Starr Carter (played by Amandla Stenberg) is a protagonist in The Hate U Give.
16-year-old protagonist who witnesses the fatal police shooting of her friend Khalil. She navigates dual worlds between her Black neighborhood and predominantly white prep school, eventually finding her voice to advocate against police brutality and gang violence while facing threats and family tensions. Uncle Carlos (played by Common) appears in The Hate U Give.
A police detective and Starr's mother's brother who becomes a father figure during her father's imprisonment. He provides a safe haven for Starr and her family after they face gang retaliation. Brian MacIntosh (played by Drew Starkey) appears in The Hate U Give.
Kenya (played by Dominique Fishback) appears in The Hate U Give.
Maya Yang (played by Megan Lawless) appears in The Hate U Give.
King (played by Anthony Mackie) appears in The Hate U Give.
Feared leader of the King Lords gang who lives with Seven's mother. His gang threatens Starr's family, retaliates against Khalil's memory, and fire-bombs Maverick's store before ultimately being arrested after the community unites against him. Hailey Grant (played by Sabrina Carpenter) appears in The Hate U Give.
Starr's white friend at Williamson Prep whose racist comments regarding the protests lead to a permanent rift in their friendship as Starr begins to defend her community.
The Hate U Give (2018) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Starr Carter
(played by Amandla Stenberg) — protagonist
16-year-old protagonist who witnesses the fatal police shooting of her friend Khalil. She navigates dual worlds between her Black neighborhood and predominantly white prep school, eventually finding h...
Uncle Carlos
(played by Common) — supporting
A police detective and Starr's mother's brother who becomes a father figure during her father's imprisonment. He provides a safe haven for Starr and her family after they face gang retaliation.
Brian MacIntosh
(played by Drew Starkey) — minor
Kenya
(played by Dominique Fishback) — minor
Maya Yang
(played by Megan Lawless) — minor
King
(played by Anthony Mackie) — supporting
Feared leader of the King Lords gang who lives with Seven's mother. His gang threatens Starr's family, retaliates against Khalil's memory, and fire-bombs Maverick's store before ultimately being arres...
Hailey Grant
(played by Sabrina Carpenter) — supporting
Starr's white friend at Williamson Prep whose racist comments regarding the protests lead to a permanent rift in their friendship as Starr begins to defend her community.
Canonical Relationships
Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.
Starr Carter → Uncle Carlos
(Family Maternal Uncle)
The plot identifies Uncle Carlos as Starr's mother's brother. He also served as a father figure to Starr during her father's imprisonment.
Story Dynamics
Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.
Starr Carter → Maya Yang
(Social Friend)
Maya is identified as one of Starr's friends at Williamson Prep, initially unaware that Starr witnessed the shooting.
Starr Carter → King
(Conflict Threatened Opponent)
After Starr identifies the King Lords as a scourge on her neighborhood during a hidden-identity interview, King and his gang retaliate against her fam...
Starr Carter → Brian MacIntosh
(Conflict Witness And Shooter)
Starr is in the car during the traffic stop and witnesses Brian MacIntosh shoot her unarmed friend after mistaking a hairbrush for a gun.
Starr Carter → Hailey Grant
(Social Former Friend)
Hailey is Starr's white friend at Williamson Prep, but their friendship deteriorates as Starr becomes more publicly connected to Garden Heights.
Starr Carter → Kenya
(Social Friend)
The plot identifies Kenya as Starr's friend and places her within the same Garden Heights social network.
Story Analysis
A teenager transforms personal grief into public resistance while confronting police violence, gang intimidation, and racial division.
