They’re mysterious and spooky. Some might say they are altogether ooky. You know the types — the Addams Family. Ever since this dark comedy hit theaters in 1991, its eponymous characters have been everyone’s favorite freaky fam. They’ve become such a beloved part of pop culture that it is hard to believe it has been 25 years since the film’s release.
But, alas, time marches on. And while some of the cast members of the Addams family have been particularly visible on our screens over the years, it’s still interesting to catch up with the crew and see where life has taken them.
Are all of the actors still acting? Have any gone on to star in roles that eclipsed this 1991 cult hit? We did a little digging (no, not in the family graveyard for fun) to unearth what the actors have been doing since their spooky, kooky, ooky time as the Addams family.
Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston won audiences over as the mysterious and delightfully morbid matriarch, Morticia. Huston’s career outside of The Addams Family has been equally as charmed, too. An award-winning actor, she hasn’t slowed down yet. In the last few years alone, she has starred in the celebrated TV series Transparent and the movies Trouble and The Watcher in the Woods. She is currently voicing Magda in 2018’s Arctic Justice. In 2014, she published her personal memoir, A Story Told Lately.
Raul Julia
Puerto Rican actor Raúl Juliá played Gomez, the passionate patriarch of the Addams family. Sadly, this is one Addams Family update that does not have a happy ending. In 1994, at the age of 54, Juliá died following a stroke. Prior to this, however, the highly respected actor starred in Addams Family Values (the sequel) and in Streetfighter as Bison. Outside of acting, he was known for his generous humanitarian heart.
Judith Malina
Let’s be real: everyone wishes they had a witchy grandma like The Addams Family’s Granny! Sadly, Judith Malina, the German-American actress who so perfectly played Granny, died in 2015 at the age of 88. However, she continued to work in TV and film until 2013. Her last credited role is in the film Over/Under as the character Catherine. She also leaves behind a rich legacy in the theater world, having founded the Living Theatre troupe in 1947.
Christopher Lloyd
Before portraying Uncle Fester in The Addams Family, comedic genius Christopher Lloyd became a pop culture treasure as Doc Brown in the Back to the Future series. And since The Addams Family, he has continued to pick up roles practically nonstop. In addition to parts in popular current TV series such as The Big Bang Theory and 12 Monkeys, Lloyd has a whopping five movies in post-production at present.
Christina Ricci
When Christina Ricci played pernicious Wednesday Addams, she was only 11 years old. While the statistics on child actors going on to have successful careers as adults is probably slim, Ricci has managed to do just that. Who could forget her iconic turns in Now and Then, Casper and Sleepy Hollow? In recent years, many of her shining roles have been in the TV realm, with Ricci helming The Lizzie Borden Chronicles and Z: The Beginning of Everything in 2015. Her latest role is in the movie Distorted alongside John Cusack, which is slated for release in 2018.
Jimmy Workman
Younger brother Pugsley Addams was played by then-child actor Jimmy Workman. While long-term success didn’t materialize for him as it did for his co-star Ricci, Workman did go on to star in the 1997 film As Good As It Gets. He has been in the news in recent years, however, because he attempted to gain custody of his sister, Ariel Winter. You likely know her best as Alex Dunphy from the comedy sensation Modern Family. Workman claimed that the siblings’ other sister, Shanelle Gray, was not fit to be Winter’s guardian.
Gray actually auditioned for the part of Wednesday in The Addams Family. She clearly didn’t get the part, but that’s how they discovered Workman for the part of Pugsley.
Carel Struycken
Dutch actor Carel Struycken was a big presence onsreen… literally! At a towering 7 feet tall, the actor may not have had many lines as Lurch, but he was unforgettable nonetheless. He has enjoyed many more memorable roles over the years, including the TV series Gotham in 2016 and the Twin Peaks reboot in 2017. He recently starred as the Moonlight Man in the Netflix remake of the Stephen King classic Gerald’s Game.
Christopher Hart
Yep, there was a man behind that hand! Although actor Christopher Hart hasn’t had many screen roles since playing Thing, his famous phalanges have still been busy. He has enjoyed a steady career as a magician, performing alongside David Copperfield for many years. His sleight-of-hand has popped up in everything from TV commercials to shows in Las Vegas.
Dan Hedaya
One of the most unlikable characters in the film, Tully the unscrupulous lawyer, was played by storied actor Dan Hedaya. And, man, has he been busy! Hedaya’s other iconic roles include Morty in The First Wives Club, Kamehl Butabi in A Night at the Roxbury, President Nixon in Dick, Vincenzo in Mulholland Drive and, most recently, Red in 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Dana Ivey
In The Addams Family, Dana Ivey had a bit part as Margaret, Tully’s wife, who eventually leaves him for Cousin It. However, her career outside of that film has been anything but small. A five-time Tony Award nominee for her Broadway performances, Ivey has also starred in such seminal films as The Color Purple, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Postcards From the Edge. And let’s not forget fan favorites like Legally Blonde, Two Weeks Notice and The Help.
John Franklin
Remember that creepy little kid from Children of the Corn? Well, fast forward seven years and you get Cousin It. Actor John Franklin brought both characters to the screen! Over the years, his work has largely included voice work and TV movie roles. In 2017, he did have a role on the TV series Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
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