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Jurassic Park cast, where are they now?

IT has been 22 years since dinosaurs first invaded our cinema screens, in Jurassic Park. But whatever happened to the original cast of the original film? Where are they all now?

Sam Neill in a scene from film Jurassic Park - 3D re-release in 2013
Sam Neill in a scene from film Jurassic Park - 3D re-release in 2013

IT has been 22 years since dinosaurs first invaded our cinema screens, courtesy of Steven Spielberg in his epic film Jurassic Park.

At the time of its release in 1993, the film broke box office records only surpassed by the mighty Titanic five years later. The film was revolutionary in its effects, showing life-like dinosaurs doing dastardly things like chasing humans and even eating one while he sat on a toilet.

Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello in the 1993 film.
Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello in the 1993 film.
Wayne Knight in Jurassic Park.
Wayne Knight in Jurassic Park.

It’s hard to believe that filmmakers are still milking the dinosaur theme park concept with the fourth instalment in the movie franchise, Jurassic World, about to hit cinema screens. The reboot, however, will have an all-new cast headed up by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.

But before Pratt saves the human spieces from extinction, whatever happened to the original cast of the original film? Where are they all now?

Sam Neill - Dr Alan Grant

Many Aussies think Sam Neill is Australian, but he’s actually from New Zealand.
Many Aussies think Sam Neill is Australian, but he’s actually from New Zealand.

The New Zealand actor, 67, was the hero of the original film and reprised his role for Jurassic Park III in 2001. Since then, he’s been in a host of TV and film roles including in fellow Kiwi, Jane Campion’s, award-winning film The Piano and his recent turn in British TV series Peaky Blinders as Major Chester Campbell.

One of his most recognisable roles was as a spokesman for Meat & Livestock Australia. He was the brand’s ambassador for seven years appearing in some well-loved TV ads including one where he dances with an orang-utan. Sadly, the meat group gave Neill the chop in 2012.

Sir Richard Attenborough - John Hammond

Sir Richard Attenborough in 2008.
Sir Richard Attenborough in 2008.

Attenborough was the park owner, the man with the vision and a sympathetic sort-of grandfather figure in the first movie. He came back for Lost World: Jurassic Park and from then took on mostly voiceover roles, before he died last year at the age of 90.

The brother of famous naturalist David Attenborough, Richard was a celebrated producer and director who won two Oscars for the film Gandhi in 1983, and is also famous for playing Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street.

Jeff Goldblum - Dr Ian Malcolm

Jeff Goldblum at this year’s Academy Awards.
Jeff Goldblum at this year’s Academy Awards.

Fans of comedian-of-the-moment, Amy Schumer, will have seen Goldblum recently as the Jury Foreman in her 12 Angry Men parody sketch, which featured on her TV show.

Goldblum, 63, starred in blockbuster Independence Day alongside Will Smith before coming back for more dinosaur dilemmas in the Lost World: Jurassic Park.

He then kept himself busy by playing quirky parts in TV shows Friends, Glee and recently Portlandia.

Goldblum was recently in Wes Anderson’s Oscar-winning movie The Grand Budapest Hotel and is preparing to star in the sequel to Independence Day, which is due out next year.

Joseph Mazzello - Tim Murphy

Joseph Mazzello in March 2014.
Joseph Mazzello in March 2014.

Mazzello was just a ten-year-old kid when he starred in the film and was even too young to play Tim as he was originally written in the script.

However, Spielberg was obviously impressed with the actor as he rewrote the part for him. Mazzello came back for more, reprising his role in the second film in the dinosaur franchise, The Lost World: Jurassic Park in 1997.

The 31-year-old has since had roles in TV shows such as Justified and Person of Interest, and movie roles in The Social Network and G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

Ariana Richards - Lex Murphy

Ariana Richards from Jurassic Park.
Ariana Richards from Jurassic Park.

Richards played Tim’s big sister Lex when she was just 14. She also came back for a brief role in the second Jurassic Park film. She has a few small parts over the years in independent movies before attempting to launch a music career.

She released an album in the 1990s but the 36-year-old now focuses completely on her career as an artist.

The Jurassic Park connection is still going strong as Spielberg himself has one of her oil portraits hanging on his office wall.

Laura Dern - Dr Ellie Sattler

Laura Dern has enjoyed much success since the 1993 film.
Laura Dern has enjoyed much success since the 1993 film.

The 48-year-old actress has had a steady stream of roles over the years since the original Jurassic Park.

She reteamed with Sam Neill for Jurassic Park III in 2001 before going on to win a Golden Globe for her part in the 2008 film Recount. She won another Golden Globe for her acting in TV show Enlightened.

More recently, she played Reese Witherspoon’s mum in Wild and also appeared as Shailene Woodley mother in The Fault In Our Stars.

Wayne Knight

You might have seen Wayne Knight in Seinfeld.
You might have seen Wayne Knight in Seinfeld.

Dennis Nedry Knight played the bad guy in the film, he was the greedy scientist who turned off Jurassic Park’s security system to smuggle out dinosaur eggs.

He’s since been typecast as a bit of a nuisance, most notably playing Jerry’s annoying neighbour Newman in popular TV show Seinfeld.

Knight, 60, has had most of his success as a voiceover actor in films such as Toy Story 2, as Al the toy collector, and in TV versions of The Penguins of Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda.

He has appeared in real-life form in a string of TV shows including How I Met Your Mother and Torchwood.

Samuel L Jackson - Ray Arnold

Samuel L. Jackson has had a stellar career.
Samuel L. Jackson has had a stellar career.

Jackson has arguably become the most famous out of all the Jurassic Park originals. The 66-year-old’s career has gone from strength to strength since playing a computer whizz who almost saved the day in the film.

A year after Jurassic Park, Jackson starred in one of his most famous roles as Jules Winnfield in Quinton Tarrantino’s Pulp Fiction alongside John Travolta.

Since then he’s been in countless films including Jackie Brown, Kill Bill and Snakes On A Plane.

He currently stars as Nick Fury in The Avengers movie franchise.

*Jurassic World opens in Australian cinemas on June 11

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Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm, Richard Attenborough as John Hammond, Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler and Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant, watching a robotic arm handle the dinosaur eggs in a scene from the film 'Jurassic Park', 1993.
Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm, Richard Attenborough as John Hammond, Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler and Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant, watching a robotic arm handle the dinosaur eggs in a scene from the film 'Jurassic Park', 1993.

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