Five Feet Apart - Characters & Cast

Initially, Stella's primary motivation is to stay healthy enough to receive a lung transplant, driven by a sense of responsibility towards her grieving parents. As she falls in love with Will, her motivation shifts to wanting to experience a full life with him, leading her to challenge the rules she once held sacred.

Stella begins the film as a highly organized and rule-abiding individual, using control over her treatment regimen as a way to cope with her illness and the guilt she feels over her sister's death. Her motivation is largely to stay alive for her parents. Meeting Will challenges her rigid worldview and forces her to confront her fear of living. She evolves from someone who is 'living for her treatments' to someone who is 'doing her treatments so she can live'. Her arc is one of self-discovery and learning to embrace life and love, even when it's messy and uncontrollable.

Will's initial motivation is to experience as much of the world as he can before he dies, leading to his disregard for his treatment. His motivation shifts dramatically as he falls for Stella; he becomes motivated by a desire to protect her and see her live a full life, even if it means he can't be a part of it.

Will is introduced as a cynical and rebellious teenager who has given up hope for his future due to his B. cepacia infection, which makes him ineligible for a lung transplant. He initially resists Stella's attempts to help him with his treatments. However, through his relationship with Stella, he rediscovers a reason to live and fight. He transforms from someone who is recklessly courting death to someone who is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the person he loves, demonstrating profound growth in maturity and selflessness. His arc is about finding hope and purpose through connection.

Poe is motivated by a desire to live a normal life as much as possible, finding joy in cooking and his friendships. He is also motivated by a fear of hurting those he loves, which leads him to push people away. He ultimately wants to find love and connection but is afraid of the consequences of his illness.

Poe is Stella's lifelong best friend, also a CF patient. He provides comic relief and emotional support for Stella. His character arc is more subtle but equally poignant. He has a fear of intimacy, pushing away his boyfriend Michael because he doesn't want to be a burden. His sudden death serves as a catalyst for Stella, pushing her to seize the moment and embrace life more fully. Poe's story highlights the devastating and unpredictable nature of cystic fibrosis and the emotional toll it takes on relationships.

Barb's primary motivation is to protect her patients and ensure their safety. She is driven by the guilt and trauma of a past incident, which makes her uncompromising about the hospital's rules. She ultimately wants what is best for Stella, even if it means being the 'bad guy'.

Nurse Barb is a strict but caring nurse who is deeply protective of her patients, especially Stella. Her character is shaped by a past tragedy where two CF patients in her care died after falling in love and breaking the six-foot rule. This experience makes her initially an antagonist to Stella and Will's relationship. However, her actions are always rooted in a fierce love and a desire to prevent history from repeating itself. Her arc is one of a guardian trying to balance compassion with the harsh realities of the medical rules she must enforce.