If you can believe it, “Jumanji” turns 30 years old today. On December 15, 1995, Joe Johnston’s wildly entertaining fantasy adventure movie â based on Chris Van Allsburg’s 1981 children’s picture book of the same name â hit theaters worldwide.
With a stellar cast led by the inimitable Robin Williams, it told the story of a crazy supernatural board game that releases a plethora of jungle-based threats on its players every time they take their turn.
It has since spawned a hugely popular franchise consisting of three sequels and spin-offs; 2005’s “Zathura: A Space Adventure,” 2017’s “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” and 2019’s “Jumanji: The Next Level.” Rather excitingly, there’s also a new movie in the series coming in 2026.
“Jumanji’s” 30th anniversary got us thinking: what do the cast look like now compared to back when the film was released? Let’s take a look…
Robin Williams (Alan Parrish)
The late, great Robin Williams played Alan Parrish in “Jumanji.” Alan is a 40-something man who first played the eponymous game as a child and ended up stuck inside it for 26 years.
In 1995, 44-year-old Williams was at the peak of his Hollywood powers. His recent movie credits included the likes of 1992’s “Aladdin” and 1993’s “Mrs. Doubtfire” (per IMDb). “Jumanji ” represented yet another huge success story for him.
GettyTragically, on August 11 in 2014, Williams took his own life at his California home. He was just 63.
That year, he had appeared in several movies, including the comedy-drama “The Angriest Man in Brooklyn,” festive black comedy “A Merry Friggin’ Christmas,” and the fantasy comedy “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” the latter two of which were released posthumously.
May Robin Williams rest in eternal peace.
GettyBonnie Hunt (Sarah Whittle)
Bonnie Hunt was 34 when she played Sarah Whittle in “Jumanji.” Sarah was the childhood friend of Williams’ Alan Parrish, who played the titular game with him, then grew up haunted by his disappearance.
In 1995, her most famous movie role had come in the “Beethoven” franchise, when she played Alice Newton in the first two movies in 1992 and 1993, respectively (per IMDb).
GettyHunt is now 64 and still acting. In 2025, she has reprised her voice role as Bonnie Hopps in “Zootopia 2” and appeared in the Netflix travel documentary “Somebody Feed Phil.”
Last year, she played Mrs. Claus in the critically-maligned festive action comedy “Red One.”
GettyKirsten Dunst (Judy Shepherd)
In 1995, a 13-year-old Kirsten Dunst played Judy Shepherd in “Jumanji.” Judy is a young girl who, along with her brother, rediscovers the eponymous game, releasing the adult Alan Parrish from within it, but also unleashing its many dangers into the world again.
Despite her young age, Dunst had already appeared in several movies, include 1994’s Gothic horror “Interview with the Vampire” and coming-of-age period drama “Little Women” (per IMDb).
GettyDunst is now 43 and, in 2025, only had one screen acting credit to her name. It was the crime movie “Roofman,” in which she played Leigh Wainscott, a Toys “R” Us employee.
The actress has made a superb career for herself, and her many additional notable credits include the 2000 cheerleading comedy “Bring It On” and playing Mary Jane Watson in Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy between 2002 and 2007.
GettyBradley Pierce (Peter Shepherd)
Bradley Pierce played Peter Shepherd, the brother of Kirsten Dunst’s Judy Shepherd, in “Jumanji.” He was 13 years old when the movie released.
GettyPierce had a handful of movie credits to his name before “Jumanji,” with the most notable being 1991’s animated musical romantic comedy “Beauty and the Beast” and 1992’s biographical comedy-drama “Chaplin” (per IMDb).
GettyNow 43, Pierce hasn’t had the same level of success as Dunst, but he is still a credible actor.
He hasn’t had an awful lot of high profile roles in recent years and, therefore, there aren’t too many recent images of him available, other than on his social media, where he is very active.
Most of his biggest credits were voice roles. He provided voices in the like of 2001’s romantic war drama “Pearl Harbor,” 2013’s comedy “The Internship,” and 2019’s fantasy flick “Detective Pikachu.”
David Alan Grier (Carl Bentley)
A then-38-year-old David Alan Grier played Carl Bentley in “Jumanji.” Carl was a childhood friend of Alan Parrish who also worked for Alan’s father in a shoe factory. Having become a police officer, he encounters an adult Alan when “Jumanji” is unleashed on the world in 1995.
GettyGrier was an established actor at the time of “Jumanji’s” release. Early in 1995 he had appeared in the horror anthology movie “Tales from the Hood” (per IMDb).
Now 69, Grier is still acting and gaining roles regularly. His most recent movie credit was playing Roger in 2024’s “The American Society of Magical Negroes.” In 2023, he played Santa Claus in the festive Amazon Prime fantasy comedy “Candy Cane Lane.”
GettyBebe Neuwirth (Nora Shepherd)
When “Jumanji” hit theaters, Bebe Neuwirth was less than a month away from turning 37. In the film, she played Nora Shepherd, the Shepherd siblings’ aunt and legal guardian (a role she reprised in cameo form in 2019’s “Jumanji: The Next Level”).
She’s pictured in two “Jumanji” movies in the social media post below (the 1995 movie is the bottom half image).
Neuwirth was far more well known for television roles at the time of “Jumanji’s” release (she’d played Dr. Lilith Sternin-Crane in 81 episodes of “Cheers” from 1986 until 1993), but the movies she had been in included 1991’s biographical crime drama “Bugsy”and 1993’s neo-noir thriller “Malice” (per IMDb).
Now 66, Neuwirth is still acting. Her most recent movie credit was the 2021 biographical musical film “Tick, Tick⦠Boom!” Next year, however, she’s due to appear in two movies â one of which is the as-yet-untitled new “Jumanji” sequel.
GettyJonathan Hyde (Van Pelt & Sam Parrish)
Jonathan Hyde played a dual role in “Jumanji.” Not only did he portray the antagonistic big-game hunter from within the eponymous board game, he also play Sam Parrish, Alan’s father. Hyde was 47 at the time.
Despite his age, most of Hyde’s work had come on stage and his movie work was minimal at the time. His most famous big screen role was arguably as Herbert Arthur Runcible Cadbury in 1994’s children’s adventure comedy “Richie Rich” (per IMDb).
Hyde is now 77 and still acting. In 2024, he appeared in three movies, one of which was the epic period drama “The Brutalist,” in which he played Lesley Woodrow.
GettyWe’d like to wish “Jumanji” a Happy 30th Birthday. What an insanely fun movie it is!
The post PHOTOS: The ‘Jumanji’ Cast Then & Now appeared first on EntertainmentNow.