Keke Palmer as Akeelah Anderson

Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Larabee

Angela Bassett as Tanya Anderson

Curtis Armstrong as Mr. Welch

J.R. Villarreal as Javier

Sean Michael Afable as Dylan Chiu

Sahara Garey as Georgia

Lee Thompson Young as Devon

Julito McCullum as Terrence

Erica Hubbard as Kiana

Eddie Steeples as Derrick-T

Dalia Phillips as Ms. Cross

Tzi Ma as Mr. Chiu

Jeris Poindexter as Steve

Sara Niemietz as Polly

George Hornedo as Roman

Craig Wasson as Ted Saunders

Jeff Marlow as District Judge

Lee Garlington as Regional Judge

Katie Kerwin McCrimmon as Herself

Sidney Ganis as Regional Pronouncer

Austin Herrera Davis as Cheating Boy

Janet Borrus as Cheating Boy's Mom

Wolfgang Bodison as Akeelah's Father

Bonita Friedericy as Volunteer

Lauren Sánchez as Reporter

Fay Hauser as Woman on TV

Jack Ong as Korean Grocer

Neil Soni as Rajeev Subramonian

Tinashe as Cissi