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The Green Mile (1998) was a fantasy crime drama film that had viewers weeping and it still does today. The film followed Paul Edgecomb as a corrections officer on death row, nicknamed 'the green mile', during the Great Depression. Despite the film receiving feedback for having a long run time, audiences couldn't help getting invested in the characters.
The film takes an interesting turn with the arrival of inmate John Coffey who inhabits extraordinary supernatural abilities. The film had grossed $290 million dollars with its main cast including actors Tom Hanks, Sam Rockwell and Michael Clarke Duncan. The Green Mile became a classic film, but what happened to its main actors?
Michael Jeter (Eduard Delacroix)
Michael Jeter played inmate Eduard Delacroix. Delacroix has been there since the beginning of the film and develops a close bond to a mouse. Jeter passed away in 2003 from an epileptic seizure. Before his death, Jeter was recognized for playing Mister Noodle on Sesame Street from 1999 until 2004.
He had won a Tony Award in 1990 for his role in the musical Grand Hotel. While The Green Mile is one of his notable roles, you would recognize him in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit as Father Ignatius and Jurassic Park III (2001). His role as Smokey/Steamer in the Christmas film The Polar Express was released after his death. Jeter won an Emmy in 1992 for his role in the show Evening Shade (1990-94).
David Morse (Brutus "Brutal" Howell)
After playing Brutus Howell, a guard on 'the green mile', David Morse continued acting in film and television. He played the antagonist in the psychological thriller film, Disturbia (2007) and played Arkin In Passengers (2008). In 2009, he played Colonel Reed in the 2009 film, The Hurt Locker. In 2017, Morse had two roles in the films Trouble and Thank You for Your Service.
On television, Morse played NOPD Lt. Terry Colson in Treme (2010-13), as well as "big Foster" Farrell VI in Outsiders (2016-17). He recently was in the shows The Deuce (2019) and The Morning Show (2019). In the play The Iceman Cometh (2018), he was nominated for a Tony Award as Larry Slade.
Doug Hutchison (Percy Wetmore)
Actor Doug Hutchison played 'the green mile' guard Percy Wetmore. After the film, Hutchison had roles in the films No Good Deed (2002), Days of Wrath (2008) and Give 'em Hell, Malone (2009). He played Horace Goodspeed in seven episodes of Lost (2007-09) and six episodes as Schroeder in Kidnapped (2006-07).
His most recent roles were an appearance in iZombie(2019) and voicing Federal Marshal Cameron Burke in the video game Far Cry 5 (2018). In 2011, he faced controversy over marrying 16-year-old Courtney Stodden. The couple later divorced in 2018.
Bonnie Hunt (Jan Edgecomb)
Jan Edgecomb was the wife of corrections officer Paul Edgecomb. Jan was played by actor Bonnie Hunt. After the film, you would recognize Hunt for her role as Kate Baker in the film Cheaper by the Dozen (2003) and its sequel. She now does a lot of voice acting for animated films and televisions.
Hunt was Mrs. Flint in Monsters, Inc. (2001), Sally Carrera in the Cars (2006-17) films and voiced Dolly in Toy Story 3 (2010) and Toy Story 4 (2019). She also voiced Bonnie Hopps in Zootopia (2016) and Mermaid in Onward (2020). In Escape at Dannemora (2018), she has a recurring role as Catherin Leahy Scott in the miniseries.
Graham Greene (Arlen Bitterbuck)
Graham Greene played inmate Arlen Bitterbuck, who we see in the beginning of the film. Greene already had a number of film roles before The Green Mile. He continues acting in films, television film and television shows. He was in the films Desire (2000), Skins (2002), Transamerica (2005) and The Shack (2017).
Greene played Mr. Sherman Blackstone / Professor Joseph Duke in the show Wolf Lake (2001-02). He is also recognized for playing the supporting role of Harry Clearwater in the Twilight saga films staring in 2009. In 2018, he voiced Rains Falls in the video game Red Dead Redemption 2. He was also Littlecrow in the show Goliath (2019) and Warren Stokes in Antlers (2020).
James Cromwell (Warden Hal Moores)
Warden Hall Moores is in charge of the Cold Mountain Penitentiary and was played by James Cromwell. Cromwell has since played various roles in film including roles in I, Robot (2004), The Longest Yard (2005), voicing Robert Callaghan / Yokai in Big Hero 6 (2014), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and The Laundromat (2019).
Cromwell has also been in many television shows but is more recognized for his role in the FX show American Horror Story: Asylum (2012-13) as Dr. Arthur Arden/Hans Gruper. The role won him a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2019, he played Doug Coe in The Family. Cromwell is also an animal rights activist who was arrested on October 31st, 2019 at a demonstration by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Barry Pepper (Dean Stanton)
Dean Stanton is one of the prison guards on 'the green mile' and was played by actor Barry Pepper. After the film, Pepper continued his career in acting. Pepper has been in the films Flags of Our Father (2006), True Grit (2010), The Lone Ranger (2014) Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015-18).
In 2019, Pepper appeared in three films, Crawl, The Painted Bird and Running with the Devil. For his role as Robert F.Kennedy in The Kennedys (2011), Pepper won a Primetime Emmy Award. He is currently married to his wife Cindy and has one daughter.
Michael Clarke Duncan (John Coffey)
John Coffey has an intimidating muscular stature that towers over the guards and inmates on 'the green mile'. In reality, he has been wrongfully accused of a crime and has supernatural abilities. He was played by actor Michale Clarke Duncan.
Duncan passed away in 2012 after suffering a heart attack. Prior to his death, The Green Mile was his breakout role. He continued to appear in various roles in film including the films Armageddon (1998), Daredevil (2003) and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006). Duncan also appeared on television in George Lopez (2004), CSI: NY (2005) and had a lead role as Leo Knox in The Finder (2012). After his death, his last films were released including In the Hive (2012), From the Rough (2013) and The Challenger (2015).
Sam Rockwell (William "Wild Bill" Wharton)
Sam Rockwell has gone up the Hollywood ladder after his role in The Green Mile. Rockwell played inmate Wild Bill, the worst criminal of all the inmates. He is known for portraying Eric Knox in Charlie's Angels (2000). In 2008, he was in the film Frost/Nixon and played Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2 (2010). In 2011, he was in Cowboys & Aliens and was in Seven Psychopaths (2012) as Billy Bickle.
Rockwell won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). He was nominated for the same category for his role in Vice as George W.Bush. In 2019, he was in the films Jojo Rabbit, and Richard Jewell. In the miniseries, Fosse/Verdon (2019) where Rockwell portrays Bob Fosse, it got him nominated for an Emmy.
Tom Hanks (Paul Edgecomb)
While Tom Hanks was already a rising star before The Green Mile, starring in Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and Forest Gump (1994), he became an even bigger star after the film. He went on to portray notable roles in Cast Away (2000), Catch Me if You Can (2002), The Polar Express (2004), The Davinci Code and the sequel films, Saving Mr.Banks (2013) and Sully (2016).
Hanks also voices the famous voice of Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story (1995-2019) films alongside Tim Allen. Hanks also portrays the famous childhood television personality Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019). He will also star in the Greyhound (2020) directed by Aaron Schneider. In 2017, Hanks published the book Uncommon Type, a collection of short stories inspired by his typewriter collection.
Hanks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Barack Obama in 2016. In 2019, Tom Hanks is now a naturalized Greek citizen. He is still married to actor Rita Wilson.