 | Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong als Dalai Lama (Adult) |
| Tencho Gyalpo als Mother |
| Tsewang Migyur Khangsar als Father |
| Gyurme Tethong als Dalai Lama (Age 12) |
 | Robert Lin als Chairman Mao |
| Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin als Dalai Lama (Age 5) |
| Tenzin Yeshi Paichang als Dalai Lama (Aged 2) |
| Tenzin Topjar als Lobsang (5-10) |
| Tenzin Lodoe als Takster |
| Geshi Yeshi Gyatso als Lama of Sera |
| Losang Gyatso als The messenger |
| Sonam Phuntsok als Reting Rinpoche |
| Gyatso Lukhang als Lord Chamberlain |
| Lobsang Samten als Master of the Kitchen |
| Jigme Tsarong als Taktra Rimpoche |
| Tenzin Trinley als Ling Rimpoche |
| Namgay Dorjee als Kashag/Nobleman #1 |
| Phintso Thonden als Kashag/Nobleman #2 |
| Chewang Tsering Ngokhang als Layman #1 |
| Jamyang Tenzin als Norbu Thundrup |
| Tashi Dhondup als Lobsang (Adult) |
| Jampa Lungtok als Nechung Oracle |
| Karma Wangchuk als Deformed Face Bodyguard |
 | Kim Chan als Second Chinese General |
 | Henry Yuk als General Tan |
| Ngawang Kaldan als Prime Minister Lobsang Tashi |
| Jurme Wangda als Prime Minister Lukhangwa |
| Salden Kunga als Tibetan Doctor |
| John Wong als Chinese Comrade |
| Gawa Youngdung als Old Woman |
| Tenzin Rampa als Tenzin Chonegyl (Age 12) |
| Vyas Ananthakrishnan als Indian Soldier |
| Stanley Ipkiss |
 | Ken Leung als (voice) |
 | Yoon C. Joyce als Chinese soldier (uncredited) |
| R. Gern Trowbridge als Monk (uncredited) |
 | Ben Wang als General Chang Ching-Wu (uncredited) |
| Martin Scorsese | Director |
| Melissa Mathison | Screenplay |
| Barbara De Fina | Producer |
| Thelma Schoonmaker | Editor |
| Dante Ferretti | Production Design |
| Francesca Lo Schiavo | Set Decoration |
| Ellen Lewis | Casting |
| Roger Deakins | Director of Photography |
| Philip Glass | Original Music Composer |
| Laura Fattori | Executive Producer |
| Melissa Mathison | Co-Producer |
| James Ellis | Script Supervisor |
| Pete Cavaciuti | Steadicam Operator |
| Clive Winter | Sound mixer |
| Tom Fleischman | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Philip Stockton | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Nicholas Renbeck | Dialogue Editor |
| Suzana Peric | Music Editor |
| Dante Ferretti | Costume Design |
| Ahmed Abounouom | Casting |
| Franco Ceraolo | Art Direction |
| Massimo Razzi | Art Direction |
| Alan Tomkins | Supervising Art Director |
| Hayat Ouled Dahhou | Hairstylist |
| Siham Ouled Dahhou | Hairstylist |
| Elisabetta De Leonardis | Hairstylist |
| Mirella Ginnoto | Key Hair Stylist |
| Giorgio Gregorini | Hairstylist |
| Fabrizio Sforza | Key Makeup Artist |
| Bernard Bellew | Second Assistant Director |
| Norman Berns | Second Assistant Director |
| E. J. Foerster | Second Unit Director |
| Abraham Fraser | Second Assistant Director |
| Rachid Gaidi | Assistant Director |
| Scott Harris | First Assistant Director |
| Ahmed Hatimi | First Assistant Director |
| Alberto Mangiante | Second Assistant Director |
| Phil Marco | Second Unit Director |
| Barbara Pastrovich | Second Second Assistant Director |
| Philip C. Pfeiffer | Second Unit Director |
| Jacki Phipps | First Assistant Director |
| Steven J. Rogers | Sound Mixer |
| Giovanni Antonini | Special Effects |
| Conor Coughlan | Special Effects Technician |
| Massimo Cristofanelli | Special Effects |
| Kevin Hannigan | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Stefano Maria Mioni | Stunts |
| Adil Abdelwahab | Casting |
| Tom Foligno | First Assistant Editor |
| Sara Thorson | Assistant Editor |
