Whatever Happened To The Cast Of Evolution?

Movie buffs know who to call when their house is haunted, but who do they call when a hostile alien species threatens to take over the planet? Director and producer Ivan Reitman is best known for helming the 1984 supernatural comedy, "Ghostbusters," as well as the 1989 sequel, "Ghostbusters II." However, it may have escaped the notice of fans that Reitman also once dabbled in the sci-fi genre. The 2001 film, "Evolution," has an all-star cast under Reitman's direction. The sci-fi comedy is also rife with Reitman's trademark humor.

In "Evolution," scientists Ira Kane and Harry Block discover a threat to humanity in the form of extra-terrestrials who reproduce and evolve at an alarming rate. Their discovery is taken over by the U.S. Army, whose leaders are skeptical of the impending danger. The heroes are then forced to take matters into their own hands while recruiting a few amateurs along the way. It's been 22 years since "Evolution" came out, and though it may not have been a huge success critically or financially, it maintains a decent cult status. Members of the movie's cast are still recognizable today, and fans may be wondering what they are up to now.

Orlando Jones plays Harry Block, a Glen Canyon Community College professor and expert geologist. While studying the meteor at the crash site, he and fellow instructor Ira Kane discover an unusual alien species. Even more surprising, the alien organisms are evolving at an alarming rate. In a memorable scene, one of the creatures finds its way into Harry's hazmat suit, placing him in a very uncomfortable, albeit hilarious, situation.

Before "Evolution," Jones was a member of the sketch comedy troupe "MAD TV." He continued working on the series until 2007 while also appearing in various other movie and TV roles during that time. He acted in a number of high-profile films in the early 2000s, including "The Time Machine" and "Drumline" in 2002, "Runaway Jury" in 2003, and "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" in 2009. He's also had several guest appearances in TV shows over the years, including "House," "Black Dynamite," and "Sleepy Hollow."

In 2017, Jones took on a memorable role in "American Gods" as the African spider god, Anansi, also known as Mr. Nancy. His powerful performance included a speech during a scene in which he addresses African slaves on a ship headed for the New World. Most recently he had a guest role on the acclaimed series "Abbott Elementary," and will appear in the upcoming Apple TV+ show "Swagger."

Wayne is played by Seann William Scott, perhaps best known for his memorable role in the "American Pie" films as Steve Stifler, the crude teen with just one thing on his mind. In "Evolution," the one thing on Wayne's mind is becoming a firefighter. Unfortunately, his car is totaled by a meteorite crashing into it, which takes a toll on his ability to pass the exam. Wayne does find another way to be a hero, however, when he joins Ira and Harry against the alien attack on their little town.

Scott may not have been in the spotlight over the last 20 years or so, but he has continued to hold a steady acting career. After "Evolution," he reprised his role as "The Stifmeister" in 2001's "American Pie 2," "American Wedding" in 2003, and "American Reunion" in 2012. He also took on a new kind of role as the voice of the opossum Crash in the animated "Ice Age" franchise. Scott appeared in many other comedies in the 2000s, including "Dude, Where's My Car?", "Old School," "The Dukes of Hazard," and "Role Models."

In 2018, Scott joined the cast of Fox's "Lethal Weapon" for its third season alongside Damon Wayans. The show was canceled shortly thereafter, though likely due to poor ratings, and not because of Scott's involvement. Most recently, Scott can be seen in the Fox comedy series "Welcome to Flatch," as well as the indie action thriller, "The Wrath of Becky."

Deke is one of a pair of seemingly unintelligent brothers in Ira Kane's class at Glen Canyon Community College. The audience is introduced to him and his brother Danny when they object to the C- they both received on their papers. It seems that the subject of the paper was about cells, but the brothers misunderstood the assignment and wrote about their uncle's prison cell. An easy mistake, surely.

Actor Ethan Suplee plays Deke in "Evolution," and he's gone on to perform in a variety of roles over the decades, both dramatic and comedic. He continued to act in films in the 2000s, including appearances in "The Butterfly Effect," "Cold Mountain," "Without a Paddle," and "Clerks 2." In 2005, he co-starred with Jason Lee in the hit NBC series "My Name is Earl" for four seasons. Suplee played the dim but thoughtful Randy Hickey, who joined his brother Earl's (Lee) quest to make the world a little bit brighter through a series of good deeds.

He has roles in three indie films released in 2023, including "Manodrome," "Blood For Dust," and "God is a Bullet."

Behind every great man is a great lackey holding onto the coattails. In "Evolution," that lackey is Flemming, General Woodman's right-hand man. Flemming is a Yes-Man who delights in making smug smiles and offering smarmy comments to their rivals, Ira and Harry. He's also responsible for stealing the scientists' key data from their research lab — which he later denies, of course. Things don't turn out well for Flemming or Woodman in the end, though, when Ira and Harry's theory proves true and the aliens are much sturdier than predicted.

Fans will likely recognize actor Ty Burrell in his very first film role as Flemming in "Evolution." In the years since the sci-fi comedy's release, Burrell had guest roles on TV shows such as "The West Wing," "Law and Order," and "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit." In 2004, Burrell had a supporting role in Zack Snyder's acclaimed "Dawn of the Dead" remake. He was in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" in 2007 and briefly joined the MCU in 2008's "The Incredible Hulk."

Burrell became a household name in 2009 when he joined the ensemble cast of "Modern Family" as Phil Dunphy. His famous portrayal of the fun-loving dad whose good intentions often fall short earned Burrell a number of Primetime Emmy Award wins and nominations. Since then, Burrell has been in fairly high demand. He played Jean Pierre Napolean in 2014's "Muppets Most Wanted," and has also done a number of voice-acting roles for family films such as "Peabody and Sherman," "Finding Dory," and "The Penguins of Madagascar." He recently voiced the character of Jack Harris in the animated comedy "Duncanville," created by Amy Pohler.

When Ira and Harry first arrive at the crash site of the meteorite, they discover that the local police have been doing their own investigation. They find the officers taking photos in front of the giant extra-terrestrial rock, treating it more like a tourist site than a valuable scientific find. One of them is Officer Johnson, the most professional of the group, played by "MAD TV" alum, Pat Kilbane.

Kilbane continued acting through the 2000s, appearing in several TV shows and movies. He had guest spots on "Spin City" and "My Name is Earl," and appeared in the films "Eurotrip," "Semi-Pro," "Day of the Dead," and "Meet Dave." In 2011, he had a voice-acting role in the video game "Dino D-Day" as Jack Hargrave.

These days, Kilbane hasn't been seen doing much in front of the camera. However, it seems he is still active in certain avenues of the entertainment industry. As recent as 2022, he has contributed to the podcast Game Sack, where he appeared in two episodes discussing his love for Dungeons and Dragons.

The governor in "Evolution" is played by none other than former "Ghostbuster" star, Dan Aykroyd. Governor Lewis wants quick solutions to the alien problem in his state and expects General Woodman to take care of it with one swift strike. Unfortunately, quick solutions inevitably lead to bigger problems.

Aykroyd has been a household name in comedy for decades, and has had no trouble finding work since his role in "Evolution." Along with over 100 acting credits to his name in both TV and film, the comedian has also written and produced several projects over the years. His most famous role in 1984's "Ghostbusters" as Ray Stantz has made him a cultural icon for fans of the franchise. He had a cameo in the 2016 "Ghostbusters" reboot, and reprised his role as Stantz in the 2021 sequel, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife."

Most recently, Ayroyd has appeared in the Canadian series "Workin' Moms." The show stars Ivan Reitman's daughter, Catherine Reitman, who created the show. He is also featured in the 2023 horror comedy, "Zombie Town."