A Look at Who 'On The Roads' Characters are Based on

'On the Road' is based on Jack Kerouac's real-life, an autobiography nearly. So let's take a look at the people the characters were inspired by:


Jack Kerouac is Sal Paradise in the book, and will be played by Sam Riley in the film. About Kerouac:

Jean-Louis "Jack" Kerouac was born March 12, 1922. He was an American novelist and poet. He spoke the French-Canadian dialect until learning English at age 6. Later, when his football career at Columbia soured, Kerouac dropped out of the university. He continued to live for a period on New York City's Upper West Side with his girlfriend, Edie Parker. For the next six years, Kerouac wrote constantly, until he completed what is now known as On the Road in April 1951 while living in Manhattan with his second wife, Joan Haverty. He died October 21, 1969 aged 47.

Neal Cassady is characterized as Dean Moriarty and will be played by Garrett Hedlund.


A bit about Neal Cassady:

Born February 8, 1926, Neal was a writer during the 1950s. His most well known work being 'The First Third'. As a teenager and young adult, Neal got himself into plenty of trouble. Caught for shop lifting and even car theft! After he came out of jail in 1945, he met and married the sixteen-year-old LuAnne Henderson. They later divorced. He had 3 children with his second wife. And died on February 4, 1968 aged 41.

LuAnne Henderson, Marylou in 'On The Road' and to be portrayed by Kristen Stewart.
Married Neal Cassady in 1945 aged 16. LuAnne and Neal moved to New York City in 1947 where they met Jack Kerouac. Neal and LuAnne's marriage was annulled in 1947, to permit Neal to marry Carolyn who was pregnant with his child. Despite Neal being remarried, she continued to have a relationship with him.



See the rest of the characters here:

Real-life person- Character name

Jack Kerouac- Sal Paradise
Gabrielle Kerouac- Sal's Aunt
Alan Ansen- Rollo Greb
William S. Burroughs- Old Bull Lee
Joan Vollmer- Jane
Lucien Carr- Damion
Neal Cassady- Dean Moriarty
Carolyn Cassady- Camille
Hal Chase- Chad King
Henri Cru -Remi Boncoeur
Bea Franko- Terry
Allen Ginsberg- Carlo Marx
Diana Hansen -Inez
Alan Harrington- Hal Hingham
Joan Haverty -Laura
Luanne Henderson- Mary Lou
Al Hinkle- Ed Dunkel
Helen Hinkle- Galatea Dunkel
Jim Holmes- Tom Snark
John Clellon Holmes- Tom Saybrook
Herbert Huncke -Elmer Hassel
Frank Jeffries- Stan Shephard
Gene Pippin- Gene Dexter
Ed Stringham- Tom Saybrook
Allan Temko- Roland Major
Bill Tomson- Roy Johnson
Helen Tomson- Dorothy Johnson
Ed Uhl -Ed Wall