Do the companions you travel with matter a lot for the story

Like the title says, I’m wondering if I need to keep certain companions around to get the most out of the story. To give context, I’m still in act one and just got to the underdark, and it’s already feeling like I have to keep Lae’zel and Shadowheart in my party to add more lore and context and special dialogue and shit. Problem is I high key hate them. Like so much. And I mean I’ll do it I’ve suffered through worse for lore sense. I mean I kept Ashely Williams alive in at least one playthrough of mass effect series and she’s unbearable, so I’ll do it. But I personally prefer to keep around Karlach (she’s third in the party anyways) And a combo of either Wyll Astarion or Gale. I haven’t gotten anyone else yet but seeing as I don’t hear too much about them I doubt they matter too much. Thanks in advance.