The Goonies Cast: Where Are They Now?

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Not only was Goonies a must-watch film for every 1980s tween full of great quotes, but it also served as a launching pad for several talented child actors. Among them are Josh Brolin (The Avengers, No Country For Old Men and True Grit), Sean Astin (The Lord of the Ring, Encino Man), and Martha Plimpton (Pecke, 200 Cigarettes).The Goonies also stars Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Jonathan Luke Ke Huy Quan, John Matuszak, Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, and Anne Ramsey.

So where are the Goonies cast today? Some of them went on to star in major film projects, while others chose to pursue life behind the camera. Here’s what the Goonies cast has been up to since the film’s release in 1985.

Sean Astin (Mikey)

Goonies was Sean Astin’s first major film. In the years since, he’s starred in a string of successful projects, including the lead in Rudy (1993) and Samwise Gamgee in the blockbuster The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003).

Astin has also made memorable appearances in 50 First Dates, Stranger Things and more. He has done voice acting for many animated favorites, too, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Justice League Unlimited. These days, the actor takes time to pursue political activism in addition to working on several film projects.

Corey Feldman (Mouth)

Goonies helped launch Feldman as a 1980s teen idol. He followed up Goonies with a string of Hollywood hits, including Stand By Me (1986), The Lost Boys (1987), The ‘Burbs (1989), and License to Drive (1988).

He also became a famous teen heartthrob and fixture on the Hollywood party scene. But Feldman later struggled with substance abuse issues and his acting work dried up.

In recent years, he has focused on his music career while continuing to act in indie films and reality shows. Feldman made shocking allegations about sexual abuse he suffered as a child actor, too. He lives a quieter life now, sharing custody of his young son with ex-wife Susannah Sprague.

Josh Brolin (Brand)

Mikey’s big brother Brand was the epitome of cool to ’80s kids thanks to Josh Brolin’s laidback charisma. Brolin didn’t have the same instant success as some of his costars, like Felman and Astin, but he would go on to have an incredibly successful film career. After Goonies, Brolin acted in smaller films and TV shows until 2007 with his breakout roles in No Country for Old Men, American Gangster, and Grindhouse. Some of Brolin’s other notable films include True Grit (2010), W. (2008), Men In Black 3 (2012), and both Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), where he played the mega villain, Thanos.

Jeff Cohen (Chunk)

If you’ve been wondering what happened to Chunk from Goonies, you aren’t alone. Chunk’s zany antics and unforgettable “Truffle Shuffle” made him one of the most lovable members of The Goonies cast. But Jeff Cohen, the actor who played Chunk, quit acting shortly after the film. He’s still “in” show business, just not in front of the camera. Cohen is now an entertainment lawyer at Cohen Gardner Law in Beverly Hills, and in 2011 wrote a book on dealmaking.

Chunk will always be an iconic ’80s character, but Cohen seems perfectly happy calling the shots from behind the scenes nowadays.

Kerri Green (Andy) 

In addition to Goonies, Green starred in a couple more 1980s hit films, including Lucas (1986) and Summer Rental (1985). Then Green took a hiatus from acting to earn a degree from Vassar College, returning to the screen in the ’90s. Some post-Goonies credits include ER, Mad About You, and Law & Order. She also created a film production company called Independent Women Artists in the late-1990s.

Martha Plimpton (Stef)

After Goonies, Plimpton went on to star in both film and Broadway projects. A few of her major stage roles include The Coast of Utopia (2006-2007), Top Girls (2007-2008), Pal Joey (2008-2009), and Hedda Gabler (2005). She has three Tony Awards nominations. Plimpton’s notable TV and film roles have included Pecker (1998), 200 Cigarettes (2002), The Mosquito Coast (1986), The Blacklist, and Frozen II (2019).

John Matuszak (Sloth)

Professional football player turned actor, Matuszak’s other TV and film credits include One Crazy Summer (1986), Cheers, M*A*S*H, and Miami Vice. Sadly, he died in 1989, just a couple of years after Goonies from an accidental overdose.

Robert Davi (Jake)

After reviewing Davi’s list of work, it looks like he is either cast as a villain or a cop. Davi has played the “bad guy” in Die Hard (1988), License To Kill (1989), and Stargate: Atlantis (2004-2008), to name a few. But when he’s not the bad guy, he’s a cop or FBI agent. You might have recognized Davi playing law enforcement roles in The Pretender and Profiler, among others.

Joe Pantoliano (Francis)

In addition to having significant roles in The Sopranos (1999-2006), Sense8 (2015-2018), and The Matrix (1999), Pantoliano is also an author. His book is titled “Asylum: Hollywood Tales from My Great Depression: Brain Dis-Ease, Recovery, and Being My Mother’s Son” and details his struggles with depression.

Anne Ramsey (Mama Fratelli)

Ramsey had something in common with her young Goonies costars: Goonies was the first major film for all of them. Throughout the 1970s, Ramsey played small episodic roles in TV shows, including Wonder Woman, CHiPs, and Charle’s Angels. But she wouldn’t get her first significant film role until The Goonies when she was already in her mid-50s. Ramsey followed up Goonies with Danny DeVito and Billy Crystals‘ film, Throw Momma from the Train (1987) and received an Oscar nomination for her acting. Ramsey sadly passed away from cancer a couple of years later in 1989.

Jonathan Ke Huy Quan (Data)

Jonathan Ke Huy Quan (Data): At the time Goonies was released, Quan was already a familiar face in Hollywood. Right before Goonies, he played Harrison Ford’s sidekick in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984). After some acting roles, including Encino Man (1992) and an episode of Head Of The Class (1986), Quan focused on coordinating stunt projects behind the camera.

But in 2022, he made a triumphant return to the main screen in the film Everything Everywhere All At Once where he won an Oscar for his supporting role. Audiences and critics alike celebrated Ke Huy Quan’s long-awaited return to acting. We can’t wait to see Data’s next act!

From Rudy to Thanos: The Remarkable Transformations of the Goonies Cast Over The Years

Though some Goonies stars became A-listers and award winners, while others quit Hollywood entirely, their shared screen debut remains an absolute cult classic. Wherever the old gang may venture next individually, the Goonies forever bonds them in pop culture history.

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