Some Like It Hot - Characters & Cast

Initially, his motivation is survival—escaping the mob. This quickly shifts to seducing Sugar Kane. He is driven by his libido and a desire to win, using deception as his primary tool to get what he wants.

Joe begins as a cynical, manipulative womanizer and gambler. His primary motivation is self-preservation, which leads him to don the disguise of Josephine. However, his desire for Sugar prompts him to create another, more deceptive persona: the millionaire 'Junior'. Initially, this is just another conquest, but as he gets to know Sugar through both his female and male disguises, he develops genuine feelings and a conscience. His arc is one of transformation; by pretending to be a woman and a better man, he ultimately becomes one, confessing his deception and choosing love over manipulation.

Like Joe, Jerry is first motivated by survival. However, his motivations become more complex as Daphne. He gets caught up in the thrill of being pursued by a wealthy man and the promise of "security," to the point where he momentarily forgets the logistical impossibility of his engagement.

Jerry starts as the more anxious and pragmatic of the two musicians, constantly worrying about their predicament. His transformation into Daphne is initially a source of comic panic. However, unlike Joe, Jerry begins to embrace his feminine side. He enjoys the camaraderie with the other women and gets swept up in the whirlwind romance with Osgood Fielding III. His enthusiastic acceptance of his engagement to Osgood signifies a genuine, if comedic, blurring of his own identity. His arc is one of liberation; he discovers a new, freeing side to himself through the disguise, finding unexpected joy and security as Daphne.

Sugar is motivated by a deep desire for love, stability, and financial security. She wants to escape her past heartbreaks and find a man who will treat her well, which makes her susceptible to Joe's elaborate ruse.

Sugar is presented as a sweet but naive band singer who is tired of being taken advantage of by men, particularly saxophone players. Her goal is to find a kind, bespectacled millionaire in Florida and settle down. She falls for Joe's "Junior" persona, believing she has finally found her ideal man. Her arc is less about transformation and more about finding genuine love amidst deception. Despite being repeatedly fooled, her inherent trust and romanticism are ultimately rewarded when she accepts Joe for who he truly is, choosing the man over the millionaire fantasy.

His motivation is simple and direct: he is infatuated with Daphne and wants to marry her. He is driven by romantic pursuit and seems to genuinely enjoy the chase.

Osgood is an aging, multi-divorcee millionaire who is immediately smitten with Daphne. He is portrayed as a persistent, slightly silly, but ultimately harmless playboy. He remains steadfast in his pursuit of Daphne, unfazed by her constant rejections. His character does not have a significant arc but serves a crucial thematic purpose. His final line, accepting Daphne's revelation of being a man, reveals a surprisingly profound and open-minded perspective on love, making him a figure of ultimate acceptance.