Then & Now: The Cast of Titanic 20 Year Later

All 90s’ kids remember the hype that surrounded one of the greatest romantic movies of all time. Millions of girls lost sleep over young Leo DiCaprio when Titanic hit the big screen, but you know what? 20 years later nothing’s changed! We still love this sweet love story put in a truly dramatic setting. And we can’t but gasp dreamily when we see Jack and Rose dance together on the lower decks. Their story is as old as life itself and the ending of their relationships is among the most tragic both in life and on silver screen. Time goes by, yet our favorite characters remain the same. But what about the actors playing them? Will you still recognize them today? Here is the cast of Titanic 20 years later.

 

 

Jack Dawson – Leonardo DiCaprio
Long gone are the days when Leo played the young light-hearted Jack who risked everything to get on Titanic. As surprising as it may be, Leonardo DiCaprio wasn’t the first choice to play Jack. 20th Century Fox had their eyes on Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, yet James Cameron, the director of the movie, wanted Leo to play Jack and persuaded them otherwise. Since then, Leo starred in many great movies like the Aviator, Catch Me If You Can, The Man in the Iron Mask, Inception, and many more.

 

 

Kate Winslet – Rose DeWitt Bukater
It seems Kate Winslet has become even more beautiful over the last few decades. Before Titanic she was working mostly in theatre playing with English superstars, yet it all changed after her unbelievable success. She was the youngest actress to be nominated for 6 Academy Awards! After Titanic she starred in movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Iris, Little Children, Finding Neverland, and Revolutionary Road, where she got to play with Leonardo DiCaprio once again.

Billy Zane – Caledon “Cal” Hockley
Billy Zane played the most hated character in Titanic (probably even more hated that the iceberg that killed the ship!). Well, we know one thing for sure – Billy Zane wouldn’t be able to play Cal Hockley now without his lustrous mane of hair! After Titanic he played opposite Ryan Gosling in The Believer, took part in a few TV shows like Charmed, and did some Broadway stuff in Chicago.

 

 

Kathy Bates – Molly Brown
Kathy Bates was already an accomplished star when she played the Unsinkable Molly Brown in Titanic. After the movie she went on acting in other movies and TV shows – Six Feet Under, The Office, Dash and Lily, and in Revolutionary Road where she was once again reunited with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Frances Fisher – Ruth DeWitt Bukater
Frances Fisher’s Ruth was not the most pleasant character in Titanic. After all, she was forcing her daughter to marry Cal Hockley just for his money. Nevertheless, after Titanic she went on playing strong-willed confident women in movies like House of Sand and Fog, True Crime, The Kingdom, Laws of Attraction, and The Lincoln Lawyer.

 

 

Bernard Hill – Captain Edward James Smith
Did you know James Cameron was hard to work with when it came to filming? Well, Bernard Hill was one of the few people who actually got along with Titanic’s director. After the movie, Bernard Hill landed one of the most successful roles in his career – King Theoden in The Lord of The Rings trilogy. Right now you can see him on TV in projects like Hope and Wire, From There to Here, and Wolf Hall.

Danny Nucci – Fabrizio
Dany Nucci may look Italian, but he’s actually Austrian! His career got a huge boost after Titanic, although he turned to TV shows instead of movies. Right now you can see him on Arrow, NCIS, CSI: Miami, Castle, and many more. He’s also played Mike Foster in The Fosters, a hit ABC Family show.

Victor Garber – Thomas Andrews
Victor Garber might have been a failure in the movie (being the creator of Titanic and all), but in real life he went on building a successful career playing in movies like Annie (along with Kathy Bates) and Alias, where he befriended Jennifer Garner and later became the godfather of her and Ben Affleck’s daughter.

 

 

Alexandrea Owens-Sarno – Cora Cartmell
Not many people remember charming little Alexandrea who danced with Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic. Apparently, she was smitten by him just as much as we all were! Alexandrea Owens-Sarno is all grown-up now, but she still remembers how kind Leo was to her, giving her sandwiches and being all lovely and sweet. We would remember that, too!

R.I.P. Gloria Stuart – Old Rose
Gloria Stuart has lived a long and fruitful life. She was an actress both on screen and on stage, and an artist who has never stopped painting. Her brilliant portrayal of older Rose Dawson got her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She became the oldest person (78 years old) to ever receive an Oscar nomination. After Titanic she continued acting, performing in various movies, including her last one – Land of Plenty. She passed away at the age of 100 having led an amazing life.