Marta Cabrera

Surrounded by a pack of entitled vultures, demure caregiver Marta Cabrera (Cuban-born actress Ana de Armas) quietly monitors the winding investigation deployed as consequence of mystery author Harlan Thrombey’s death (played by veteran thespian Christopher Plummer). Marta treasures her job and was endeared to her elderly employer, but must now tiptoe around with the knowledge she possesses. Since her body is physically incapable of deceit — she vomits whenever attempting to lie — silence is key.

“You with the help?” hears Marta upon arriving at the scene after not being invited to the funeral, an early indicator of how the elite rationalize her presence in such an opulent setting. The Thrombeys speak of Latin American countries as interchangeable, flaunting their disregard for Marta’s actual heritage. Over the course of the ordeal, white characters can’t agree on whether her family is from Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay or Brazil.

Whatever appreciation they claim to have for her at the onset is proven to be only skin-deep once their (unearned) financial stability is in jeopardy. Self-made successes in their own narcissistic minds, the Thrombeys quickly morph into bloodthirsty leeches threatening to disclose Marta’s mother immigration status to coerce her into submission.

Marta maintains her composure for her immediate family’s sake, but also unlike Beatriz, she elicits strength from her unsolicited quarrels with the rich heirs instead of letting dehumanizing insults like “anchor baby” crush her. Beatriz and Marta — both healers intuitively guided by compassion — infiltrate and challenge groups that patronize them, and in both cases they, at the very least, jolted their oppressors into seeing them for the first time as individuals who will not be degraded without a fight.