Robin Williams
Robin Williams (1951-2014) was an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild award winning actor and stand-up comedian, well-known for his roles in acclaimed movies such as Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Good Will Hunting (1997) and Night at the Museum (2006). He began his career as a stand-up comedian in San Francisco, and is credited with leading the city's comedy renaissance.
Critics were skeptical of Williams' ability to portray a more serious character like John Keating in Dead Poets Society after a career primarily focused on comedy. While a few reviewers made note that his comedic persona bled through in Keating's more lighthearted moments, Williams was by and large praised for his stirring performance, one that even garnered him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama, and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Robert Sean Leonard
Robert Sean Leonard (1969-) is an American actor best known for his role as Neil Perry in Dead Poets Society (1989) and as Dr. James Wilson on the TV show House (2004-2012). Leonard has also had a successful stage career, winning the 2001 Tony award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for his role in The Invention of Love. He's guest starred on a myriad of popular TV shows, most recently as William Holt on an episode of Blue Bloods (2017).
Leonard was only 19 years old when he portrayed Neil Perry in Dead Poets Society. To this day, he is close friends with his film co-star, Ethan Hawke.
Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke (1970-) is an American actor, director, writer, and novelist. While his role as Todd Anderson in Dead Poets Society (1989) remains his most financially successful project to date, his career has featured a long list of prominent acting, directing, and writing jobs, even earning him two Academy awards, one for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jake Hoyt in Training Day (2001), and one for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2004 film Before Sunset, in which he also starred. Dead Poets Society was among the first acting gigs Hawke ever had, and to this day he credits it as the defining breakthrough for his career. He also remains good friends with his film co-star, Robert Sean Leonard.
Josh Charles
Josh Charles (1971-) is an American stage, television, and film actor. His notable roles, aside from Knox Overstreet in Dead Poets Society, include Dan Rydell on Sports Night and Will Gardner on The Good Wife, for which he won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Dramatic Television Actor in 2014. His role as Knox in Dead Poets Society was only the second acting gig of his entire career, the first being Iggy in Hairspray (1988).
Gale Hansen
Gale Hansen (1960-) is an American actor best known for his role as Charlie "Nuwanda" Dalton in Dead Poets Society. After a few television acting roles in the 90s, Hansen retired from acting in 1998 and now works as a Creative Executive for a Film Finance Company in Beverly Hills, CA. Hansen was 28 years old when he portrayed high schooler Charlie Dalton in Dead Poets Society.
Norman Lloyd
Norman Lloyd (1914-) is an American actor, producer, and director with a career that began in 1932 during the Great Depression. At the time of this writing, he is the oldest working actor in Hollywood, at 102 years old. Lloyd produced and directed various television episodes throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and has acted in over 60 films and television shows, most recently in the upcoming TV series Fly, to be released in 2018.
Dylan Kussman
Dylan Kussman (1971-) is an American actor and writer, best known for playing Richard Cameron in Dead Poets Society. After the film's critical success, Kussman had numerous other film and television roles, including Dr. Allen Painter in The Way of the Gun (2000). He recently co-wrote the 2017 film The Mummy, starring Tom Cruise.
