Which actress plays Eleanor Shellstrop?

Kristen Bell plays Eleanor Shellstrop in The Good Place. Eleanor is the show's central character: a morally flawed woman who wakes up in an afterlife neighborhood supposedly reserved for exceptionally good people.

Bell was already known for roles such as Veronica Mars and Anna in Disney's Frozen before joining the NBC comedy. Her performance balances Eleanor's selfishness, sarcasm, insecurity, and gradual desire to become a better person. That character arc drives much of the series' story and philosophical humor.

A common mix-up is confusing Eleanor with the other main residents. Jameela Jamil plays Tahani Al-Jamil, William Jackson Harper plays Chidi Anagonye, Manny Jacinto plays Jason Mendoza, and D'Arcy Carden plays Janet. Eleanor's surname also matters to the plot because another woman with the same name is connected to the mistake that sends her to the Good Place.