This month will have audiences soon watching Asteroid City, the next film of the famed stylistic director Wes Anderson. Not long after his previous project The French Dispatch in 2021, Anderson wrangled another incredible ensemble cast for his new sci-fi comedy drama. Marking the eleventh feature film in his filmography, Anderson has built his iconic style and repertoire over the years on symmetry, vivid color palettes, and dysfunctional and quirky character dynamics. Asteroid City joins this collection as a story set in 1955 in a fictional desert town that is hosting a science convention for five teenage prodigies. The kids along with their parents come to the town to celebrate their exceptional achievements only to experience a transformative event that has everyone questioning where life goes on from here.
Before we reach the destination of Asteroid City, it's worth checking out the stacked cast below filled with plenty of Anderson's previous collaborators and the first-time inclusion of other big star names.
Jason Schwartzman as Augie Steenbeck
Augie Steenbeck is a war photographer and the father of Woodrow and his three daughters. He travels to Asteroid City for his son who is receiving an award at the Junior Stargazer convention. Augie begins the movie with a big secret that he needs help processing. During his stay, he befriends the famous actress Midge Campbell.
Jason Schwartzman is a long-time collaborator with Anderson after previously starring in seven of his ten past films beginning with his feature film debut in Rushmore. Schwartzman has starred in other big studio films like Marie Antoinette, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Saving Mr. Banks. He also voices The Spot in the recently released sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. He will next star in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and will reprise his role as Gideon Graves in the upcoming Scott Pilgrim anime series.
Scarlett Johansson as Midge Campbell
Midge Campbell is a famous actress and the mother of Dinah (Grace Edwards), a Junior Stargazer awardee, for whom she travels to Asteroid City. Midge is incredibly dedicated to her craft to the point that she unfortunately has had two failed marriages. She develops a connection with Augie while they remain in the town.
Scarlett Johansson is a household name whose acting career has spanned decades since being a child. From Home Alone 3 to Ghost World, she gained momentum as a movie star following Lost in Translation. Johansson is best known for portraying Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in the MCU. She even received two Oscar nominations for her roles in Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit. She previously voiced in Anderson's Isle of Dogs which makes Asteroid City her second collaboration with the director. Johansson's next projects include two films, My Mother's Wedding and Project Artemis.
Tom Hanks as Stanley Zak
Stanley Zak is the father-in-law of Augie and the grandfather of Woodrow and his sisters. He owns a very fancy estate and ends up coming to help Augie and the kids who are stranded due to their car problems. Stanley has an iffy relationship with Augie, but the two learn to get along while they reside in the town.
Tom Hanks is a two-time Oscar-winning actor for his performances in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. He's proven to be an incredibly versatile actor since leading rom-coms like Sleepless in Seattle, and You've Got Mail along with taking on dramatic roles like Cast Away and Apollo 13. Hanks is also well known for voicing Woody in the Toy Story franchise. His most recent projects are the films A Man Called Otto and Elvis. Hanks will next star in Robert Zemeckis' film Here.
Jake Ryan as Woodrow Steenbeck
Woodrow Steenbeck is the son of Augie and the grandson of Stanley. He's an intelligent kid whose invention earns him an award at the Junior Stargazer convention. Woodrow is a shy boy until he meets the other genius kids like him who are attending the same program. He also takes notice of a crucial detail in the observatory that leads to a big event in the town.
Jake Ryan started out as a child actor who starred in Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom and Isle of Dogs. He even appeared in other films like Inside Llewyn Davis, Age of Summer, and Eighth Grade. Recently, he has taken on high school student roles like in the short-lived TV series Chad.
Jeffrey Wright as General Grif Gibson
General Grif Gibson is the host of the Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention who welcomes the talented kids and their parents to Asteroid City. With his high ranking, he also watches over the town's security after a big event occurs.
JeffreyWright has built an impressive career of supporting roles in big franchises like the Daniel CraigJames Bond films and The Hunger Games series. He is best known for playing Bernard Lowe in Westworld and Lt. James Gordon in The Batman. His deep voice earned him voice acting roles as The Watcher in What If...? and other projects like The Good Dinosaur and BoJack Horseman. Wright previously starred in Anderson's The French Dispatch, making Asteroid City their second collaboration.
Tilda Swinton as Dr. Hickenlooper
Dr. Hickenlooper is a scientist who runs the observatory in Asteroid City. She's also an enthusiast and supporter of the intelligent Junior Stargazer and Space Cadet kids.
Tilda Swinton is another big-name actress who has worked with Anderson on four of his previous films. Her early career included well-known roles in The Chronicles of Narnia franchise, Constantine, and Michael Clayton, for which she won an Oscar. She went on to star in other notable films like We Need to Talk about Kevin, Only Lovers Left Alive, and Snowpiercer. Swinton also played The Ancient One in the MCU. Her upcoming projects include Problemista and David Fincher's next film The Killer.
Bryan Cranston as The Host
The Host is a figure who opens up the movie and interjects little pieces of commentary during a television show.
Bryan Cranston is a Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actor for his most popular role as Walter White in Breaking Bad. He has had a long-spanning TV career since playing Hal in Malcolm in the Middle. Cranston has also built an impressive list of movie credits in films like Argo, Drive, and Trumbo, for which he received an Oscar nomination. Asteroid City marks his second collaboration with Anderson after Isle of Dogs.
Cranston's next projects include Matthew Vaughn's Argylle and the drama film Everything's Going to Be Great before he takes a break from acting.
Edward Norton as Conrad Earp
Conrad Earp is a famous playwright who calls upon the help of Schubert and Saltzburg to develop his vision.
Edward Norton is a three-time Oscar-nominated actor for his roles in films like Primal Fear, American History X, and Birdman. His other well-known movies include Fight Club, The Italian Job, and The Incredible Hulk. Norton has frequently collaborated with Anderson after they first worked together on Moonrise Kingdom. His most recent projects were Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and the Apple TV series Extrapolations.
Adrien Brody as Schubert Green
Schubert Green is a director who works closely with Conrad and Saltzburg. He is also devoted to his work which unfortunately causes the fallout of his marriage to his wife, Polly.
Adrien Brody is an Oscar-winning actor who still remains the youngest actor ever to win the Lead Actor category for his performance in The Pianist. He has worked on four of Anderson's previous movies following The Darjeeling Limited. Brody's other significant roles include films such as King Kong, Midnight in Paris, and Detachment. His most recent projects include Blonde, See How They Run, and Fool's Paradise. He will next star in the periodic films The Brutalist and Emperor.
Liev Schreiber as J.J. Kellogg
J.J. Kellogg is the father of Clifford (Aristou Meehan) who receives an award at the Junior Stargazer convention. He gets quite annoyed by his son's antics of wanting to be dared to do something. He develops a camaraderie with the other parents Sandy and Roger.
Liev Schreiber is an Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor following his work on the TV series Ray Donovan. He was also part of the Scream franchise and X-Men Origins: Wolverine film. Schreiber also worked on drama films like Salt, Spotlight, and A Perfect Man before collaborating with Anderson on Isle of Dogs and The French Dispatch. His next project is the TV limited series The Perfect Couple.
Hope Davis as Sandy Borden
Sandy Borden is the mother of Shelly (Sophia Lillis), one of the five Junior Stargazer awardees. She along with her daughter are fans of Midge Campbell. She mainly discusses the strange but smart kids with J.J. and Roger.
Hope Davis began her acting career in the 90s after appearing in films like the original Flatliners and The Day Trippers. She also starred in About Schmidt and American Splendor before taking on television roles in Six Degrees, The Newsroom, and For the People. She also briefly joined the MCU when she played Maria Stark in Captain America: Civil War. Davis recently concluded her roles in the drama series Succession and Your Honor.
Stephen Park as Roger Cho
Roger Cho is the father of Ricky (Ethan Josh Lee), another awardee for the Junior Stargazer convention. He tries to hone in on his son's rebellious behavior and chats with the other parents, J.J. and Sandy.
Stephen Park is a comedian who started out as a cast member of the variety show In Living Color. He transitioned into acting and starred in earlier films like Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing and the Coen Brothers' Fargo and A Serious Man. Park also appeared in Snowpiercer and the TV series Warrior before landing his first collaboration with Anderson in The French Dispatch.
Rupert Friend as Montana
Montana is part of a singing band of cowboys who pass through Asteroid City. He has an easygoing nature and is friendly with the school kids of June especially since he seems to fancy her.
Rupert Friend is a British actor who first starred in Pride & Prejudice and The Young Victoria. He eventually landed his most notable breakout roles in Homeland and Hitman: Agent 47. After starring in At Eternity's Gate and A Simple Favor, Friend also worked on TV limited series such as Anatomy of a Scandal and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Asteroid City is his second collaboration with Anderson following The French Dispatch. He currently stars in the Apple TV series High Desert while his next projects include the action film Canary Black and Anderson's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.
Maya Hawke as June Douglas
June Douglas is a school teacher who is taking care of a group of students as they stop by Asteroid City. She instills good behavior in them by making sure they say grace and keeps count of their attendance. She learns to see the good nature of Montana who also cares for the kids.
Maya Hawke is part of the newest generation of rising young actors after her breakout role as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things. As the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, she pursued acting and also developed a singing career. She has appeared in films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Mainstream, and recently led the Netflix teen film Do Revenge. Her next projects will be the films Maestro, Wildcat, and The Kill Room before the final season of Stranger Things returns next year.
Steve Carell as The Motel Manager
The Motel Manager is another resident of Asteroid City who runs the accommodation for the visiting characters. He's a resourceful and diligent worker, especially with his vending machines. This role was originally meant for Anderson's most frequent collaborator Bill Murray. However, the actor had to pass on the role due to coming down with COVID-19 just before filming
Steve Carell is a comedian and actor best known for his Golden Globe-winning role as Michael Scott in The Office. He first rose to popularity after being a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. From there, he landed iconic roles in comedy films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and Crazy, Stupid, Love. Carell has also done his fair share of dramatic work in projects like Beautiful Boy,Foxcatcher, and The Morning Show. He will next reprise his popular voice acting role as Gru for Despicable Me 4 and will also star in The Office alum John Krasinski's next film IF (originally titled Imaginary Friends).
Matt Dillon as Hank
Hank is the mechanic of Asteroid City who helps Augie with his car troubles. He also helps with fixing other machinery in the town.
Matt Dillon is an Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated actor for his role in Crash. He's more known for his lighter roles in comedic films like There's Something About Mary and You, Me and Dupree. He featured on the TV series Wayward Pines before leading the horror drama The House That Jack Built. Currently, he also stars in the Apple TV series High Desert.
Hong Chau as Polly Green
Polly Green is the wife of Schubert who is seeking to divorce him.
Hong Chau has been on a huge trajectory of recognition following her Oscar-nominated performance in The Whale and supporting part in The Menu. She previously starred in TV series like A to Z, Homecoming, and Big Little Lies. Chau also recently appeared in Poker Face and plays a major role in The Night Agent. She will next be seen in the films The Instigators and Yorgos Lanthimos' AND.
Willem Dafoe as Saltzburg Keitel
Saltzburg Keitel is a well-respected acting teacher who collaborates with Conrad and Schubert.
Willem Dafoe is a prolific four-time Oscar-nominated actor who has over a hundred acting credits to his name. His performances in At Eternity's Gate and The Florida Project earned him his most recent nominations. Dafoe is best known for playing Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin in the Sam RaimiSpider-Man trilogy. He starred in four of Anderson's previous movies since The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. His iconic gravelly voice has been used in various projects such as Finding Nemo, Death Note, and video games like Twelve Minutes. Dafoe's upcoming big project is Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things. He will reunite with The Lighthouse director Robert Eggers for Nosferatu, and he will also be part of the upcoming sequel Beetlejuice 2.
Margot Robbie as the Wife/Actress
The actress plays a brief but crucial part in the movie that resonates with Augie.
Margot Robbie is an Australian actress who skyrocketed to fame after her breakout role in The Wolf of Wall Street. She quickly became one of Hollywood's most versatile actresses after playing Harley Quinn in the DC films and starring in biopic dramas like I, Tonya, and Bombshell. She recently led Damien Chazelle's Babylon and David O. Russell's Amsterdam. Robbie will next portray the titular role of Greta Gerwig's highly anticipated Barbie movie.
Tony Revolori as Aide-de-Camp
The aide-de-camp is the reliant assistant of General Grif Gibson who is constantly by his side ready at any given opportunity to help.
Tony Revolori is another young actor who has already built an impressive repertoire including two previous collaborations with Anderson, most notably The Grand Budapest Hotel. Revolori starred in films like Dope, Table 19, and played Flash Thompson in the MCU Spider-Man trilogy. He recently worked on the TV series Willow and Servant, and also starred in Scream VI.
Jeff Goldblum as the Alien
As teased in the trailer, a significant extraterrestrial event occurs in the town in the form of a visiting alien.
Jeff Goldblum is one of Hollywood's most charismatic actors and is best known for playing Dr. Ian Duncan in the Jurassic Park franchise. He first led the short-lived TV series Tenspeed and Brown Shoe before starring in films like The Fly and Independence Day. Goldblum first collaborated with Anderson in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou then joined three of his other projects later. He joined the MCU in Thor: Ragnarok and appeared on TV series like Portlandia and Search Party. Goldblum will next appear in the Jon M. Chu movie adaptation of Wicked.
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