The cast of 'Beetlejuice:' Where are they now? (original) (raw)

Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! In 1988, Tim Burton released his high-spirited smash hit about a bio-exorcist that would scare away the living and leave audiences laughing to death. It was a highly original twist on a story that's been done many times: What happens when the ghosts haunting a house are terrified of their roommates?

Entertaining generations, Beetlejuice became an (oc)cult classic, inspiring a children's cartoon and even a Broadway musical. Thirty-five years later, our ghost with the most has risen from the dead. That's right, Beetlejuice 2 is officially a go, with Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder reprising their roles while also bringing Wednesday's Jenna Ortega and Justin Theroux into the mix. As we hotly anticipate the sequel's release on Sept. 6, 2024, EW made a handbook to see how the Beetlejuice cast has spent their afterlife. (Hopefully, this won't read like stereo instructions.)

Michael Keaton (Betelgeuse, a.k.a. Beetlejuice)

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It's the name no one wants to say aloud — and we don't mean Voldemort. Like a child on an airplane, he's loud, obnoxious, and full of snot: It's Beetlejuice! Michael Keaton breathed life into the role of the titular deadbeat that will steal your heart (and your daughter).

Previously, the Mr. Mom (1983) star also appeared in comedies like Johnny Dangerously (1984) and The Squeeze (1987). After playing the decomposing anti-hero in Beetlejuice, Keaton donned a different type of suit to square off against another green-haired legend as Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and the Dark Knight duo teamed up again in 1992 for Batman Returns. His career continued to take flight in films like Multiplicity (1996), Jackie Brown (1997), and the family holiday film Jack Frost (1998). He even lent his voice to the Pixar films Cars (2006) as Chick Hicks and Toy Story 3 (2010) as Ken.

Keaton's career enjoyed a resurgence when he rose to Best Picture stardom in the 2010s, notably in the meta movie Birdman (2014) — which earned him an Oscar nomination and Golden Globe award for Best Actor — and in the journalism film Spotlight (2015). He's also enjoyed more villainous turns in 2016's The Founderas the corrupt CEO behind McDonald's, and as the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). But the most recent big success for Keaton came with the 2021 miniseries Dopesick, for which he won an Emmy and Golden Globe for his tragic portrayal of a doctor who becomes addicted to the opioids he was baited into prescribing. And Keaton's bat signal lit up once again in DC's multiverse mash-up The Flash (2023).

As for the future, we can't wait for him to resurrect his unparalleled paranormal performance in Beetlejuice 2 in 2024. Until then, you can be like Beetlejuice himself and watch The Exorcist 167 times…

Alec Baldwin (Adam Maitland)

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Alec Baldwin played Adam Maitland, a role a sandworm could really sink its teeth into. He was a model husband and model town builder until their home staycation became permanent after driving off a bridge. Baldwin has proven to be a household name with movies like Working Girl (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Glengarry Glen Ros s (1992), and The Shadow (1994) rounding out his early film career. But one of his most enduring and notable roles came from television when he starred as Jack Donaghy, vice president of TV and microwave programming, on 30 Rock (2006-2013) with Tina Fey. This role earned him several Emmys and Golden Globes, and made him the most SAG-awarded male performer in history with eight wins.

Baldwin continued his film work with movies like The Cooler (2003) — which earned him his only Oscar nomination — along with collaborations with seasoned directors like Martin Scorsese in The Departed (2006), Nancy Meyers in It's Complicated (2009), and Woody Allen in Blue Jasmine (2013), plus multiple turns in the Mission: Impossible movies. Between acting in films, he's hosted Saturday Night Live a whopping 17 times and even won an Emmy for his spot-on Donald Trump impression.

In 2021, Baldwin was involved in an unfortunate accident on the set of Rust, for which he starred and produced, resulting in the fatal shooting of the film's cinematographer. He was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, though these were later dropped. Although Baldwin eventually wrapped production in 2023, it's unclear when (if ever) the film will come out. As for Beetlejuice, it's still unknown if his character will return for the sequel.

Geena Davis (Barbara Maitland)

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Geena Davis' lively performance as Barbara Maitland shows she sure knows how to rock a frock as a country housewife stuck in limbo with a family of bimbos. Davis rose to prominence far before raising the dead, first with the film Tootsie (1982) and in TV shows like Knight Rider (1983), Family Ties (1984), and Remington Steele (1985). She met her ex-husband Jeff Goldblum — to whom she was married from 1987 to 1991 — on the set of Transylvania 6-5000, and she later put her Beetlejuice exterminator skills to good use when starring opposite him in the sci-fi thriller The Fly (1986) and Earth Girls Are Easy (1988). Davis soon won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1989 for The Accidental Tourist, but her biggest role came as Thelma to Susan Sarandon's Louise in the feminist film Thelma & Louise (1991), earning another Academy Award nomination, followed by a Golden Globe nod for the beloved baseball movie A League of Their Own (1992).

Her career took a downward turn, however, after she starred in the flop Cutthroat Island (1995) and now-cult classic The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), both directed by her then-husband Renny Harlin. From there, she returned to acting as a mother to a mouse in the Stuart Little trilogy before filling much bigger shoes as the first female president in the series Commander in Chief (2005-2006), proving a comeback with a Golden Globe win. Davis later returned to the realm of the supernatural in the 2016 TV adaptation of The Exorcist and enjoyed additional TV roles in Grey's Anatomy, GLOW, and _She-Ra and the Princess of Powe_r in the 2010s. A long-time women's rights advocate, she founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in 2004 — and it still fights for equal representation to this day.

Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz)

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Most normal girls would be scared sheetless if they saw a ghost, but Lydia Deetz isn't like other girls. Played by a teenage Winona Ryder, Lydia is the Hot Topic precursor whose melancholy lifestyle constantly clashes with her family and new country confines.

When it comes to acting, Ryder is a _super_-natural, having starred in films like the cult classic Heathers (1988) and Burton's beloved Edward Scissorhands (1990). She and her Scissorhands costar Johnny Depp were also a famous '90s "it" couple, though after their engagement ended in 1993, Depp changed his tattoo from "Winona Forever" to "Wino Forever."

The actress soon made a splash with a Golden Globe nomination for Mermaids (1990) with Cher and Bob Hoskins. She then continued turning heads with Oscar-nominated performances in the 1994 adaptation of Little Women and Scorsese's The Age of Innocence (1993), the latter of which won her a Golden Globe. Her career continued to flourish throughout the '90s with The Crucible (1996), Alien Resurrection (1997), and Girl, Interrupted (1999).

After making major headlines for shoplifting and starring in the critically panned yet successful Adam Sandler movie Mr. Deeds (2002), Ryder's career began to slump, but not for long. Warp speed ahead to the Star Trek reboot in 2009, she also remained active with the high-profile hit Black Swan (2010) and a Burton reunion in Frankenweenie (2012). But Winona's biggest recent success saw her return to the paranormal in Stranger Things as LED light whisperer Joyce — a role for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2017. She now has an upcoming appearance in Disney's Haunted Mansion (2023) and a highly anticipated turn in Beetlejuice 2 (2024). While that's too much to fit on a tombstone, she does have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Catherine O'Hara (Delia Deetz)

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For Catherine O'Hara, the devil is in the Deetztails — and in her attic. She portrays Delia Deetz, the ostentatious artist from New York who turns the house from country drab to overstated fab. (And her iconic lip-sync performance to Harry Belafonte's "Day-O" would make even RuPaul's head spin.) The Canadian-American actress hails from the comedy and improv group Second City, where she met her frequent collaborator Eugene Levy, and later earned an Emmy for her work on Second City Television throughout the '70s and '80s.

While filming Beetlejuice, she met her husband Bo Welch, who often worked as a production designer on Burton's films. Catherine soon became a household name as Kevin's mother in the first two Home Alone movies. (Because who could forget her iconic delivery of "Kevin!") She teamed up with Burton again for the stop-motion musical The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) as the voices of Sally and Shock. She was also a longtime collaborator with mockumentary director Christopher Guest, starring in his improv-style films Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best In Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006). O'Hara notably appeared in the film Penelope alongside Christina Ricci and Reese Witherspoon, too.

Catherine's menagerie of the macabre continued with roles in Six Feet Under (2003-2005), A Series of Unfortunate Events (both the 2004 film and 2017 TV show), Franken we enie (2012) alongside Ryder, and The Addams Family (2019). She once again rose to prominence in the cultural zeitgeist as her off-kilter, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning character Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek (2015-2020). You can catch her voice-over work again in the Pixar film Elemental (2023) while anxiously awaiting her return as Delia in Beetlejuice 2.

Jeffrey Jones (Charles Deetz)

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Jeffrey Jones starred in Beetlejuice as Charles Deetz, who, after a nervous breakdown, moves his family unwillingly to a small town for peace and quiet, where his career takes on a second life dealing in surreal estate. Jones previously gained notoriety and a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Emperor Joseph II in Amadeus (1984), though most would recognize him as the Dean in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) or in George Lucas' infamously panned live-action comic adaptation Howard the Duck (1986).

After Beetlejuice, he reunited with costar Alec Baldwin in The Hunt for Red October (1990), Winona Ryder in The Crucible (1996), Geena Davis in Stuart Little (1999), and with director Tim Burton for Ed Wood (1994) and Sleepy Hollow (1999). Jones' film career continued into the 2000s with the Eddie Murphy sequel Dr. Dolittle 2 and Heartbreakers in 2001. He also lent his voice to animated shows like Justice League and Invader Zim.

In 2002, Jones was arrested for possessing child pornography and accused of soliciting a minor to pose for nude photos. Though the charge was dropped, he was required to register as a sex offender. Despite his legal troubles and tarnished reputation, he continued to act in a few projects such as Deadwood (2004-2006) and Deadwood: The Movie in 2019.

Glenn Shadix (Otho Fenlock)

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From the superficial to the supernatural, the hack interior designer Otho snakes his way into the Deetz's home — and their wallets. Played by the late Glenn Shadix, he causes hilarious hijinks when performing a seance with grave consequences.

Following his breakout role in Beetlejuice, Shadix appeared on hit '90s shows like Roseanne, Seinfeld, Night Court, Cheers, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. As for film, Shadix didn't stray far from the spooky and strange, acting in the Stephen King adaptations Sleepwalkers (1992) and Demolition Man (1993). He also shared the big screen once more with Winona Ryder in Heathers (1988), teamed up with Burton and Catherine O'Hara as the voice of the Mayor in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), and collaborated with Keaton in Multiplicity (1996).

Glenn's career continued with a variety of voice acting credits in Dinosaurs (1994), The Mask: Animated Series (1995-1997), The New Adventure of Zorro (1997-1998), Men in Black: The Series (2000), and Teen Titans (2005-2006). In 2001, he reunited with Burton once more for the live-action remake of Planet of the Apes. Unfortunately, in 2010 Shadix died suddenly from injuries sustained in a fall at age 58.

Sylvia Sidney (Juno the caseworker)

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Never trust the living, but trust us when we say that this actress' resume has great bones. As the Maitland's afterlife caseworker, Juno, Sylvia Sidney really knew how to light up a scene — and a pack of cigarettes.

With a career dating back to the 1920s, she starred in countless works on stage and screen like Madam Butterfly (1932), Fury (1936), Alfred Hitchcock's Sabotage (1936), Les Miserables (1952) as Fantine, and was nominated for an Oscar for Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams (1973). She also won a Golden Globe and scored an Emmy nomination for 1985's TV movie An Early Frost. Three years later and at the age of 78, her sassy demeanor and quick-witted quips in Beetlejuice won her a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Sidney acted well into her golden years with appearances on the shows Dear John (1988), The Equalizer (1989), Thirtysomething (1989), and The Man In The Family (1991). In 1992, she reunited with Burton for her last film role as the Grandma in Mars Attacks! (1996) before her final acting credit on the TV series Fantasy Island (1998). In 1999, Sidney died at the age of 88 of throat cancer.

Dick Cavett (Bernard the agent)

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A renowned writer, comic, and talk show host, Dick Cavett was no stranger to the camera, but his cameo as Delia's agent Bernard in Beetlejuice was a departure from his usual gig of playing himself. (He did so in Annie Hall in 1977 and in Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in 1987.)

Cavett is most famous for his tenure on various iterations of The Dick Cavett Show from 1968 to1986, in which he interviewed everyone from Marlon Brando to ABBA, Lucille Ball to Salvador Dali. His show accumulated eight Emmy nominations and took home two wins.

The Dick Cavett Show continued to make an impact in the media for years to come, with footage reemerging in movies like Forrest Gump (1994) and Apollo 13 (1995). He voiced himself on The Simpsons in 1995 and also served as the narrator for two Broadway shows: Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and the 2000 revival of The Rocky Horror Show. Additionally, HBO (now Max) filmed a documentary about Dick's relationship with Muhammad Ali titled Ali and Cavett: The Tale of Tapes (2018). With a steadfast career stretching several decades, one thing is for sure: Unlike Delia, he's no flake.

Robert Goulet (Maxie Dean)

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Robert Goulet's ghoulish charm won audiences over as mustached mogul Maxie Dean. An actor and singer with experience on the stage and screen, he first gained recognition with Julie Andrews in the Broadway musical Camelot (1960) as Sir Lancelot. He later won a Grammy award for Best New Artist in 1963 and a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical for The Happy Time (1968).

After blowing the lid off things in Beetlejuice, Goulet appeared in Scrooged (1988), several episodes of Mr. Belvedere, The Naked Gun 2½ (1991), and even The Simpsons. He later acted in Ellen DeGeneres' film debut Mr. Wrong (1996) and the Saturday Night Live spin-off TV Funhouse (2000). He returned to Camelot multiple times throughout his career, and his final curtain call was in the 2005 revival of La Cage aux Folles. In October 2007, Goulet — who had interstitial pulmonary fibrosis — died just shy of his 74th birthday while awaiting a lung transplant.

Maree Cheatham (Sarah Dean)

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Though her part as Sarah — wife to the aggressively '80s businessman Maxie Dean — was small, Maree Cheatham's performance was through the roof (literally). A soap star, she first appeared on Days of Our Lives from 1965 to 1968 and returned periodically for decades and as recently as 2010. She also appeared on Search for Tomorrow (1975-1984) and was a regular cast member on General Hospital (1987-1991).

After her performance in Beetlejuice, Cheatham appeared in The Wedding Singer (1998) long enough to ask Billy Idol about the mile-high club and revived her General Hospital role on Port Charles (1999-2000). She could also be seen on Scrubs, Passions, The West Wing, Desperate Housewives, and the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005). She once again flexed her comedy chops on Nickelodeon'sSam & Cat(2013-2014) as Ariana Grande's grandmother.

Cheatham has continued her TV tenure on shows like Dexter, Hot in Cleveland, Hart of Dixie, Baskets, Young Sheldon, and The Haves and the Have Nots. When she's not acting, Cheatham enjoys getting her hands dirty — she makes one-of-a-kind ceramics.