The Thing is a classic horror film from 1982, and here is everything that the cast has done since the film’s conclusion. The film follows a team of researchers who are determined to study an alien spacecraft that has been found in Antarctica. While there, they discover an alien who has been buried in ice and can imitate human form, making the group have to decipher who’s real and who’s in “The Thing” in disguise. The movie is a remake of 1951’s The Thing From Another World and another film has been speculated to be in the works.
One of the elements that made The Thing (1982), arguably one of the best horror movies of all time, have continued relevance decades later is the strong cast that brings the unique characters to life. Each one is memorable, partially because of the performances. For those curious as to what The Thing cast has been up to, here is a breakdown of their projects since 1982.
9 Kurt Russell As R.J. MacReady
Kurt Russell portrayed one of the main protagonists of The Thing, R.J. MacReady. Russell went on to star in multiple other projects. After The Thing, Russell starred in 1983’s Silkwood alongside the talented Meryl Streep. After that, he went on to do eight other movies in the 80s, each with varying degrees of success. Within the last decade, he has been in major movie franchises like Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and The Fast and the Furious series. He has also collaborated twice with Quentin Tarantino. Russell is now set to star in Matthew McConaughey’s upcoming movie, The Rivals of Amziah King.
8 Keith David As Childs
The Emmy-award-winning actor, Keith David, has continued to find success after playing Childs in The Thing. He went on to star in many ’80s films, including Hot Pursuit, Bird, and Stars and Bars. He continued to work throughout the ’90s, participating in projects such as Men at Work, Final Analysis, Dead Presidents, and There’s Something About Mary. In more recent years, Keith David had supporting roles in popular films, Nice Guys and Nope.
David also began to lend his voice to animated projects, such as Hercules, Coraline, and The Princess and the Frog. In addition to his impressive filmography, David has lent his skills to the small screen. He’s held small parts on shows like Blackfish, Family Guy, and SpongeBob Squarepants.
7 Wilford Brimley As Dr. Blair
Wilford Brimley played an important role in The Thing, a scientist named Dr. Blair who is eventually infected by the titular character. Brimley passed away in 2020 but had continued to work for decades after his role in The Thing. His most well-known roles were in The Natural, Cocoon, and Did You Hear About the Morgans?. He also worked on popular television shows, including Seinfeld and Walker, Texas Ranger.
6 T.K. Carter As Nauls
T.K. Carter portrayed the comedic character Nauls in 1982’s The Things and has continued to work in entertainment ever since. It’s no surprise that he was able to make audiences laugh in The Thing, considering he’s been doing stand-up since he was just 12 years old. Carter is best known for his work on shows like Punky Brewster, Everybody Hates Chris, Stumptown, and How To Get Away With Murder. Although his television work is more well-known, he has continued to work in film on projects like The Way Back, Ski Patrol, Space Jam, and Domino.
5 Richard Masur As Clark
Richard Masur has continued in entertainment in several different ways since playing Clark in The Thing. His character was a dog handler with a tragic ending, but the actor’s entertainment career did not suffer the same fate after the film. Masur served as president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) for two terms from 1995 to 1999 and has in many of well-known projects in both television and film. He had roles in The Embassy, Walker, License to Drive, My Girl, and Pennywise: The Story of IT. In addition, he has been on shows like The Good Fight, Orange is the New Black and Felicity.
4 Richard Dysart As Cooper
The award-winning actor who played the chief physician in The Thing, Richard Dysart, had a successful career afterward. Dysart passed away in 2015 at the age of 86, but before that, he proved his acting chops many times over in the horror genre and beyond. Dysart was in films like Mask, Warning Sign, and Day One. Aside from his notable role in Thing, he is best known for his work on L.A. Law. He was in 171 episodes and played Leland McKenzie. Dysart’s portrayal of the character was so memorable, that he won a 1992 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Character.
3 David Clennon As Palmer
David Clennon played Palmer in The Thing, an assistant mechanic who delivers many laughs. After this role, he has gone on to work on film projects like 1984’s Falling in Love, 2005’s Syriana, 2011’s J.Edgar with Leonardo DiCaprio, and 2014’s Gone Girl. What sets Clennon’s career apart is his ability to jump from genre to genre. Whether it be horror, thriller, mystery, or romance, Clennon seems to have the acting job to do it all.
2 Thomas G. Waites As Windows
Thomas G. Waites was one of the youngest members of The Thing‘s cast, and he played a goofy and short-fused radio operator named Windows. Since the film, Whites has continued to act but has also taken a stab at directing and teaching. He starred in the 2012 action film Broadway’s Finest and the 2021 horror film, 6:45, in addition to many others. Waites has had TV appearances on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Law & Order, and The Equalizer. He also runs an acting studio named after himself in New York.
1 Donald Moffat As Garry
Donald Moffat portrayed Garry, a stern station commander and leader of Outpost 31 in The Thing. Like many other characters in the film, his fate was grim, but the actor’s future was not. He worked on several television projects, including The West Wing and Law and Order. Moffat did not abandon film, though, and continued to work on big-screen projects such as Housesitter, The Right Stuff, and Regarding Henry. Donald Moffat passed away in 2018, at 87 years old, and is remembered as a great actor.
