- Ariana Richards (Lex Murphy)
- Ariana Richards (Lex Murphy)
After Richards took on her most famous role as Lex Murphy in “Jurassic Park,” she appeared in a few television shows — including “Boy Meets World” — and made-for-tv movies throughout the ’90s. Ultimately, she decided to leave Hollywood behind, and went on to earn a B.S. in Drama and Fine Arts from Skidmore College in 2003. She now lives in Oregon and makes a living as an artist. She also recently got hitched. Congrats!
- Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant)
- Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant)
The Irish-born actor appeared in a number of films before 1993, including “The Hunt for Red October,” but he earned commercial and critical recognition for “Jurassic Park.” He played main character Alan Grant, one of the world’s leading paleontologists. After the blockbuster, he appeared in various movies and TV series. In 2012, he landed a role in the Channing Tatum/Rachel McAdams drama “The Vow,” and had a recurring role on J.J. Abrams’s recently cancelled TV show, “Alcatraz.”
- Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler)
- Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler)
Dern gained recognition at a young age for her role in the 1980 film “Foxes,” also starring Jodie Foster. She appeared in several other movies in the ’80s and in 1992, she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in “Rambling Rose.” Then came “Jurassic Park.” After her stint as a dinosaur-lover, she gained acclaim for her roles in movies such as 1999’s “October Sky,” and “I Am Sam,” opposite Sean Penn, in 2001. She won a Golden Globe for her role as a self-destuctive woman who has a spiritual awakening in the HBO comedy/drama,”Enlightened,” in 2012. The show, however, was recently cancelled.
- Jeff Goldblum (Dr. Ian Malcolm)
- Jeff Goldblum (Dr. Ian Malcolm)
Goldblum got his start in the New York theater scene at 17 years old. After a string of movies in the ’80s, including “The Fly” and “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” the actor took on leading roles in some of the biggest blockbusters of the ’90s, including, you guessed it, “Jurassic Park.” He went on to star in a number of other hits such as “Independence Day.” Since then, he has been a recurring presence in both film and TV. He most recently had guest-starring roles on “Glee,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” and “Portlandia.”
- Lord Richard Attenborough (John Hammond)
- Lord Richard Attenborough (John Hammond)
Before playing, arguably, his most famous role in “Jurassic Park,” Attenborough was an accomplished director and producer. He won two Oscars for “Ghandi”(1983) in the Best Director and Best Picture categories. After “Jurassic Park,” Attenborough became very busy with everything but acting. While he did appear as Kris Kringle in the 1994 remake of “Miracle on 34th Street,” he soon shied away from the camera to focus on things such as directing, becoming the head of various organizations including BAFTA, and opening an art exhibit filled with his vast collection of Pablo Picasso pieces. The now 89-year-old retired from the film business after a fall in 2008 left him wheelchair-bound, and according to recent reports the actor is in failing health.
- Joseph Mazzello (Tim Murphy)
- Joseph Mazzello (Tim Murphy)
Mazzello started acting at the age of five, and since his famous role in “Jurassic Park,” he has steadily appeared in TV shows, most notably the HBO mini series “The Pacific,” and movies, including 2010’s “The Social Network,” where he played one of Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard roommates, Dustin Moskovitz. The New York native also earned a degree in cinema and television production from USC. The former child actor can be seen now in “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.”
- Martin Ferrero (Donald Gennaro)
- Martin Ferrero (Donald Gennaro)
Martin Ferreo played buzz-killing lawyer Donald Gennaro in “Jurassic Park,” but you probably know him better as, “the guy who got eaten on the toilet.” Since his infamous role, Ferrero hasn’t been very busy in Hollywood, though he did appear in both “Heat” and “Get Shorty” in 1995. His most recent venture was actually a 2011 College Humor spoof of “Jurassic Park,” in which he reprised his role as the ill-fated Gennaro.
- Bob Peck (Robert Muldoon)
The British actor appeared in more than 20 TV dramas in the U.K. before his role in “Jurassic Park.” Peck was known as a highly adaptable actor to his peers, but he unfortunately passed away in 1999 at the age of 53 after a long battle with cancer.
- Samuel L. Jackson (Ray Arnold)
- Samuel L. Jackson (Ray Arnold)
After his role as Jurassic Park visitor center worker Ray Arnold, Samuel L. Jackson fell into obscurity and no one ever… just kidding! In case you didn’t know, since the film, Jackson has busy becoming the coolest man in Hollywood. He’s an Oscar nominee who has appeared in some of the biggest movies of the past 20 years, including “Pulp Fiction,” the “Star Wars” trilogy, and “The Avengers.” He also has several projects in the works including, “Tarzan,” “Nick Fury,” and DreamWorks’s “Turbo.”
- B.D. Wong (Henry Wu)
- B.D. Wong (Henry Wu)
Wong played Henry Wu, the lead geneticist in charge of creating Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs. Since his days of producing prehistoric monsters, Wong has appeared in a wide variety of TV shows, including “Oz” and “Awake.” His most notable role, however, was that of Dr. George Huang on “Law and Order: SVU.” He played the character from 2002 to 2012.
- Wayne Knight (Dennis Nedry)
- Wayne Knight (Dennis Nedry)
Both prior to, and after his role in “Jurassic Park,” Wayne Knight played Newman, the object of Jerry Seinfeld’s loathing in the sitcom “Seinfeld.” Since the show’s end in 1999, Knight has appeared mostly on TV shows including “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “Hot in Cleveland,” and “The Penguins of Madagascar.” He also had a run on Broadway as Santa in the musical version of the movie “Elf” in 2012.
- Steven Spielberg (Director)
- Steven Spielberg (Director)
The dinosaurs in “Jurassic Park” were not the first creatures Steven Spielberg had a hand in creating. The legendary filmmaker directed the non-human-centric movies, “E.T.,” “Jaws,” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” before getting his hands on the movie’s prehistoric monsters. As you most likely know, Spielberg continued his career as one of Hollywood’s most well-respected and influential directors, writers, and producers after “Jurassic Park” wrapped. He went on to win Best Director Oscars for “Schindler’s List” (1993) and “Saving Private Ryan” (1998). He was nominated in the same category for “Lincoln” at this year’s Academy Awards. He is currently the producer of popular TV shows such as “Smash” and “Falling Skies.” His next projects include producing the movies “Interstellar” and, of course, “Jurassic Park IV.”