Director StevenSoderbergh’s experimental horror filmPresencefollows a dysfunctional family when they move into a house haunted by a supernatural entity through the latter’s point of view.Presenceis the first horror movie that Soderbergh has directed since making the 2018 filmUnsane. It is also one of the few ghost stories Soderbergh has made throughout his career as a filmmaker.
Actor Lucy Liu brings plenty of star power toPresenceas the film’s lead, helping make Steven Soderbergh’sPresenceone of themost highly-anticipated original films of 2025. However,Presenceprimarily stands out as a unique horror movie by an acclaimed director with a cast of notable celebrities and up-and-coming actors. Though it centers around an unfortunate haunted family,the acclaimed moviePresencefeatures several capable actors whose characters help bring Soderbergh’s terrifying new world to life.
Lucy Liu As Rebecca Payne
Date Of Birth: July 18, 2025
Actor:Born in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens, New York, Lucy Liu gained her first big acting role in an episode ofBeverly Hills, 90210.After breaking out with her role as Ling Woo inAlly McBeal, she found greater success starring in films likeCharlie’s Angels,Kill Bill: Volume 1,Shanghai Noon, andChicago. She is also known for playing Joan Watson inElementaryand voicing Master Viper in theKung Fu Pandafilm franchise. Not long beforePresence, Liu even had roles inSet It Up,Strange World,Shazam! Fury of the Gods,andRed One.
Where To Watch Presence: Showtimes & Streaming Status
Steven Soderbergh’s Presence is one of the most unique horror movies of the year, and here where you can watch it in theaters and on digital.
Character: Liu stars inPresenceas Rebecca Payne, the mother of the family who moves into the film’s haunted house. In an interview withMoviefone, Liu explained how Rebecca has a strong affection for her son. However, she also discussed how Rebecca is emotionally distant from her daughter Chloe and her husband Chris, creating a story of family dysfunction withinPresence’s haunted house story.
Julia Fox As Cece
Date Of Birth: August 10, 2025
Actor:Born in Milan and raised in Saronna and Manhattan, Julia Fox worked as a clothing designer and a model before she became an actor.She broke out as an actor by starring in The Safdie Brothers' filmUncut Gemsopposite Adam Sandler, receiving a Breakthrough Actor award nomination at the 2019 Gotham Awards. Since then, Fox has had roles in films and shows such asPVT Chat,No Sudden Move, andPuppet.
Character:InPresence,Fox portrays the realtor named Cece. Fox is one of the most notable actors in the film, but she has a relatively smaller role than most of her co-stars. While Cece helped set the movie’s events in motion by selling the haunted house to Rebecca and her family, the story focuses primarily on the latter.
Acting for a Cause
Chris Sullivan As Chris Payne
Date Of Birth: June 02, 2025
Actor:Born and raised in California,Chris Sullivan rose to prominence portraying Tom Clearly inThe Knick. He gained greater recognition playing characters like Benny Hammond in the pilot ofStranger Things andthe villain Taserface inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. He has also had roles in shows likeElementary,Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, andThe Americans. However, Sullivan is best known for his Primetime Emmy-nominated performance as Toby Damon inThis Is Us.
Character:Presenceshows Sullivan portraying Chris Payne, Rebecca’s husband and the father of their children. Like Rebecca, Chris struggles to keep his family together in the face of the paranormal force tormenting them in their new home.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Behemoth
Presence Supporting Cast & Characters
Callina Liang as Chloe Payne:Born in Vancouver and raised in Beijing, Callina Liang started out acting with her role as Mei inTell Me Everything. She has since had roles as a young Rue Corintha inFoundationand Lynn Kang inBad Genius. Liang portrays Chloe, Rebecca and Chloe’s teenage daughter, inPresence.
Eddy Maday as Tyler Payne:Eddy Maday made his acting debut inPresence. In the film, Maday plays Tyler, Rebecca and Chris’s teenage son.
Lucas Papaelias as Carl:Lucas Papelias made his acting debut in an episode ofLaw & Order. He later appeared inNYPD Blue,School of Rock,It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,Blue Bloods,Wu-Tang: An America Saga, andPower Book III: Raising Kanan. His most prominent acting role was inThe Knickas Eldon Pouncey. Papaelias stars inPresenceas Carl.
West Mulholland as Ryan:West Mullholland had his first television role in an episode ofFresh Off the Boat. Afterward, he had roles inLegion,Animal Kingdom,Sydney to the Max,A Great Divide, andDark Harvest. Mulholland plays Ryan, Tyler’s new friend, inPresence.
Natalie Woolams-Torres as Lisa:Though she started acting as early as 2010, Natalie Woolams-Torres has been a steady actor since 2017, having had roles inDifficult People,First Reformed,High Maintenance,Room 104,Chicago Med,NewAmsterdam,Dead Ringers, andSuccession. She plays Cece’s sister-in-law, Lisa, inPresence.
Presence
Cast
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Presence is a dramatic horror movie following a family that moves into a new suburban house only to grow increasingly certain they are not alone.
