'The Outsiders' film set in Oklahoma was released 40 years ago. Where is the cast now?
"The Outsiders" served as a kickstart for several future A-list actors, including C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Tom Cruise.
It had its theatrical release on March 24, 1983, and was directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and is based on S.E. Hinton novel.
The home where the movie was filmed was restored by Danny Boy O'Connor, formerly of the hip-hop group House of Pain. Several celebrates have taken tours at The Outsiders House Museum, including Leonardo DiCaprio, the band Green Day and "The Outsiders" author and Tulsa native S.E. Hinton.
Here is a look at where the cast of "The Outsiders" are now:
C. Thomas Howell: Michael 'Ponyboy' Curtis
Howell stars as Ponyboy Curtis, a bookish greaser who can quote Robert Frost.
He is most known for his roles in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," "Red Dawn," "The Hitcher" and a recurring role as a serial killer in "Criminal Minds."
Nearly 41 years after he journeyed to Tulsa to star as Ponyboy Curtis in the 1983 film "The Outsiders," Howell maintains strong ties to the Sooner State — and a deep love for the iconic movie that supplied just the second role of his almost lifelong acting career.
"I get how some people might feel like, 'Hey, dude, let go of the Ponyboy thing and move on.' I hope I'm never that way. I hope I'm never jaded that way. I love and respect 'The Outsiders' so dearly, and the children come to me and have so many questions," Howell said in a phone interview. "I feel I have a bit of responsibility to the piece in itself, just to respect and to honor it. It would be wrong not to, so I'm grateful for the duty."
'It's a special place': Howell shares love for Oklahoma ahead of release of restored 'Outsiders'
Matt Dillon: Dallas Winston
Dillon stars as Dallas Winston with blue eyes "blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world."
Dillon also starred in the film "Rumble Fish," also set in Oklahoma.
"Rumble Fish" follows a low-level street thug (Dillon) who is trying to live up to his older brother's (Mickey Rourke) reputation. The movie was shot at various locations throughout Oklahoma, but mostly in Tulsa. It is also directed by Coppola and based on Hinton's novel of the same name.
Dillon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Sgt. John Ryan in the 2005 film "Crash." The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing.
His works also include "There's Something About Mary," "The House That Jack Built," "Wild Things" and "You, Me and Dupree."
Cinematic classics: Several iconic films have been made in Oklahoma in the past 100 years
Ralph Macchio: Johnny Cade
Macchio stars as Johnny Cade, a "dark puppy that has been kicked too many times."
He went on to to have a breakout role as Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 film "The Karate Kid." He would reprise his role for "The Karate Kid Part II" and "The Karate Kid Part III." He would also reprise the role in 2018 for the series "Cobra Kai."
He also published a memoir "Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me" in 2022. The book traces the rise of Macchio after the original film's 1984 release.
"The book is always tied into the Daniel LaRusso of it all, ‘The Karate Kid’ journey of it all," Macchio tells USA TODAY. "Even though I talk about ‘The Outsiders’ and ‘My Cousin Vinny,’ and my life and my wife and kids here and there, and the '90s that got a little dry for me after the '80s success."
'It was magic':Ralph Macchio talks 'Cobra Kai,' relationship to Pat Morita in 'Waxing On'
Patrick Swayze: Darrel 'Darry' Curtis
Swayze starred as Darrel Curtis, oldest brother to Ponyboy.
He went on to star as Johnny Castle in “Dirty Dancing,” as Sam Wheat in “Ghost” and as Bodhi in “Point Break.”
"Dirty Dancing" was a cultural phenom that grossed $218 million at the global box office and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," sung by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
Swayze died of pancreatic cancer at age 57 in 2009.
“You’re only on this planet for so long,” Swayze says in a 2019 documentary. “You could be dead tomorrow, go for it now.”
Grab your tissues: 5 Patrick Swayze moments in the new documentary that'll give you all the feels
Rob Lowe: Sodapop Curtis
Lowe starred as Sodapop Curtis, the second oldest of the Curtis brothers.
In 1982, Lowe was relatively unknown in Hollywood. But now, he's most known for his roles in "9-1-1: Lone Star," "Parks and Recreation," "The West Wing" and "St. Elmo's Fire."
"I had my 18th birthday here, on the set of 'The Outsiders,'” Lowe told The Oklahoman and The Associated Press in 2017.
“Tulsa is where it all started for me,” he said. “I didn't go to college, I went to Tulsa. I left home and this is where I came. I did the movie here and I did a movie after that and a movie after that and a movie after that and that brought me to where I am today.”
Lowe also has a podcast, "Literally! With Rob Lowe," where he interviews celebrities and friends such as Oprah Winfrey, Chris Pratt and LeVar Burton.
'People want the real':Rob Lowe on his new podcast, binge-watching and '9-1-1: Lone Star'
Emilio Estevez: Keith 'Two-Bit' Matthews
Estevez stars as Two-Bit Matthews, a greaser and Steve Randle's bestfriend.
Estevez would go on to star in many '80s films such as "The Breakfast Club," "Young Guns" and "St. Elmo's Fire." He is the son of actor Martin Sheen and brother to Charlie.
In 2021, Estevez stepped back into his role of Gordon Bombay for "The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers," a revival of the '90s movie franchise now streaming on Disney+.
Decades later, Estevez, remains fond of his role. "I never had a coach like Bombay," he says of the "compassionate father figure."
"I wish I did. And I think that's probably why people connected with the character as they did."
'The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers': Emilio Estevez's surly Bombay is 'a guy who's given up'
Tom Cruise: Steve Randle
Cruise stars as Steve Randle, a greaser and Sodapop's best friend.
Cruise is most known for his roles in the films "Top Gun," "Jerry McGuire," the "Mission: Impossible" movie franchise and "The Last Samurai," to name a few.
He also starred opposite Dustin Hoffman in the 1988 film "Rain Man." The movie was filmed in El Reno, Guthrie and other Oklahoma locations. It won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor for Hoffman and Best Director for Barry Levinson.
Cruise has received the following Academy Award nominations: Best Actor for "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Jerry Maguire," Best Supporting Actor for "Magnolia" and Best Picture for "Top Gun: Maverick."
He was recently honored with a career achievement award at the 34th annual Producers Guild of America Awards.
"I was certain this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Cruise said, recalling that he studied the movie-making process. "I was overwhelmed by what I didn’t know."
Producers Guild Awards honor Tom Cruise, give top prize to 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'
Diane Lane: Sherri 'Cherry' Valance
Lane stars as Cherry, a Soc Cheerleader.
Lane has a long list of credits including "Unfaithful," "Under the Tuscan Sun," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "A Walk on the Moon," "Man of Steel," "Inside Out" and "Rumble Fish."
Lane was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film "Unfaithful."
Francis Ford Coppola: Director
Coppola and Hinton co-wrote the screenplay to her 1975 novel "Rumble Rish" on his days off from filming "The Outsiders." The director made the movies back to back in Tulsa.
With "The Outsiders," Coppola was able to cast the cream of the crop of Hollywood's young actors, whom he famously auditioned in groups, trying different combinations to get the right dynamic.
He said he decided to make the film adaptations of Oklahoma author Hinton’s novels after receiving a letter from a class of schoolchildren and their teacher, who said “The Outsiders” was their favorite book and the youngsters had elected him to make a movie of it.
Coppola has been nominated for 55 Academy Awards and has won a total of 5. He won Oscars for "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," "Apocalypse Now" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula."
Some of his works include: "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," "The Godfather Part II," "Apocalypse Now," "The Rainmaker," "Jack" and "Rumble Fish."
Remaining cast:
Glenn Withrow portrays Tim Shepard in the film. His last acting credit is a 1990 TV movie "By Dawn's Early Light." He was also cast in the film "Rumble Fish."
Leif Garret portrays Bob Sheldon. He is known his roles in "Walking Tall," "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, "Joe Dirt" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."
Darren Dalton portrays Randy Anderson. "The Outsiders" was Dalton's first acting role. He also appears in "Red Dawn."
Michelle Meyrink portrays Marcia. "The Outsiders" was also Meyrink's first role. Her last acting credit was in 1988 on "Permanent Record."
Tom Waits portrays Buck Merrill. Waits also appears in "Rumble Fish," "Seven Psychopaths" and "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs." Waits is also know for his musical career and has won two Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album for :Bone Machine" and Best Contemporary Folk Album for "Mule Variations".
Galard Sartain portrays Jerry. He is most known for his roles in "Fried Green Tomatoes," "The Replacements" and "The Grifters."
William Smith portrays the store clerk. He is most know for his roles in "Any Which Way You Can," "Rich Man, Poor Man," "Red Dawn" and "Laredo."
S.E. Hinton, author of the novel "The Outsiders," portrays a nurse in the film.
Sofia Coppola, daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, is credited as Little Girl (as Domino) in the film. Sofia Coppola won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for "Lost in Translation." She also became the first American woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director.
Flea, founding member and bassist for the rock band The Red Hot Chili Peppers, has an uncredited as Soc #3 in the film. He has also appeared in "Baby Driver," "Back to the Future Part II," "The Big Lebowski" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." The Red Hot Chili Peppers have won 3 Grammy Awards.
What is 'The Outsiders' about?
The 1967 coming-of-age novel received an equally iconic adaptation directed by Coppola.
The film takes place in Oklahoma in the 1960s and features rival teen gangs: the Socs, short for Socials and the Greasers. The house was home to the Curtis brothers and a hangout for their Greaser friends.
More:Author reflects on ‘The Outsiders' after 40 years
Where can you watch, stream, rent/buy 'The Outsiders'?
Contributing: The Associated Press and USA Today
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma film 'The Outsiders' 40 years later: Where is the cast now?
