more than one fully-black (and dark-skinned) actress has played her as well.
• Dawson Casting: Mimi "You look like you're sixteen." "I'm nineteen, but I'm old for my age!" Marquez (though, since many of the other characters are only mid-twenties, the potential exists for them as well).
• Died in Your Arms Tonight: Only in the Dutch production.
• Disney Death: Mimi, who is saved through The Power of Rock... alongside a heavy dose of Fridge Logic/slight Mind Screw.
• Expy: Of, well, Mimi, the seamstress, from La Boheme.
• Fan Service: The only reason why in the film, "Out Tonight" is performed while Mimi is at work instead of at her apartment like in the play.
• Hooker with a Heart of Gold: She's an exotic dancer rather than a hooker, but follows this trope all the same.
• Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Mimi to Roger.
• Spared by the Adaptation
• Too Kinky to Torture: It's a living ...

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Tom Collins

Originally played by Jesse L. Martin

• Expy: Of Colline, the philosopher, from La Boheme.
• Last-Name Basis
• Only Sane Man: After Angel's death, he gets very serious very quickly.
• Sidekick Song: "Santa Fe".
• The Stoner
• Stoners Are Funny
• Straight Gay

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Angel Dumott-Schunard

Originally played by Wilson Jermaine Heredia

• Ambiguous Gender: Literally speaking, as opposed to "ambiguous sex." Usually referred to with female pronouns, but doesn't seem to mind masculine ones.
• Bury Your Gays
• Expy: Of Schaunard, the musician, from La Boheme.
• Drag Queen
• The Heart
• Magical Queer
• Meaningful Funeral
• Refuge in Audacity: The reason we can forgive Angel for killing Evita.
• Sidekick Song: "Today 4 U".
• Wholesome Crossdresser
  • Transsexual: Arguably. At least she's gender queer.

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Maureen Johnson

Originally played by Idina Menzel

• Anything That Moves
• Expy: Of Musetta, the singer, from La Boheme.
• Ladykiller in Love
• Manic Pixie Dream Girl: To Joanne. Was probably this for Mark, as well.
• The Masochism Tango: The tango...Maureen.
• Sidekick Song: "Over the Moon"
• So Beautiful It's a Curse: As she states in "Take Me Or Leave Me" to justify how she acts.

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Joanne Jefferson

Originally played by Fredi Walker (Traci Thoms in The Movie)

• Closer to Earth: Compared to the rest of her circle of friends, she is the only one with a high-paying, steady, professional career, and is basically the only thing keeping Maureen and Mark from imploding.
• Expy: To a lesser extent than the other characters, but she does vaguely parallel Alcindoro from La Boheme.
• Green-Eyed Monster: Though mostly because being with Maureen forces her to be extra paranoid whenever it looks like she may be flirting with someone.
• The Masochism Tango
• Twofer Token Minority: Black and a lesbian.

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Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III

Originally played by Taye Diggs

• Corrupt Corporate Executive: At least, the rest of the gang sees him as this.
• Expy: Of Benoit, the landlord, from La Boheme.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Foots the bill for Angel's funeral.

Mrs Cohen

• Jewish Mother: Oh, boy ...
• My Beloved Smother

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The Man

• Creepy Monotone
• Meaningful Name
• No Name Given

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