Where the cast of Scream are now as Halloween slasher hit nears 30th anniversary
If there's one film guaranteed to make you think twice before answering an unknown phone number this Halloween, it's Scream.
Released all the way back in December 1996, the Wes Craven-directed slasher well and truly turned the horror genre on its head, serving up a masked killer, a seriously suspicious group of teenagers and enough twists to leave audiences questioning absolutely everyone.
It also gave us one of the most iconic opening scenes in cinema history, with Drew Barrymore's doomed Casey Becker answering a phone call that horror fans have never quite recovered from.
But while the film had audiences hiding behind their popcorn, its success was anything but a scream-worthy nightmare for its cast.
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For some, it became a career-defining role, while others went on to become household names in comedy, television and film. And, in one particularly juicy behind-the-scenes twist, it even brought two of its stars together in real life.
That's right - Scream wasn't just responsible for introducing the world to the dreaded Ghostface - it also played a part in the love story of Courteney Cox and David Arquette, who met on set before eventually marrying and welcoming a daughter together.
Now, with the original film approaching its 30th anniversary this December, we're taking a look back at the stars who made Woodsboro unforgettable, and discovering where their careers, lives and unexpected post-horror adventures have taken them since.
So, before you settle in for a Halloween rewatch, here's where the original Scream cast are now.
Neve Campbell - Sidney Prescott
You can't talk about Scream without talking about Sidney Prescott - after all, she has been the face of SEVEN spin-off blockbusters.
Played by Neve Campbell, Sidney was the high-school student at the centre of the Woodsboro murders, already grieving the death of her mother when a masked killer began targeting her and her friends. As the film's resourceful heroine, she became one of horror's defining final girls, turning Campbell into an enduring face of the slasher genre.
When it was first released three decades ago, Campbell was already known for playing Julia Salinger in the teen drama Party of Five, but Scream helped establish her as a bona fide horror star.
As we say, she returned as Sidney in Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4 as well as in the 2022 reboot, cementing her place at the heart of the franchise.
Away from Ghostface, Campbell appeared in films including The Craft, Wild Things and 54, before moving into television with roles in House of Cards and Netflix legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer, in which she plays prosecutor Maggie McPherson.
She also made headlines in 2022 when she declined to return for Scream VI over a pay dispute, explaining that the offer did not reflect the value she brought to the franchise. She subsequently returned for Scream 7, released in 2026, bringing Sidney back for another terrifying chapter.
Off screen, Campbell shares two sons with her partner, actor JJ Feild, and has balanced family life with a career spanning more than three decades.
I know, not bad for someone whose teenage character just wanted to survive high school.
Courteney Cox - Gale Weathers
Before she was running around Woodsboro chasing a killer, Courteney Cox was already a familiar face thanks to her role as Monica Geller in the much-loved NBC sitcom Friends.
But Scream gave her the chance to show off a rather different side of her acting abilities as Gale Weathers, the ambitious, sharp-tongued television reporter determined to get the biggest story of her career.
Gale's relationship with deputy sheriff Dewey Riley, played by David Arquette, became one of the franchise's most memorable storylines. Their on-screen chemistry was so convincing that romance blossomed off screen, too - but more on that in a moment.
Following Scream, Cox continued starring in Friends until its emotional 2004 finale, earning widespread recognition as one of television's most beloved sitcom stars.
She later led comedy series Cougar Town, earning a Golden Globe nomination, and appeared in Dirt and the horror-comedy Shining Vale.
She has also worked behind the camera, directing and producing projects throughout her career.
Cox reprised Gale in the subsequent Scream films, including Scream 7 in 2026, proving that a journalist with a sharp bob and an even sharper tongue is never far from the action.
Away from acting, she has pursued business ventures, including her home and lifestyle brand Homecourt, and remains a familiar face on social media, where she occasionally reunites with her former Friends co-stars.
As for her romance with Arquette, the pair married in 1999 and welcomed daughter Coco in 2004. They sadly separated in 2010 and finalising their divorce in 2013. They have remained friendly co-parents - and their unlikely Hollywood love story remains one of the sweetest things to come out of a film about a masked murderer.
David Arquette - Dewey Riley
Bumbling deputy sheriff Dewey Riley might not have been the most intimidating law enforcement officer in horror history, but David Arquette made him one of the most lovable.
Often underestimated and frequently thrown into danger, Dewey became a fan favourite thanks to his loyal nature, awkward charm and growing romance with Gale Weathers, played by Cox.
Arquette was already part of a well-known acting family before Scream, with credits including The Outsiders and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, Dewey became one of his signature roles, with the actor returning for multiple sequels, including the fifth film in 2022.
His career after Scream has been wonderfully varied. He appeared in romantic comedies such as Never Been Kissed, horror films including Bone Tomahawk and television shows such as Pushing Daisies and My Name Is Earl.
He also took an unexpected detour into professional wrestling, winning the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in 2000.
His wrestling journey was later explored in the documentary You Cannot Kill David Arquette, which followed his attempt to return to the ring and rebuild his reputation within the sport.
Dewey's story took a devastating turn in the 2022 version of Scream, when the character was killed by Ghostface, marking an emotional moment for long-time fans. However, Arquette returned to the franchise in Scream 7 in 2026.
In his personal life, he shares daughter Coco with Cox and has two sons with his wife, Christina McLarty. From Hollywood romances to wrestling rings, Arquette has certainly kept audiences guessing.
Matthew Lillard - Stu Macher
Matthew Lillard's Stu Macher might just be one of the most memorable horror villains of the 90s.
Initially introduced as the funny, slightly unhinged boyfriend of Tatum Riley, Stu is eventually revealed as one of the killers behind the Ghostface mask, working alongside Billy Loomis. His manic performance helped make the film's final reveal one for the ages.
Before Scream, Lillard had appeared in films including Serial Mom and Hackers, but Stu became a defining role.
He quickly established himself as a familiar face in teen films, starring in She's All That and Summer Catch before landing another iconic part as Shaggy Rogers in the live-action Scooby-Doo films.
He went on to become the voice of Shaggy in numerous animated projects, taking over the role after Casey Kasem retired. His television credits include The Bridge, Halt and Catch Fire, Twin Peaks, Good Girls and The Descendants.
Lillard also moved behind the camera, making his directorial debut with the independent film Fat Kid Rules the World in 2012. More recently, he has appeared in The Life of Chuck, based on Stephen King's work, and played William Afton in the Five Nights at Freddy's films.
And in 2026, he made a particularly exciting return to the franchise that started it all, reprising Stu in Scream 7.
Nearly 30 years after the original film, his character remains the subject of endless fan theories - proof that some horror villains simply refuse to stay dead.
Rose McGowan - Tatum Riley
Actress Rose McGowan played Tatum Riley, Sidney's fiercely loyal best friend and the girlfriend of Stu Macher. Funny, outspoken and quick with a comeback, Tatum was one of the film's most memorable supporting characters.
Her gruesome death in a garage door remains one of the franchise's most talked-about moments, and helped cement McGowan's place in horror history.
McGowan had already attracted attention for her role in Gregg Araki's The Doom Generation before Scream arrived. She followed it with the cult teen film Jawbreaker, becoming a recognisable face of late 90s alternative cinema.
Her career then took a supernatural turn when she joined Charmed in 2001 as Paige Matthews, the long-lost half-sister of the Halliwell witches. She remained with the series until its conclusion in 2006, before appearing in projects including Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse, where she played a gun-legged avenger in the film's gloriously over-the-top Planet Terror segment.
But McGowan's life took a significant turn beyond acting.
In 2017, she became one of the most prominent voices speaking out about sexual abuse in Hollywood and the allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein, later documenting her experiences in her memoir Brave and the documentary series Citizen Rose.
In recent years, she has stepped away from Hollywood, moving to Mexico in 2020 and becoming a permanent resident in 2021.
Speaking publicly in 2025, she described finding greater peace and joy away from the entertainment industry.
Her latest chapter has been less about red carpets and more about embracing a quieter life - a considerable change from the Hollywood spotlight she once occupied.
Skeet Ulrich - Billy Loomis
Skeet Ulrich's Billy Loomis initially appears to be Sidney's brooding, mysterious boyfriend. But as the story unfolds, audiences discover that there's far more to him than teenage angst.
Spoiler: Billy is one of the killers behind Ghostface, making him central to the film's most shocking twist.
Ulrich was already building a name for himself in the 90s, appearing in films such as The Craft and Boys. However, Scream helped establish him as a leading man, with his dark, intense performance becoming a defining part of the film's legacy.
He went on to star in the television drama Jericho, police series Law & Order: LA and the crime drama Riverdale, where he played FP Jones, the father of Jughead Jones. His other credits include As Good as It Gets, Escape Room and the supernatural comedy Robot Chicken.
Ulrich also returned to the Scream universe in the fifth film, appearing as Billy in visions experienced by his daughter, Sam Carpenter. It was a clever nod to the original that delighted long-time fans.
Away from acting, Ulrich has largely kept his personal life private. He has twin children, Jakob and Naiia, from his first marriage to actress Georgina Cates.
In another unexpected full-circle moment, Ulrich reunited with Lillard in Five Nights at Freddy's 2, released in 2025. Ulrich plays Henry Emily, a character tied to the franchise's sinister history, while Lillard returns as its murderous mastermind William Afton.
The reunion brought two of horror's most recognisable former co-stars together in an entirely new nightmare.
Jamie Kennedy - Randy Meeks
Every horror film needs someone who knows the rules, and in Scream, that was Randy Meeks.
Played by Jamie Kennedy, the horror-obsessed video-store employee is the one explaining exactly how characters can avoid becoming the next victim.
The joke, of course, is that knowing the rules doesn't necessarily mean you'll survive them.
Randy's affection for Sidney adds another layer to his character, while his friendship with the Woodsboro teens makes him an important part of the original film. He returned for Scream 2, where his death shocked fans, and appeared again through footage in Scream 3.
Kennedy went on to build a career in comedy, film and television. He starred in The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, a hidden-camera prank show that ran for three seasons, and appeared in films including Malibu's Most Wanted, Son of the Mask and Enemy of the State.
On television, he played Professor Eli James in Ghost Whisperer and made guest appearances in shows including Criminal Minds and Lucifer.
He's also worked as a voice actor and continued performing stand-up.
In recent years, Kennedy has maintained a varied career, appearing in films including Don't Suck, Portal in the Pines and Wingman. He also hosts his own podcast, Hate to Break It to Ya, where he discusses entertainment, culture and life beyond Hollywood.
Although Randy may have been the character who spent the most time explaining why horror sequels were a bad idea, Kennedy has continued to embrace the genre that made him famous.
Drew Barrymore - Casey Becker
She may have been in the public eye since childhood, but Drew Barrymore taking on the opening scene of the very first Scream movie meant she had a pretty big responsibility.
The actress played Casey Becker - the teenager who receives the terrifying phone call that opens the debut scene. What follows is one of cinema's most famous opening sequences, as a seemingly playful conversation about horror films turns into a deadly game, and lots and lots of gore.
As we say, Barrymore was already a major star long before Scream, having shot to fame as a child in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and her casting helped build anticipation for the film, which made Casey's early death all the more shocking.
It was a bold move that immediately announced Scream was not going to follow the usual slasher playbook.
Afterwards, Barrymore's career continued to flourish. She starred in beloved romantic comedies including The Wedding Singer, Never Been Kissed and 50 First Dates, as well as the Charlie's Angels films.
She also earned critical acclaim for her performance in Grey Gardens, winning a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2010.
Behind the scenes, Barrymore became a successful producer through Flower Films, which she co-founded with Nancy Juvonen. The company helped bring films including Never Been Kissed and Charlie's Angels to the screen.
More recently, she became the host of The Drew Barrymore Show, which launched in 2020 and entered its seventh season in 2026. She has also built a lifestyle and beauty business under the Flower name.
Barrymore shares two daughters, Olive and Frankie, with her former husband Will Kopelman. She has spoken about stepping back from acting to prioritise raising her children, while continuing to work on her talk show and business ventures.
For someone whose Scream character barely made it past the opening credits, Barrymore has certainly had a long Hollywood life.
Topics: TV And Film, Entertainment, US News, Celebrity, Halloween
Rhianna Benson