| Marlon Brando | Col. Walter E. Kurtz |
| Martin Sheen | Capt. Benjamin L. Willard |
| Robert Duvall | Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore |
| Frederic Forrest | Jay 'Chef' Hicks |
| Sam Bottoms | Lance B. Johnson |
| Albert Hall | Chief Phillips |
| Laurence Fishburne | Tyrone 'Clean' Miller |
| Dennis Hopper | Photojournalist |
| Harrison Ford | Col. Lucas |
| G.D. Spradlin | Gen. Corman |
| Jerry Ziesmer | Civilian/Jerry |
| Scott Glenn | Lt. Richard M. Colby |
| Bo Byers | MP sergeant #1 |
| James Keane | Kilgore's gunner |
| Kerry Rossall | Mike (from San Diego) |
| Ron McQueen | Injured soldier |
| Tom Mason | Supply sergeant |
| Cynthia Wood | Playmate of the Year |
| Colleen Camp | Playmate (Miss May) |
| Linda Carpenter | Playmate |
| Jack Thibeau | Soldier in trench |
| Glenn Walken | Lt. Carlsen |
| George Cantero | Soldier with suitcase |
| Damien Leake | Machine-gunner |
| Herb Rice | Roach |
| William Upton | Spotter |
| Larry Carney | MP sergeant #2 |
| Marc Coppola | AFRS announcer |
| Daniel Kiewit | Major from New Jersey |
| Father Elias | Catholic priest |
| Bill Graham | Agent |
| Hattie James | Mrs. Miller (Clean's mother) |
| Jerry Ross | Johnny from Malibu |
| Dick White | Helicopter pilot |
| Christian Marquand | Hubert de Marais (Redux version only) |
| Aurore Clément | Roxanne Sarrault (Redux version) |
| Michel Pitton | Philippe de Marais (Redux version only) |
| Franck Villard | Gaston de Marais (Redux version only) |
| David Olivier | Christian de Marais (Redux version only) |
| Chrystel Le Pelletier | Claudine (Redux version) |
| Robert Julian | The Tutor (Redux version only) |
| Yvon LeSeaux | Sgt. Le Fevre (Redux version only) |
| Roman Coppola | Francis de Marais (Redux version only) |
| Gian-Carlo Coppola | Gilles de Marais (Redux version only) |
| Henri Sadardeil | French Soldier #1 (Redux version only) |
| Gilbert Renkens | French Soldier #2 (Redux version only) |
| R. Lee Ermey | Eagle Thrust Seven helicopter pilot |
| Evan A. Lottman | Soldier |
| Linn Phillips III | Guitarist in band |
| Vittorio Storaro | TV photographer |
| Francis Ford Coppola | Director of TV crew |
