In 1839, the slave ship Amistad set sail from Cuba to America. During the long trip, Cinque leads the slaves in an unprecedented uprising. They are then held prisoner in Connecticut, and their release becomes the subject of heated debate. Freed slave Theodore Joadson wants Cinque and the others exonerated and recruits property lawyer Roger Baldwin to help his case. Eventually, John Quincy Adams also becomes an ally.
Theodore Joadson
Morgan Freeman
Martin Van Buren
Nigel Hawthorne
John Quincy Adams
Anthony Hopkins
Cinque
Djimon Hounsou
Roger Sherman Baldwin
Matthew McConaughey
Secretary John Forsyth
David Paymer
Holabird
Pete Postlethwaite
Tappan
Stellan Skarsgård
Yamba
Razaaq Adoti
Fala
Abu Bakaar Fofanah
Queen Isabella
Anna Paquin
Calderon
Tomas Milian
Ensign Covey
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Buakei
Derrick N. Ashong
Ruiz
Geno Silva
Montes
John Ortiz
Lieutenant Gedney
Ralph Brown
Lieutenant Meade
Darren E. Burrows
Judge Juttson
Allan Rich
Attorney
Paul Guilfoyle
Captain Fitzgerald
Peter Firth
Hammond
Xander Berkeley
Judge Coglin
Jeremy Northam
John C. Calhoun
Arliss Howard
Folowa - Amistad African
Willie Amakye
Gbatui - Amistad African
Luc Assogba
Masery - Amistad African
Mariah Campbell
Bai - Amistad African
Habib Conteh
Morlai - Amistad African
Stephen Conteh
Fabanna - Amistad African
Monguehy Fanzy
Kwong - Amistad African
Jimmy Fotso
Kahei - Amistad African
Adekunle Ilori
Almamy - Amistad African
Sheriff Kargbo
Kessebe - Amistad African
Saye Lah
Santigiie - Amistad African
Sylvestre Massaquoi
Kpona - Amistad African
Samson Odede
Sorie - Amistad African
Chike Okpala
Jina - Amistad African
Willie Onafesso
Suuleh - Amistad African
Samuel Pieh
Morlu - Amistad African
Lansana Sawi
Tsukama - Amistad African
Abu Sidique
Golabu - Amistad African
El Hadj Malik Sow
Mahmud - Amistad African
Lamine Thiam
Professor Gibbs
Austin Pendleton
Warden Pendleton
Daniel von Bargen
Mrs. Pendleton
Rusty Schwimmer
General Espatero
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
Crier
Frank T. Wells
Prison Guard
Michael Massee
Pickney
Roy Cooper
Mr. Wright
Jake Weber
Captain Ferrar
Victor Rivers
Birmaja
Joseph Kosseh
Cinque's In-Law
Steve Passewe
Cinque's Wife
Sherly Acosta Williams
Young Aide
Matt Sarles
Marshal
George Gerdes
Magistrate
Gerald R. Molen
Missionary
Kevin J. O'Connor
Guardsman
Robert E. Walsh
Courier
Sean McGuirk
Farmer
Tony Owen
Businessman
William Young
British Officer
Michael Riley
Don Pablo
León Singer
Spanish Priest
Castulo Guerra
Tecora Captain
Harry Groener
Creole Cook
Hawthorne James
Woman Overboard with Baby
Ingrid Walters
Associate Justice Joseph Story
Harry A. Blackmun
Bassie - Additional Amistad African
Curtis Shields
Chike - Additional Amistad African
Carlos Spivey
Kessebe - Additional Amistad African
Charles Udoma
Tamba - Additional Amistad African
Andrew L. Josiah
Baa - Additional Amistad African
Tony Onafesso
Kapr - Additional Amistad African
Peter Mansaray
Kenei - Additional Amistad African
Clarence Mobley
Yauai - Additional Amistad African
Brian Macon
Followolo - Additional Amistad African
Edward Appiah
Kpau - Additional Amistad African
Denver Dowridge
Sessi - Additional Amistad African
Paul Mwakutuya
Vakina - Additional Amistad African
Rory Burton
Fawni - Additional Amistad African
Samuel Orekhio
Kula - Additional Amistad African
Omo Lara Tosin
Alkali - Additional Amistad African
Ransford Thomas
Teme - Additional Amistad African
Juliette Darko
Margru - Additional Amistad African
Charlean Isata Bangalie
Njaooni - Additional Amistad African
Roosevelt Flenoury
Kaleiwo - Additional Amistad African
M.S. Kaleiwo
Amistad African Extra
Tesfay Yohannes
Amistad African Extra
George Kamara
Amistad African Extra
Abdul-Fatai Balogun
Amistad African Extra
Yaya Sissoko
Amistad African Extra
Amadou Traore
Amistad African Extra
Marlon Francis
Amistad African Extra
Bundu Kamara
Amistad African Extra
James Moses
Amistad African Extra
Daniel Reid
Amistad African Extra
Seydou Coulibaly
Amistad African Extra
Lawal Tajudeen
Amistad African Extra
Lester Mombelly
Amistad African Extra
Ibrahim Sesay
Amistad African Extra
Jeremy Shelton
Amistad African Extra
Andrew Shoemo
Amistad African Extra
Prince Coke
Amistad African Extra
Ahmed Bangura
Amistad African Extra
Bernard Singleton
Amistad African Extra
Desere Mondon
Amistad African Extra
Baboucar Jobe
Blacksmith (uncredited)
Christopher Annino
Tyler Speech Attendee (uncredited)
Susan Bergeron
First Jury Juror (uncredited)
Eric Bruno Borgman
Spanish Guard (uncredited)
Luis Cabrera
Abolitionist (uncredited)
Craig Calman
Tecora Slave (uncredited)
KimStacy Carter
Prostitute (uncredited)
Lisa Cavanaugh
Slave (uncredited)
Leonard Clifton
Clerk of Supreme Court (uncredited)
Alex Daunis
Court Witness (uncredited)
Nino Del Padre
Judge Coglin (voice) (uncredited)
Johnny Egan
Villager (uncredited)
Chris Fagan
Spaniard (uncredited)
Lawrence Gaughan
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Morgan Hobart
Villager (uncredited)
Nick King
Spanish Slave Guard (uncredited)
Luis Muñoz
Tecora Slave (uncredited)
Ungenita Prevost
Slave / Abolishionist (uncredited)
Glendon Rich
Abolishionist (uncredited)
Kevin M. Simon
Supreme Court Reporter (uncredited)
John H. Tobin
Congressman (uncredited)
Harrison Young
Defense Attorney (uncredited)
Al Conti