Eleanor Ann 'Ellie' Arroway

Jodie Foster

Young Ellie

Jena Malone

Palmer Joss

Matthew McConaughey

Michael Kitz

James Woods

Fisher

Geoffrey Blake

S.R. Hadden

John Hurt

David Drumlin

Tom Skerritt

Kent Clark

William Fichtner

Vernon

Sami Chester

Ted Arroway

David Morse

Davio

Timothy McNeil

Cantina Woman

Laura Elena Surillo

Rachel Constantine

Angela Bassett

Willie

Maximilian Martini

Minister

Henry Strozier

Richard Rank

Rob Lowe

Joseph

Jake Busey

Mission Director

Tucker Smallwood

Ian Broderick

Thomas Garner

John Holliman

John Holliman

Bobbie Battista

Bobbie Battista

Jeremy Roth

Dan Gifford

Dee Dee Myers

Dee Dee Myers

Senator Valencia

Vance Valencia

Bryant Gumbel

Bryant Gumbel

Larry King

Larry King

Donna Kelley

Donna Kelley

Jay Leno

Jay Leno

Leon Harris

Leon Harris

Ann Druyan

Ann Druyan

KOB-TV Reporter

Conroy Chino

Claire Shipman

Claire Shipman

Latina Anchor

Maria Celeste Arraras

Middle Eastern Anchor

Behrooz Afrakhan

Tabitha Soren

Tabitha Soren

Hadden Suit (uncredited)

Michael Chaban

Geraldo Rivera

Geraldo Rivera

British Anchor

Ian Whitcomb

Japanese Anchor

Saemi Nakamura

Michael Kitz

Jimi Woods

Natalie Allen

Natalie Allen

Robert D. Novak

Robert D. Novak

Geraldine A. Ferraro

Geraldine A. Ferraro

Decryption Hacker

Michael Albala

Kathleen Kennedy

Kathleen Kennedy

Decryption Expert

Ned Netterville

Major Domo

Leo Lee

Chairman of Joint Chiefs

William Jordan

Joint Chief

David St. James

Jill Dougherty

Jill Dougherty

Drumlin Aide

Haynes Brooke

Linden Soles

Linden Soles

Major Russell

Steven Ford

Major Russell's Son

Alexander Zemeckis

French Committee Member

Philippe Bergeron

Major Russell's Daughter

Janie Peterson

Dr. Patel

Jennifer Balgobin

British Committee Member

Anthony Hamilton

NASA Technician

Marc Macaulay

NASA Public Relations

Rebecca T. Beucler

Voice of NASA (voice)

Pamela Wilsey

Mechanical

Jeffery Thomas Johnson

Electrical

Yuji Okumoto

Dynamics

Gerry Griffin

Communications

Brian Alston

Pad Leader

Rob Elk

Security

Mark Thomason

Controller #8

José Rey

New VLA Technician

Todd Patrick Breaugh

Russian Cosmonaut

Alex Veadov

Scientist

Alice Kushida

Project Official

Robin Gammell

Mission Doctor

Richardson Morse

Japanese Ensign

Seiji Okamura

Bernard Shaw

Bernard Shaw

Japanese Tech #1

Mak Takano

Japanese Tech #2

Hiroshi Tom Tanaka

Life Support

Catherine Dao

Dynamics #2

Kristoffer Ryan Winters

Woman Senator

Valorie Armstrong

Reporter #5

Jim Hild

Reporter #6

William L. Thomas

School Boy

Diego Montoya

White House Official (uncredited)

Jonathan Adler

Robert Hand (uncredited)

Tony Boldi

Scientist (uncredited)

Christopher Boyer

Press Reporter (uncredited)

Ray Buffer

Protester (uncredited)

Mark Byrne

Supporter (uncredited)

Candice T. Cain

President's Secretary (uncredited)

Aixa Clemente

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Bill Clinton

Ailing Believer (uncredited)

Derrick Damions

Philanthropy Bureaucrat (uncredited)

Elaina Erika Davis

Philanthropy Bureaucrat

Elaina Davis

Factory Worker (uncredited)

Joey Dente

IMC Police Officer (uncredited)

Michael Egan

Controller (uncredited)

Carl Gilliard

Adolf Hitler

TV Interviewer (uncredited)

William B. Kaplan

Astronaut (uncredited)

Boris Lee Krutonog