Names/Ages Alan Tudyk (Wash), 34; Sean Maher (Simon), 30; Jewel Staite (Kaylee), 23; Gina Torres (Zoe), 35; Adam Baldwin (Jayne), 43; Ron Glass (Shephard Book), 59; Morena Baccarin (Inara), 26; Nathan Fillion (Mal), 34; Summer Glau (River Tam), 23.

Mustworthiness Created by geek-pop auteur Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the 2002 Fox TV series Firefly — about a ragtag group of adventurers on the ramshackle spaceship Serenity — crashed and burned after 11 episodes. Still, the sci-fi Western inspired a cult following and, now, a feature film generating must-see buzz. Much of Firefly's appeal is due to its cast: charming, vaguely familiar character actors. ''I did the film because of them,'' says Whedon, who makes his movie-directing debut with Serenity (out Sept. 30). ''I couldn't let go.''

Tudyk (Dodgeball), the pilot: ''He's Self-Deprecating Funny Guy. But none of it is shtick; it's grounded in character.''

Maher (Brian's Song), the doctor: ''A quiet guy whose nonverbals say, 'What am I doing with these idiots?' He brings enormous depth and stillness to what he does.''

Staite (Just Deal), the engineer: ''She's been working since she was 6 and has a 'yeah, whatever' attitude that's very funny.''

Torres (Alias), the first in command: ''She's almost six feet — too big and beautiful to be believed — but has an extraordinary, no-bulls--- wit about her.''

Baldwin (My Bodyguard), the muscle: ''A working-class actor...but what's often missed about him is what an artist he is — he brings something you didn't calculate.''

Glass (Barney Miller), the preacher: ''I wanted Ron to play an older figure — the voice of reason, even if he himself doesn't think so.''

Baccarin (Roger Dodger), the in-flight entertainment (translation: prostitute): ''Morena is statuesquely beautiful, but her strongest suit is comedy. She did some of the funniest stuff on the show.''

Fillion (Two Guys and a Girl), the captain: ''He's Harrison Ford. He can do romantic comedy, thrillers, drama — and does all those in my movie.''

Glau (Angel), the ''mysterious passenger'': ''She brings a haunting quality, while fulfilling my apparent need to have a superpowered adolescent in everything I do.''