| Tom Cruise | .... | Ray Ferrier |
| Dakota Fanning | .... | Rachel Ferrier |
| Miranda Otto | .... | Mary Ann |
| Justin Chatwin | .... | Robbie |
| Tim Robbins | .... | Harlan Ogilvy |
| Rick Gonzalez | .... | Vincent |
| Yul Vázquez | .... | Julio |
| Lenny Venito | .... | Manny the Mechanic |
| Lisa Ann Walter | .... | Bartender |
| Ann Robinson | .... | Grandmother |
| Gene Barry | .... | Grandfather |
| David Alan Basche | .... | Tim |
| Roz Abrams | .... | Herself |
| Michael Brownlee | .... | TV Reporter, Osaka |
| Camillia Sanes | .... | News Producer |
| Marlon Young | .... | News Cameraman |
| John Eddins | .... | News Van Driver |
| Peter Gerety | .... | Hatch Boss / Load Manager |
| David Harbour | .... | Dock Worker |
| Miguel Antonio Ferrer | .... | Brazilian Neighbor |
| January LaVoy | .... | Brazilian Neighbor's Wife |
| Stephen Gevedon | .... | Neighbor with Lawnmower |
| Julie White | .... | Woman |
| Marianni Ebert | .... | Hysterical Woman |
| Rafael Sardina | .... | Mechanic's Assistant |
| Amy Ryan | .... | Neighbor with Toddler |
| Ed Vassallo | .... | Intersection Guy |
| Michael Arthur | .... | Intersection Guy |
| Danny Hoch | .... | Intersection Guy Cop |
| Sharrieff Pugh | .... | Man Studying Street |
| Erika LaVonn | .... | Photographer |
| Christopher Evan Welch | .... | Photographer |
| John Michael Bolger | .... | Man Holding Woman |
| Omar Jermaine | .... | Man Holding Woman |
| Robert Cicchini | .... | Guy in Suit |
| Jim Hanna | .... | Bus Driver |
| Tracy Howe | .... | Crowd Onlooker |
| Adam Lazarre-White | .... | Crowd Onlooker |
| Vito D'Ambrosio | .... | Crowd Onlooker |
| Laura Zoe Quist | .... | Crowd Onlooker |
| Ana Maria Quintana | .... | Crowd Onlooker |
| Lorelei Llee | .... | Crowd Onlooker |
| Mark Manley | .... | Ferry Worker |
| John Scurti | .... | Ferry Captain |
| Becky Ann Baker | .... | Disaster Relief Volunteer |
| Mariann Mayberry | .... | Mother |
| Ty Simpkins | .... | 3 Year Old Boy |
| Jerry Walsh | .... | Smart Guy |
| Tommy Guiffre | .... | National Guardsman |
| Daniel Franzese | .... | National Guardsman |
| Ed Schiff | .... | Older Man |
| Ellen Barry | .... | Woman from Upstate |
| Amy Hohn | .... | Panicky Woman |
| Daniel Ziskie | .... | Informative Guy |
| David Conley | .... | Ill-Informed Guy |
| Daniel Eric Gold | .... | Conspiracy Buff |
| Booker T. Washington | .... | Conspiracy Debunker |
| Maggie Lacey | .... | Upset Mother |
| Eric Zuckerman | .... | Doomsday Guy |
| Daniel A. Jacobs | .... | Younger Man |
| Asha R. Nanavati | .... | Woman in Crowd |
| Joaquin Perez-Campbell | .... | Young Soldier in Tank |
| Dendrie Taylor | .... | Well Meaning Mother |
| James Dumont | .... | Well-Meaning Father |
| Travis Aaron Wade | .... | War of the Worlds Soldier |
| Benny Ciaramello | .... | War of the Worlds Soldier |
| Ricky Luna | .... | War of the Worlds Soldier |
| Columbus Short | .... | War of the Worlds Soldier |
| Kent Faulcon | .... | War of the Worlds Soldier |
| Kevin Collins | .... | Marine Major |
| Terry Thomas | .... | Marine Major |
| Clay Bringhurst | .... | Airforce Pilot |
| Jorge-Luis Pallo | .... | Army Private |
| Suanne Spoke | .... | Businesswoman |
| Kirsten Nelson | .... | Businesswoman |
| Melody Garrett | .... | Older Woman |
| Lauri Johnson | .... | Older Woman |
| Takayo Fischer | .... | Older Woman |
| Shanna Collins | .... | Teenager |
| Elizabeth Jayne Hong | .... | Teenager |
| Art Chudabala | .... | Man in Basket |
| Jeffrey Hutchinson | .... | Man in Basket |
| Dempsey Pappion | .... | Man in Basket |
| Chris Todd | .... | Man in Basket |
| Johnny Kastl | .... | Boston Soldier |
| Juan Carlos Hernández | .... | Boston Soldier |
| Bruce W. Derdoski Jr. | .... | Boston Soldier |
| John N. Morales | .... | Boston Soldier |
| Morgan Freeman | .... | Narration (Stimme) |
| Tom Kenny | .... | SpongeBob SquarePants (archive footage) (Stimme) |
| Lisa Sample | .... | Boston Survivor |
| Amir Allak | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Chad O. Allen | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Michalina Almindo | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Alan Kemper Armani | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Cass Asher | .... | Soldier (uncredited) |
| Claudia Barroso | .... | Portuguese Woman (uncredited) |
| Bobby Bates | .... | Man on Street (uncredited) |
| Gerald Blakey | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| David Blanc | .... | Chef (uncredited) |
| James Boss | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Felix J. Boyle | .... | Fleeing Businessman (uncredited) |
| Paul Bunnell | .... | Boston Survivor (uncredited) |
| David Campbell | .... | Boston Survivor (uncredited) |
| Josef Cannon | .... | Mike Sims (uncredited) |
| Nobel Chen | .... | Cyclist (uncredited) |
| Stella Croxon | .... | Survivor - Mother with Boy (uncredited) |
| Robert DaGasta | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Ambi Daniel | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Crystal Dawne | .... | Starving girl in diner (uncredited) |
| Joseph DeBona | .... | Newark Deliveryman (uncredited) |
| Geoffrey DeMarsh | .... | Athens Ferry Passenger (uncredited) |
| Zachary DeMarsh | .... | Athens Ferry Passenger (uncredited) |
| Matt DeWinkeleer | .... | Refugee with Cart (uncredited) |
| Sherman T. Edwards Jr. | .... | Lexington Survivor (uncredited) |
| Tom Faulkner | .... | Soldier (uncredited) |
| Robert Feeley | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Pamela Fischer | .... | Neighbor (uncredited) |
| George Fisher | .... | Man Fighting Ray - at Car (uncredited) |
| Charles 'Chaz' Galuski | .... | Ferry Boat Refugee (uncredited) |
| Alan Gary | .... | Portuguese Soccer Player (uncredited) |
| David Gere | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Chuck Gerena | .... | NJ neighbor - Running (uncredited) |
| Christopher Gilbertson | .... | Additional Voices (uncredited, Stimme) |
| Jennifer Glasgow | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Phillip Gramm | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Dave Harrington | .... | Paramedic (uncredited) |
| Takako Haywood | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Christy Lee Hughes | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Dalon Huntington | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Angie Jaree | .... | Singer (uncredited) |
| Anthony Jennings | .... | Amputee (uncredited) |
| Freddie Johnson | .... | Boston Survivor (uncredited) |
| Ingrid Johnson | .... | Ray's Neighbor (uncredited) |
| Janis Jones | .... | Boston survivor (uncredited) |
| Vladislav Kozlov | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Laura Lyman | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Ed Mantell | .... | Soldier, background extra (uncredited) |
| Sean Marrinan | .... | Ferry goer (uncredited) |
| Riley G. Matthews Jr. | .... | Newark Cop (uncredited) |
| Robin McGee | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Tanda Kerín | .... | Woman in Crowd (uncredited) |
| Emily Nilsen | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Scott Norris | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Robert O'Connor | .... | Homeless Patron (uncredited) |
| Fred Ortiz | .... | Army Soldier (uncredited) |
| Fred Ortiz | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| A. J. Presley | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Angel Princess | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Vincent Rao | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Bill Richards | .... | RB Leaper (uncredited) |
| Rachelle Roderick | .... | Alien Escapee (uncredited) |
| Cory Rodriguez | .... | Army Soldier (uncredited) |
| Nicole Signore | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Athena Stamos | .... | Refugee (uncredited) |
| Joseph Benjamin Stewart | .... | Small town person (uncredited) |
| P. E. Tasciotti | .... | Army soldier (uncredited) |
| Channing Tatum | .... | Boy in church scene (uncredited) |
| Patrick Tierney | .... | Extra (uncredited) |
| Johnny Torres | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Mark Valinsky | .... | Townsman (uncredited) |
| Michael Waldron | .... | Newark Cop (uncredited) |
| Michael Kevin Walker | .... | Survivor (uncredited) |
| Terry Ward | .... | Army Corporal (uncredited) |
| Stacy Ann Wilkins | .... | Young mother (uncredited) |