Whatever Happened to the Cast of ‘Dazed and Confused’?
Dazed and Confused takes place on May 28, 1976, the last day of school at Lee High School in a small Texas town. Unlike many high school films set in the ’70s, Richard Linklater‘s 1993 indie film follows one long, strange night of cruising and keg parties, showcasing how teenagers try to find themselves during the summertime. The movie was written and directed by Linklater, inspired by his own youth in East Texas and filmed around Austin.
Released on September 24, 1993, it was not a huge hit at first, but it found its audience over time and became one of the great cult high school movies of the ’90s. Looking back, the cast is jam-packed with stars, featuring Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Joey Lauren Adams, and Renée Zellweger, all of whom were relatively unknown at the time.
This year, Hauser is back in the spotlight with Dutton Ranch, the spinoff to Yellowstone starring Hauser and Kelly Reilly as Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton. So, in honor of the movie’s May 28 anniversary and Hauser’s new show, here is what happened to the main cast of Dazed and Confused. With so many stars in the movie, if you’d like a part two to this, let us know in the comments.
Jason London as Randall “Pink” Floyd
Gabor Szitanyi/Gramercy Pictures/Everett Collection; Vertical Entertainment/Everett Collection
Jason London, 53, played Randall “Pink” Floyd, the popular quarterback who is being pressured to sign a pledge promising not to use drugs or do anything that could hurt the football team’s season. Before Dazed and Confused, London appeared in The Man in the Moon, the 1991 drama that also marked Reese Witherspoon‘s film debut.
After playing Pink, he continued acting in films such as To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, The Rage: Carrie 2, Out Cold, and Grind. London has also appeared in many independent films and television projects over the years, though Pink remains one of his best-known roles.
Matthew McConaughey as David Wooderson
Gramercy Pictures/Everett Collection; Apple TV+/Everett Collection
Matthew McConaughey, 56, played David Wooderson, the older guy who still hangs around with the high school crowd. His “all right, all right, all right” line became one of the most famous quotes from the movie and was later tied to McConaughey himself. Of course, McConaughey became one of the biggest stars from the cast. After Dazed and Confused, he appeared in A Time to Kill, Contact, The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Dallas Buyers Club, Interstellar, and True Detective. He won the Academy Award for best actor for Dallas Buyers Club.
Cole Hauser as Benny O’Donnell
Miramax/Everett Collection; Emerson Miller/Paramount Network/Paramount Global/Everett Collection
Cole Hauser, 51, played Benny O’Donnell, one of the football players and a close friend in Pink’s circle. After Dazed and Confused, Hauser appeared in Good Will Hunting, Pitch Black, Tigerland, Hart’s War, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and The Break-Up.
In recent years, Hauser is best known as Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone, the loyal ranch foreman whose romance with Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) is a fan favorite storyline. Hauser is now continuing that role opposite Reilly in Dutton Ranch, the Yellowstone spinoff that premiered on Paramount+ on May 15, 2026.
Ben Affleck as Fred O’Bannion
Gabor Szitanyi/Gramercy Pictures/Everett Collection; Claire Folger/Netflix/Everett Collection
Ben Affleck, 53, played Fred O’Bannion, a super senior who takes far too much pleasure in paddling incoming freshmen.
After Dazed and Confused, Affleck broke through in a much bigger way with Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote with Matt Damon. The film won them the Academy Award for original screenplay. Affleck later starred in Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, The Town, Gone Girl, Air, and several DC films as Batman. He also directed Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo, with Argo winning the Academy Award for best picture.
Parker Posey as Darla Marks
Everett Collection; Fabio Lovino/HBO/Everett Collection
Parker Posey, 57, played Darla Marks, the senior girl leading one of the movie’s most infamous hazing scenes.
After Dazed and Confused, Posey became one of the defining actresses of the ’90s independent film scene. She appeared in Party Girl, The House of Yes, Clockwatchers, Waiting for Guffman, and Best in Show, earning the nickname “Queen of the Indies.” She also appeared in bigger films such as You’ve Got Mail, Scream 3, Josie and the Pussycats, and Superman Returns. More recently, she reached a new generation of viewers with The White Lotus during its third season.
Milla Jovovich as Michelle Burroughs
Gramercy Pictures/Everett Collection; Magenta Light Studios/Everett Collection
Milla Jovovich, 50, played Michelle Burroughs, Kevin Pickford’s (Shawn Andrews) girlfriend.
Jovovich went on to become a major action and science fiction star. She appeared in The Fifth Element, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, and the long-running Resident Evil film franchise. She also worked with director Paul W.S. Anderson on several films, including Monster Hunter and In the Lost Lands. Before and alongside acting, Jovovich was also a successful model and musician.
Rory Cochrane as Ron Slater
Everett Collection; Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios
Rory Cochrane, 54, played Ron Slater, the long-haired stoner who provides some comic relief. After the film, Cochrane appeared in another cult ’90s favorite, Empire Records. He later played Tim Speedle on CSI: Miami and appeared in A Scanner Darkly, Public Enemies, Black Mass, Argo, and Yellowstone. Like several of his Dazed and Confused castmates, Cochrane ended up connected to an Oscar-winning film when Argo won Best Picture.
Joey Lauren Adams as Simone Kerr
Gramercy Pictures/Everett Collection; Lionsgate/Everett Collection
Joey Lauren Adams, 58, played Simone Kerr, Pink’s “friend” and part of the group heading off to get Aerosmith tickets by the end of the movie.
After Dazed and Confused, Adams became closely associated with Kevin Smith‘s films. She appeared in Mallrats and then starred opposite Ben Affleck in Chasing Amy, earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. She also appeared in Bio-Dome, Michael, Big Daddy, and The United States of Tara. Adams has also worked as a director.
Wiley Wiggins as Mitch Kramer
Everett Collection; Amy E. Price/Getty Images
Wiley Wiggins, 49, played Mitch Kramer, the incoming freshman who gets pulled into the older kids’ world and given his first real taste of teenage freedom. Wiggins was from Austin and was still a teenager when he made the movie. He later worked with Linklater again on Waking Life and appeared in films including Love and a .45 and Computer Chess.
He did not follow the same mainstream Hollywood path as some of his co-stars, instead becoming involved in independent film, game design, writing, and digital culture.
Renée Zellweger as Nesi White
Aaron Spelling Prods/Everett Collection; Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures/Everett Collection
Renée Zellweger, 57, had a small, blink-and-miss-it uncredited role as Nesi White, a.k.a. The Girl in the Blue Truck, in Dazed and Confused. Zellweger went on to star in Jerry Maguire, Nurse Betty, Chicago, Cold Mountain, Judy, and the Bridget Jones films. She won two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Cold Mountain and Best Actress for Judy. In 2025, she returned to one of her signature roles in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
Adam Goldberg as Mike Newhouse
Everett Collection; Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Adam Goldberg, 55, played Mike Newhouse, one of the brainier students who spends the night trying to decide whether he wants to join the party or judge it.
Goldberg has stayed busy for decades since Dazed and Confused. He appeared in Saving Private Ryan, A Beautiful Mind, Zodiac, The Hebrew Hammer, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. On television, he played Eddie on Friends, appeared on Entourage and Fargo, and, more recently, starred as Harry Keshegian on The Equalizer from 2021 to 2025.
Anthony Rapp as Tony Olson
Everett Collection; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Anthony Rapp, 54, played Tony Olson, Mike and Cynthia’s friend who connects with freshman Sabrina by the end of the night. Rapp had already appeared in films such as Adventures in Babysitting and School Ties before Dazed and Confused, but his biggest stage role came shortly after, when he originated the role of Mark Cohen in Rent. The musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical, and Rapp shared an Obie Award with the original cast. He later reprised the role in the 2005 film version. He also appeared in A Beautiful Mind and played Paul Stamets on Star Trek: Discovery from 2017 to 2024.
Michelle Burke as Jodi Kramer
Everett Collection; Amy E. Price/Getty Images
Michelle Burke, 55, played Jodi Kramer, Mitch’s older sister. Burke had a strong early ’90s run, appearing in both Dazed and Confused and Coneheads in 1993. She also appeared in Major League II and later acted under the names Michelle Rene Thomas and Michelle Thomas. Burke continued acting in television and film, including Little Men, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, The Final Wish, and Alone, though Jodi Kramer remains one of her best-known roles.
In Memoriam: Nicky Katt as Clint Bruno
Warner Independent Pictures/Everett Collection
Nicky Katt played Clint Bruno, the tough guy who gets into a fight with Mike at the party. Katt went on to appear in A Time to Kill, Boiler Room, The Limey, Insomnia, and Sin City. On television, he was known for playing Harry Senate on Boston Public. Katt died on April 8, 2025, at age 54.
Where to Watch Dazed and Confused
Dazed and Confused is available to rent or buy digitally through Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango at Home.
Remind 
February 2021
1990s Rom-Coms
Pop some popcorn and cozy up to feel-good movies and TV shows from a generation ago.
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