Oh my my, Auntie Em, it’s a twister! The true name is “Twister,” but you get the point. Over two decades have passed since the release of the box office smash “Twister,” which stunned viewers with its groundbreaking special effects and breathtaking action. “Twister,” directed by “Speed” auteur Jan de Bont and with a script co-written by Michael Crichton, was hailed for its sensory feast of astonishing sights despite its lukewarm reception overall.
Tornado Chasers has an ensemble cast of colorful characters led by Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton as tornado trackers Jo and Bill Harding. A group of weather nerds set out to document the devastation wrought by large-class tornadoes in Oklahoma’s rural landscape during the peak of the storm season. In this article we will discuss twister cast then and now.
Twister Cast Then And Now
Helen Hunt As Jo Harding
As Dr. Jo Harding in “Twister,” Helen Hunt made the leap from TV star to major motion picture contender. In Oklahoma, Jo and her team of storm chasers are utilizing a breakthrough instrument that Jo has named “Dorothy” to collect more data on tornadoes. And in the meantime, Jo’s ex-husband Bill Harding (Bill Paxton) shows up at her house with his new fiancée to have her sign divorce papers. twister cast then and now.
Cary Elwes As Jonas Miller
The filmmakers of “Twister” thought that Mother Nature wouldn’t be enough of a foe, so they added Dr. Jonas Miller, a competing storm hunter, and the Hardings’ worst enemy. Jonas, portrayed by Cary Elwes, isn’t in the field of meteorology for the love of science, but rather for the glory and notoriety. Jonas’s stubbornness and pride ultimately lead to his destruction. twister cast then and now.
Jami Gertz As Melissa Reeves
Dr. Melissa Reeves, portrayed by Jami Gertz, is a reproductive therapist engaged to Bill Harding (played by Paxton). When Melissa decides to travel with a bunch of strange people who are interested in extreme weather, she gets more than she bargained for and quickly begins to regret her decision, especially after learning that Bill isn’t ready to give up his wild storm-chasing ways. twister cast then and now.
Lois Smith As Meg Greene
Meg Greene, the adored grandmother figure from “Twister,” is portrayed by Lois Smith. Meg is only biologically connected to Jo, yet she is the group’s de facto matriarch. She feeds them lavishly and sends them on their way, but not before imparting some wisdom on Jo. Upon hearing that Meg’s house had been struck by a tornado of the highest category, the soldiers immediately set out to help her.
Smith’s cinematic career began in the 1950s when he co-starred with James Dean in Elia Kazan’s “East of Eden.” Over the course of the late ’90s and early ’00s, the seasoned actor was featured in a slew of movies like “Larger Than Life,” “The Eternal,” “The Pledge,” “Minority Report,” and “Hollywoodland.” twister cast then and now.
Alan Ruck As Robert Nurick
In “Twister,” Robert “Rabbit” Nurick plays the role of the map man, figuring out the most direct pathways to the tornado’s path. Alan Ruck portrays him on screen. Famous for his part in the John Hughes comedy “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” released in 1986. Cameron Frye, played by Ruck, was Ferris’s best friend and served as a counterpoint to the confident protagonist. Ruck has continued a career as an actor, primarily in supporting roles, in cinema, and in television. After Ruck’s turn in “Twister,” he was cast in the ABC comedy “Spin City” starring Michael J. Fox.
Until the show was canceled in 2002, Ruck played Stuart Bondek, the annoying assistant deputy mayor. As a supporting actor, he has made appearances in films like “Cheaper By the Dozen,” “The Happening,” and “I Love You, Beth Cooper,” as well as on TV shows like “Scrubs,” “Stargate Atlantis,” “Medium,” “Ghost Whisperer,” and “Boston Legal.” twister cast then and now.
Scott Thomson As Jason Rowe
In “Twister,” Scott Thomson portrayed Jason “Preacher” Rowe, a fellow storm chaser and member of Jo’s crew. In the ’80s, Thomson shot to fame playing xenophobic jerk Chad Copeland in the ‘Police Academy movies. Others, however, may recall him from such 80s classics as “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Ghoulies,” “Johnny Dangerously,” or even “RoboCop,” in which he appeared as an uncredited beach thug.
Following the success of “Twister,” Thomson went on to star in other films in the late ’90s and early ’00s, including Jack Frost, Blast From the Past, Loser, and Clockstoppers. He also tried his hand at voice acting for an episode of “The Spaghetti Family,” an Italian cartoon. His cameo appearances on “Big Love,” “Ghost Whisperer,” and “True Blood” occurred in 2009 and 2010. twister cast then and now.
Jeremy Davies As Laurence
Jeremy Davies plays Laurence, a fellow storm chaser in the film “Twister.” Davies, who was previously relatively unknown in Hollywood, has become a considerably more prominent figure for his recent television performances. Davies appeared in a number of indie films during the ’90s and ’00s. Some of these include ‘Spanking the Monkey,’ ‘The Locusts,’ ‘The Million Dollar Motel,’ ‘Ravenous,’ ‘The Secretary,’ and ‘Dogville. Davies also made an appearance in the 1998 war epic “Saving Private Ryan,” directed by Steven Spielberg. twister cast then and now.
Sean Whalen As Allan Sanders
It’s that man, hey! In that film! Yes, Sean Whalen has starred in countless movies and TV shows throughout the years, most notably as Allan Sanders in “Twister.” Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Whalen appeared in nearly 140 different movies, TV series, and advertisements. Some may remember him from the “Got Milk?” commercial when he played an Alexander Hamilton fan anxiously trying to answer a radio trivia question while stuffing peanut butter into his mouth. Whalen seems to take pride in being a known face, despite the fact that the majority of his career has consisted of supporting roles (as observed by his Instagram account and other social media profiles). twister cast then and now.
Todd Field As Tim Lewis
Tim “Beltzer” Lewis (Todd Field) is another member of Jo’s team. In one of the film’s most iconic scenes, the characters in “Twister” race in a caravan of cars to beat a storm while singing along to their favorite chase songs. Beltzer’s favorite song to sing while behind the wheel is “Oklahoma!,” composed by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.
Following his success in “Twister,” Field went on to star in films like Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut” and the 1999 adaptation of “The Haunting.” Nonetheless, Field moved his attention from acting to directing in the early 2000s. In the 2001 drama “In the Bedroom,” which he also directed, Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson played an older couple dealing with the loss of their son. Critical acclaim was universally positive, and the film was nominated for multiple Oscars. twister cast then and now.
Bill Paxton As Bill Harding
Bill Paxton, a veteran of both film and television, as Bill Harding in “Twister.” Bill used to chase storms, but he’s now retired and set to start a new job as a weather anchor, which his ex-wife Jo views as a step-down. Bill is trying to move on from his past, but he finds himself drawn back into the action as Jo and her team struggle to put the experimental “Dorothy” machine to function. The action romantic epic “Titanic,” directed by James Cameron and starring Bill Paxton as historian Brock Lovett, was released in 1997. Over the next decade, he would appear in films of varying genres, such as “Mighty Joe Young,” “Vertical Limit,” “Spy Kids,” “Spy Kids 2,” “Thunderbirds,” and “The Good Life.” twister cast then and now.
Philip Seymour Hoffman As Dustin Davis
Dustin Davis (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the most gregarious and outgoing of the “Twister” crew’s storm chasers, stands out. Dustin is a master at making an impression, whether it is on his modified school bus or through the use of a loudspeaker system blaring Van Halen. Hoffman’s career began in the early 1990s, but he didn’t become widely known as an actor until the release of “Twister.” Hoffman then went on to play Scotty, a boom mic operator, in “Boogie Nights,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson in 1997, after his involvement in the action disaster picture.
The Big Lebowski, Patch Adams, Magnolia, Almost Famous, and Punch Drunk Love are just a few of the other films in which he played a significant role. When Hoffman played Truman Capote in the 2005 historical drama “Capote,” he received rave reviews from critics. The film was inspired by the life and work of novelist Truman Capote, whose nonfiction book “In Cold Blood” detailed the story of a Kansas family brutally murdered. In 2006, for his role, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. twister cast then and now.
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