Cast
- Edward Norton as Derek Vinyard, the main protagonist of the film. He is a former neo-Nazi who in the past was very brutal. As a result of egregious experiences while in prison, his views have significantly changed and he attempts to influence Danny to do the same.
- Edward Furlong as Danny Vinyard, Derek's younger brother. He is a smart yet troubled teenager who has idolized his brother and adopted his racist beliefs. He is forced to write a story about the events leading up to Derek's incarceration after a paper he wrote concerning his choice for a civil rights hero being a supremely racist, was thrown in the trash by Dr. Sweeney.
- Beverly D'Angelo as Doris Vinyard, Derek, Danny, and Davina's mother. She did not share the same views of her husband and sons.
- Jennifer Lien as Davina Vinyard, Derek and Danny's liberal-minded sister.
- Ethan Suplee as Seth Ryan, Derek's former friend and fellow neo-Nazi
- Fairuza Balk as Stacey, Derek's supremacist one-time girlfriend
- Avery Brooks as Dr. Robert Sweeney, Derek's former honors English teacher, Principal at Danny's high school, and Danny's impromptu history teacher after Murray refuses to teach him any further
- Elliott Gould as Murray, Doris Vinyard's Jewish ex-boyfriend and Danny's former history teacher
- Stacy Keach as Cameron Alexander, the older and manipulative leader of the surrounding white supremacy movement
- William Russ as Dennis Vinyard, Derek, Danny and Davina's slain, white racist firefighter father
- Paul Le Mat as McMahon
- Guy Torry as Lamont, an inmate and Derek's co-worker in the prison laundry, he eventually gains Derek's trust
- Joseph Cortese as Rasmussen
- Keram Malicki-Sánchez as Chris
- Giuseppe Andrews as Jason
- Christopher Masterson as Daryl Dawson, a student at Danny's school who is being harassed by black gang members when Danny intervenes
- Tara Blanchard as Ally Vinyard, the youngest Vinyard daughter
Read more about this topic: American History X
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