Actress Amy Smart and director Roger Kumble recently reminded us that it’s been 20 years since the Christmas rom-com “Just Friends” released in theaters.
The film follows a formerly overweight high school student (Ryan Reynolds) who, now an adult, visits his hometown at Christmas. While there, he attempts to escape the friend zone after reconnecting with his best friend (Smart), with whom he is actually madly in love.
In an interview with People, Smart spoke of her enjoyable but challenging experience filming the movie with co-star Reynolds, telling the publication, “What I enjoyed about this is obviously a lot of my scenes are with Ryan, and he is just innately so funny that it was a big challenge to hold the laughter in.”
Smart and Reynolds led a cast that also included the likes of Anna Faris, Christopher Marquette, Chris Klein, and Stephen Root.
It got us thinking, how are the “Just Friends” cast doing two decades later? Let’s take a look at some then and now photographs to find out.
Ryan Reynolds (Chris Brander)
Ryan Reynolds was 29 and an established Hollywood star when he played the lead role of formerly-obese character Chris Brander, a record producer and vice president of a record label, in “Just Friends.”
Per IMDb, he’d featured prominently on television and in movies for a decade-and-a-half, having got his break in TV shows like teen drama “Hillside,” fantasy adventure series “The Odyssey,” sci-fi anthology series “The Outer Limits,” and sci-fi drama series “The X-Files.”
Regarding movies, he’d already appeared in the likes of 1993’s drama “Ordinary Magic,” 1996’s made-for-TV movie “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” 2002’s rom-com “Van Wilder,” 2004’s buddy stoner comedy “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” 2004’s superhero movie “Blade: Trinity,” and 2005’s supernatural scare-fest “The Amityville Horror.”
GettyNow 49, Reynolds is a huge name in Hollywood and a bona fide A-lister.
Reynolds’ filmography now includes movies like 2009’s superhero offering “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” 2009’s rom-com “The Proposal,” 2011’s superhero flick “Green Lantern,” 2013’s animated adventure comedy “The Croods,” and three “Deadpool” movies in which he plays the titular fourth-wall-breaking Marvel superhero.
As co-owner of British soccer club Wrexham A.F.C., Reynolds also featured heavily in the 2022 FX documentary “Welcome to Wrexham,” which documents events at the team’s Racecourse Ground following its purchase by Reynolds and his fellow actor Rob McElhenney.
GettyAmy Smart (Jamie Palamino)
Like Reynolds, Amy Smart was 29 when she appeared in “Just Friends.” Smart played Jamie Palamino, the object of Chris Brander’s affections. Per IMDb, Smart had been acting for around a decade, with roles on television and in movies to her name.
On the small screen, she had appeared in the likes of drama series “Felicity,” comedy-drama series “The ’70s,” and the medical sitcom “Scrubs.”
Her movie credits included the likes of 1997’s sci-fi action flick “Starship Troopers,” 1999’s coming-of-age sports comedy-drama “Varsity Blues,” 2000’s sex comedy “Road Trip,” 2004’s sci-fi thriller “The Butterfly Effect,” and 2004’s buddy cop action comedy “Starsky & Hutch.”
GettySmart is now 49, and both her television and movie careers have gone from strength to strength.
Her TV credits now include stop-motion animated sketch comedy series “Robot Chicken,” the drama series “Smith,” the comedy-drama series “Shameless,” the neo-Western crime drama “Justified,” the sitcom “Maron,” and the superhero series “Stargirl.”
Movie-wise, she’s gone on to appear in the likes of 2006’s action film “Crank” and its 2009 sequel “Crank: High Voltage,” 2011’s action flick “The Reunion,” 2014’s crime drama “Bad Country,” 2014’s comedy-drama “The Single Moms Club,” 2017’s supernatural horror “The Keeping Hours,” and 2023’s festive movie “The Christmas Classic.”
GettyAnna Faris (Samantha James)
Anna Faris played emerging pop singer Samantha James in “Just Friends.” She turned 29 while the film was still playing in theaters. Faris had been acting for more than a decade at the time, with roles on both television and in movies behind her.
Per IMDb, Faris’ television credits had included roles in animated sitcom “King of the Hill,” sitcom “Friends,” and sketch comedy show “Mad TV.”
Her movie credits included the likes of the 1999 slasher horror “Lovers Lane,” 2000’s slasher parody “Scary Movie,” its 2001 sequel “Scary Movie 2,” 2002’s fantasy comedy “The Hot Chick,” 2003’s romantic comedy-drama “Lost in Translation,” 2003’s parody sequel “Scary Movie 3,” and 2005’s neo-Western romantic drama “Brokeback Mountain.”
GettyNow 49, Faris has enjoyed a hugely successful career since her role in “Just Friends,” with further credits on television and in movies added to her filmography.
On television, her more recent credits include the likes of the comedy-drama series “Entourage,” sitcom “Mom,” animated sitcom “HouseBroken,” animated sitcom “The Simpsons,” and animated musical-comedy series “Phineas and Ferb.”
Additional movie credits include 2006’s parody sequel “Scary Movie 4,” 2006’s superhero rom-com “My Super Ex-Girlfriend,” 2009’s animated sci-fi comedy “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” and its sequel, 2009’s live-action animated musical comedy “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” (and two further sequels in the franchise), 2010’s live-action animated comedy “Yogi Bear,” 2012’s political satire movie “The Dictator,” 2013’s anthology comedy film “Movie 43,” 2014’s buddy cop action flick “21 Jump Street,” 2016’s buddy action comedy movie “Keanu,” and 2017’s animated comedy “The Emoji Movie.” In 2026, she’ll appear in another “Scary Movie” installment, and voice a character in “Toy Story 5.”
GettyChristopher Marquette (Mike Brander)
“Just Friends” was only the fourth movie a then-21-year-old Christopher Marquette had ever appeared in, playing Chris Brander’s younger brother, Mike. He had, however, featured quite prominently on television.
Per IMDb, his TV credits include roles in the sci-fi sitcom “Aliens in the Family,” teen drama “Beverly Hills, 90210,” animated show “The Kids from Room 402,” medical drama “Strong Medicine,” soap opera “Pasadena,” animated series “The Mummy,” animated series “Filmore!,” and family fantasy drama “Joan of Arcadia.”
The three movies he’d appeared in were 1999’s drama “The Tic Code,” 2003’s slasher horror “Freddy vs. Jason,” and 2004’s rom-com “The Girl Next Door.”
GettyMarquette’s filmography has grown substantially since his role in “Just Friends,” with many more roles on both the small and big screens.
He’s now appeared in TV shows like the dark comedy-drama “Weeds,” police procedural “Criminal Minds,” medical drama “House,” police procedural “Hawaii Five-0,” fantasy series “Lucifer,” action thriller series “The Fugitive,” action series “Magnum P.I.,” and sci-fi show “RZR.”
His movie credits now include 2006’s crime drama “Alpha Dog,” drama flick “The Education of Charlie Banks,” sci-fi adventure film “Race to Witch Mountain,” comedy horror “Infestation,” comedy movie “Fanboys,” zom-rom-com “Night of the Living Deb,” and drama movie “Nostalgia.”
GettyChris Klein (Dusty “Dusty Lee” Dinkleman)
Chris Klein played paramedic and former high school classmate of Chris and Jamie, Dusty “Dusty Lee” Dinkleman, in “Just Friends.” He was 26 at the time.
Per IMDb, Klein had a significant number of acting credits behind him at that point, but only in movies. He hadn’t appeared in any acting roles on television.
His movie credits included 1999’s satirical black comedy “Election,” 1999’s coming-of-age teen sex comedy “American Pie,” 2000’s romantic drama “Here on Earth,” 2001’s black comedy “Say It Isn’t So,” 2001’s comedy sequel “American Pie 2,” 2002’s sci-fi sports movie “Rollerball,” and 2002’s war movie “We Were Soldiers.”
GettyKlein, now 46, has since enjoyed a fruitful acting career that now extends to multiple roles on television, as well as many more movies.
His television credits include the animated sitcom “American Dad,” sitcom “Welcome to The Captain,” sitcom “Wilfred,” animated sci-fi series “Tron: Uprising,” superhero show “The Flash,” and romantic drama series “Sweet Magnolias.”
Movie-wise, he’s appeared in 2005’s sex comedy “The Long Weekend,” drama movie “Day Zero,” 2009’s martial arts action flick “Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li,” 2012’s comedy sequel “American Reunion,” 2018’s rom-com “The Competition,” and 2025’s slasher horror “Fear Street: Prom Queen.”
GettyStephen Root (KC)
Stephen Root played record label CEO KC in “Just Friends.” The experienced actor was 54 when the movie released. Per IMDb, his extensive career had already led to many roles on both the big and small screens.
On television, Root’s credits included the sitcom “Night Court,” legal drama “L.A. Law,” sci-fi miniseries “Golden Years,” sitcom “Blossom,” sitcom “NewsRadio,” animated sitcom “King of the Hill,” sitcom “Ladies Man,” animated series “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command,” sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle,” sitcom “Grounded for Life,” animated show “Kim Possible,” and sci-fi comedy series “Tripping the Rift.”
Root’s movie credits included the likes of 1988’s action comedy “Crocodile Dundee II,” 1989’s neo-noir action thriller “Black Rain,” 1998’s horror comedy “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” 1993’s sci-fi action flick “RoboCop 3,” 1999’s satirical black comedy “Office Space,” 2003’s animated comedy “Finding Nemo,” 2004’s comedy “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” and 2004’s festive rom-com “Surviving Christmas.”
GettyThe prolific Root’s filmography is now much larger. Now 74, he’s clearly incredibly hardworking, as his roles on television and in movies continuously come thick and fast.
His television credits now include shows like political drama “The West Wing,” animated sitcom “American Dad,” fantasy horror drama “True Blood,” action drama “24,” neo-Western crime drama “Justified,” animated series “Dragons: Riders of Berk,” police procedural sitcom “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” sitcom “Idiotsitter,” and black comedy crime drama series “Barry.”
Root’s movie credits now include 2006’s sci-fi comedy “Idiocracy,” 2007’s neo-Western crime thriller “No Country for Old Men,” 2009’s satirical black comedy war movie “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” 2011’s independent horror thriller “Red State,” 2013’s Western action flick “The Lone Ranger,” 2014’s historical drama “Selma,” 2016’s animated comedy “Finding Dory,” 2017’s psychological horror “Get Out,” and 2025’s action comedy “Heads of State.”
GettyJulie Hagerty (Carol Brander)
Julie Hagerty was 50 when she played Carol Brander, Chris Brander’s mother, in “Just Friends.” As an experienced actress, she had around 25 years of television and movie roles to her name (per IMDb).
At that time, her television credits included the sitcom “Princesses,” sitcom “Women of the House,” medical drama “ER,” sitcom “Reunited,” sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle,” and sitcom “Girlfriends.”
Among her many movie credits were 1980’s disaster comedy “Airplane!,” 1982’s follow-up “Airplane II: The Sequel,” 1985’s comedy “Bad Medicine,” 1991’s comedy “What About Bob?,” 2001’s surreal black comedy “Freddy Got Fingered,” and 2002’s mystery thriller “The Badge.”
GettyNow 70, Hagerty has continued to act virtually uninterrupted, amassing a plethora of additional television and movie credits.
On television, since appearing in “Just Friends,” she’s added the period sitcom “The Winner,” police procedural “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” animated sitcom “Family Guy,” sitcom “Happy Endings,” sitcom “Wilfred,” sitcom “New Girl,” historical dark comedy series “Black Monday,” and legal drama “Matlock” to her many credits.
Additional movies she’s since appeared in include 2006’s teen sports rom-com “She’s the Man,” 2009’s rom-com “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” 2013’s drama film “A Master Builder,” 2018’s comedy-drama “Instant Family,” 2019’s drama “Marriage Story,” 2019’s Christmas fantasy film “Noelle,” and 2023’s action comedy “The Out-Laws.”
GettyAlanis Morissette (Herself)
Ryan Reynolds’ then-fiancée Alanis Morisette made a cameo appearance as herself in “Just Friends,” playing one of Reynolds’ character’s former clients. She was 31 at the time.
Despite predominantly being known for her work as a singer-songwriter, Morissette had already done some acting at the time of “Just Friends’” release, both on television and in movies.
Per IMDb, she’d appeared on television in the likes of the romantic comedy-drama “Sex and the City,” comedy of manners “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and drama series “American Dreams.” Movies she’d appeared in included titles like 1993’s direct-to-video teen comedy “Anything for Love,” 1999’s fantasy comedy “Dogma,” 2001’s satirical stoner buddy action comedy “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” and 2004’s musical biopic “De-Lovely.”
GettyNow 51, Morissette is still far more well known for being a singer-songwriter, but she has added to her acting credits, too.
On television, her credits now include the likes of the medical drama “Nip/Tuck,” dark comedy-drama series “Weeds,” animated show “Top Wing,” and animated sitcom “The Great North.” She’s also featured as a guest judge and mentor on “American Idol.”
Meanwhile, her movie credits now include films like 2006’s climate change documentary “The Great Warming” and 2010’s dystopian flick “Radio Free Albemuth.”
GettySuffice it to say, the cast of “Just Friends” are looking great! Can you actually believe it’s been 20 years since it was released? We certainly can’t.
The post PHOTOS: The ‘Just Friends’ Cast Then & Now appeared first on EntertainmentNow.