Joan Allen and Tobey Maguire in ‘Pleasantville’.Photo:Courtesy Everett Collection
Courtesy Everett Collection
“I think we look on that time in the 1950s and say they were all so innocent and pure but really it was more about ignorance and not looking at reality and not wanting to face what was really happening with racism and segregation,“Witherspoon said in an interviewwith Screen Slam. “It’s about finding something inside you.”
The cast included screen stars Joan Allen, Jane Kaczmarek andWilliam H. Macy, in addition toPaul Walker, who died in November of 2013, JT Walsh, who died in 1998, and Don Knotts, who made his last on-screen appearance inPleasantvillebefore his death in 2006.
Here, on the film’s milestone anniversary, catch up with some of the movie’s stars, then and now.
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Reese Witherspoon as Jennifer
Reese Witherspoon in ‘Pleasantville’ and now.Courtesy Everett Collection;Getty
Courtesy Everett Collection;Getty
In the years that followed, Witherspoon became one of the top actresses in Hollywood, moving onto other teen faves likeCruel IntentionsandElectionbefore jumping into Elle Woods' pink shoes fortheLegally Blondefranchise. She won an Oscar in 2006 for playing June Carter in the Johnny Cash biopicWalk the Line.
Themom of three(she shares son Deacon and daughter Ava with ex Ryan Phillippe and son Tennessee with ex Jim Toth) now has her own production company,Hello Sunshine, and scored an Emmy nomination in 2022 for her work onThe Morning Show.
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Tobey Maguire as David
Tobey Maguire in ‘Pleasantville’ and now.Courtesy Everett Collection;Getty
Like Witherspoon, Maguire had a string of teen hits to his name before he played her brother David inPleasantville.
In the years since, he most famously wove Spider-Man’s webs in the early 2000s version of the franchise, and scored a Golden Globe Award nomination for 2010’sBrothers.
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Jeff Daniels as Bill Johnson
Jeff Daniels in ‘Pleasantville’ and now.Courtesy Everett Collection;Getty
Daniels' résumé was long even beforePleasantville,with standouts likeArachnophobia,GettysburgandDumb and Dumberto his name from his work in the ’80s and ’90s.
In this film, he portrayed soda fountain shop owner Bill Johnson, who falls for Jennifer and David’s mom Betty in the alternatePleasantvilleworld.
He has three grown children with wife Kathleen.
04of 05Joan Allen as BettyJoan Allen in ‘Pleasantville’ and now.Courtesy Everett Collection;GettyAllen was coming off back-to-back Oscar nominations for 1996’sNixonand 1997’sThe Cruciblewhen she took on the role of Jennifer and David’s mom Betty inPleasantville.She went on to favorites includingThe NotebookandTheBourne Legacyin addition to continuing her work on the stage. More recently, she’s featured on television in series likeThe FamilyandLisey’s Story.All in, she has two Tony Award nominations, three Emmy nominations and three Academy Award nominations.Allen has one grown daughter with ex Peter Friedman.
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Joan Allen as Betty
Joan Allen in ‘Pleasantville’ and now.Courtesy Everett Collection;Getty
Allen was coming off back-to-back Oscar nominations for 1996’sNixonand 1997’sThe Cruciblewhen she took on the role of Jennifer and David’s mom Betty inPleasantville.
She went on to favorites includingThe NotebookandTheBourne Legacyin addition to continuing her work on the stage. More recently, she’s featured on television in series likeThe FamilyandLisey’s Story.All in, she has two Tony Award nominations, three Emmy nominations and three Academy Award nominations.
Allen has one grown daughter with ex Peter Friedman.
05of 05William H. Macy as GeorgeWilliam H. Macy in ‘Pleasantville’ and now.Courtesy Everett Collection;GettyAs Jennifer and David’s dad, Macy saw some of the harsher realities the changes ofPleasantvillebrought to his family.Prior to the film, Macy had been acting since the 1970s, most notably earning an Oscar for his role in 1997’sFargo.He is a 15-time Emmy nominee, thanks to guest roles onERandSports Nightand his acclaimed role as Frank Gallagher onShameless.Macy and wifeFelicity Huffmanshare two daughters.
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William H. Macy as George
William H. Macy in ‘Pleasantville’ and now.Courtesy Everett Collection;Getty
As Jennifer and David’s dad, Macy saw some of the harsher realities the changes ofPleasantvillebrought to his family.
Prior to the film, Macy had been acting since the 1970s, most notably earning an Oscar for his role in 1997’sFargo.He is a 15-time Emmy nominee, thanks to guest roles onERandSports Nightand his acclaimed role as Frank Gallagher onShameless.
Macy and wifeFelicity Huffmanshare two daughters.
source: people.com
