Although they share no scenes together, the film reunites three actresses from Little Women (1994): Winona Ryder, Samantha Mathis, and Claire Danes.
Supporting roles are played by Claire Danes and Jared Leto, stars of the short lived by Golden Globe winning TV show My So-Called Life (1994).
The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Ellen Burstyn, Anne Bancroft, Jared Leto ; and seven Oscar nominees: Winona Ryder, Alfre Woodard, Rip Torn, Melinda Dillon, Richard Jenkins, Kate Nelligan and Jean Simmons.
Ellen Burstyn later played one of the matriarchs in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), which has a similar plot structure and character theme.