Jodie Foster

Character: Ellie Arroway

Matthew McConaughey

Character: Palmer Joss

James Woods

Character: Michael Kitz

John Hurt

Character: S. R. Hadden

Tom Skerritt

Character: David Drumlin

William Fichtner

Character: Kent

David Morse

Character: Ted Arroway

Angela Bassett

Character: Rachel Constantine

Geoffrey Blake

Character: Fisher

Max Martini

Character: Willie

Rob Lowe

Character: Richard Rank

Jake Busey

Character: Joseph

Tucker Smallwood

Character: Mission Director

Jena Malone

Character: Young Ellie

Sami Chester

Character: Vernon

Timothy McNeil

Character: Davio

Laura Elena Surillo

Character: Cantina Woman

Henry Strozier

Character: Minister

Larry King

Character: Larry King

Thomas Garner

Character: Ian Broderick

Conroy Chino

Character: KOB-TV Reporter

Dan Gifford

Character: Jeremy Roth

Vance Valencia

Character: Senator Valencia

Donna Kelley

Character: Donna Kelley

Leon Harris

Character: Leon Harris

Claire Shipman

Character: Claire Shipman

Behrooz Afrakhan

Character: Middle Eastern Anchor

Saemi Nakamura

Character: Japanese Anchor

Maria Celeste Arraras

Character: Latina Anchor

Tabitha Soren

Character: Tabitha Soren

Geraldo Rivera

Character: Geraldo Rivera

Ian Whitcomb

Character: British Anchor

Jay Leno

Character: Jay Leno

Natalie Allen

Character: Natalie Allen

Robert D. Novak

Character: Robert D. Novak

Geraldine A. Ferraro

Character: Geraldine A. Ferraro

Ann Druyan

Character: Ann Druyan

Kathleen Kennedy

Character: Kathleen Kennedy

Michael Albala

Character: Decryption Hacker

Ned Netterville

Character: Decryption Expert

Leo Lee

Character: Major Domo

William Jordan

Character: Chairman of Joint Chiefs

David St. James

Character: Joint Chief

Jill Dougherty

Character: Jill Dougherty

Haynes Brooke

Character: Drumlin Aide

John Holliman

Character: John Holliman

Bobbie Battista

Character: Bobbie Battista

Dee Dee Myers

Character: Dee Dee Myers

Bryant Gumbel

Character: Bryant Gumbel

Linden Soles

Character: Linden Soles

Steven Ford

Character: Major Russell

Alexander Zemeckis

Character: Major Russell's Son

Janie Peterson

Character: Major Russell's Daughter

Philippe Bergeron

Character: French Committee Member

Jennifer Balgobin

Character: Dr. Patel

Anthony Hamilton

Character: British Committee Member

Rebecca T. Beucler

Character: NASA Public Relations

Marc Macaulay

Character: NASA Technician

Pamela Wilsey

Character: Voice of NASA (voice)

Jeffery Thomas Johnson

Character: Mechanical

Yuji Okumoto

Character: Electrical

Gerry Griffin

Character: Dynamics

Brian Alston

Character: Communications

Rob Elk

Character: Pad Leader

Mark Thomason

Character: Security

José Rey

Character: Controller #8

Todd Patrick Breaugh

Character: New VLA Technician

Alex Veadov

Character: Russian Cosmonaut

Alice Kushida

Character: Scientist

Robin Gammell

Character: Project Official

Richardson Morse

Character: Mission Doctor

Seiji Okamura

Character: Japanese Ensign

Bernard Shaw

Character: Bernard Shaw

Mak Takano

Character: Japanese Tech #1

Hiroshi Tom Tanaka

Character: Japanese Tech #2

Catherine Dao

Character: Life Support

Kristoffer Ryan Winters

Character: Dynamics #2

Valorie Armstrong

Character: Woman Senator

Jim Hild

Character: Reporter #5

William L. Thomas

Character: Reporter #6

Diego Montoya

Character: School Boy

Jonathan Adler

Character: White House Official (uncredited)

Robert Aguilar Jr.

Character: NASA Controller #2 (uncredited)

Mark Bailey

Character: Four-Star General (uncredited)

Matt Bennett

Character: Senate Observer (uncredited)

Tony Boldi

Character: Robert Hand (uncredited)

Christopher Boyer

Character: Scientist (uncredited)

Christine Brady

Character: White House Official (uncredited)

Ray Buffer

Character: Press Reporter (uncredited)

Mark Byrne

Character: Protester (uncredited)

Candice T. Cain

Character: Supporter (uncredited)

Michael Chaban

Character: Hadden Suit (uncredited)

Aixa Clemente

Character: President's Secretary (uncredited)

Bill Clinton

Character: Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Derrick Damions

Character: Ailing Believer (uncredited)

Elaina Erika Davis

Character: Philanthropy Bureaucrat (uncredited)

Joey Dente

Character: Factory Worker (uncredited)

Michael Egan

Character: IMC Police Officer (uncredited)

Jeff Elmore

Character: Monk (uncredited)

Pamela Fischer

Character: Pedestrian (uncredited)

Carl Gilliard

Character: Controller (uncredited)

William B. Kaplan

Character: TV Interviewer (uncredited)

Boris Lee Krutonog

Character: Astronaut (uncredited)

Ming Lo

Character: Pod Systems Control (uncredited)

Sunshine Logroño

Character: Puerto Rican Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Denise Loveday

Character: Press Secretary (uncredited)

Neal Matarazzo

Character: Kitz's Aide (uncredited)

Bill Miller

Character: Reporter (uncredited)

Molly Mueller

Character: Family Exchange (uncredited)

Paul L. Nolan

Character: Ellie's Attorney (uncredited)

Marisa Petroro

Character: Oval Office Secretary (uncredited)

Errica Poindexter

Character: Police Officer (uncredited)

J.A. Preston

Character: Senator (uncredited)

Frank Principe

Character: Ailing Believer (uncredited)

Billy Quinn

Character: Security Guard (uncredited)

Thomas Reid

Character: Senate Hearing (uncredited)

Leo Rogstad

Character: Ailing Believer (uncredited)

Russell Sanderlin Sr.

Character: Photographer (uncredited)

Frank Silva

Character: Army Officer (uncredited)

John A. Taylor

Character: Senate Hearing Attendee (uncredited)

Todd Thompson

Character: News Reporter (uncredited)

Cenk Uygur

Character: Reporter (uncredited)

Holly Cross Vagley

Character: Religious Zealot (uncredited)

Eric Alan Wendell

Character: Protester (uncredited)

Delaney Williams

Character: Believer #1 (uncredited)

Gregory L. Williams

Character: Extra (uncredited)