Whatever Happened To The Cast Of The Outsiders?

1983's "The Outsiders" is one of the most faithful literary adaptations ever made, containing nearly every scene of author S. E. Hinton's classic novel. After releasing the film to critical acclaim, director Francis Ford Coppola recut the film 22 years later, restoring several scenes that make it even more faithful to the source material. It was released as "The Outsiders: The Complete Novel." 16 years after that, the film was restored from its original negatives and re-released in theaters. This seminal coming-of-age film has a legacy that goes far beyond saving middle schoolers the time it takes to read the book. For proof, look no further than Oklahoma's "Outsiders" museum. Not every teen flick gets its own tourist destination.

The biggest legacy of "The Outsiders," however, is its cast. There would be no '80s "Brat Pack" without "The Outsiders," which boasts a deep ensemble of future stars. And that's not even getting into the movie's plethora of background cameos, which include uncredited appearances from Nicolas Cage, Melanie Griffith, Flea, and S. E. Hinton herself. Here's what happened to the main cast of "The Outsiders" in the decades since it first hit theaters.

By 1983, Matt Dillon had already starred in films like "My Bodyguard," "Little Darlings," and "Tex," another S. E. Hinton adaptation.  Brooding and intense, he was the perfect choice to play the street-smart, hot-tempered, and ultimately doomed Dally Winston. Immediately after filming "The Outsiders," Dillon teamed up once more with director Francis Ford Coppola to play the lead role in "Rumble Fish," a third Hinton adaptation. He went on to stardom in both the mainstream and indie film worlds, balancing roles in major romantic comedies ("Singles," "In and Out," "You, Me and Dupree") with parts in auteur-led dramas ("Midnight Cowboy," "To Die For," "The House That Jack Built").

Dillon has demonstrated immense range over the course of his lengthy film career: His three best-known roles are a boorish private eye in "There's Something About Mary," a scheming high school counselor in the lurid thriller "Wild Things," and a prejudiced cop in "Crash," for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 2002, he took up the director's chair, helming and starring in the thriller "City of Ghosts."

It's impossible to imagine a time before anyone knew who Patrick Swayze was, but indeed, "The Outsiders" brought him to the world's attention. As Darry Curtis, Swayze conjured a unique combination of strength and tenderness. He soon went on to international stardom in 1987's breakout hit "Dirty Dancing" — as it turns out, he could dance, too.

"Dirty Dancing" could easily have been his career-defining movie, but Swayze followed it up with three equally celebrated performances: Taciturn bouncer Dalton in "Road House," unfortunate specter Sam Wheat in "Ghost," and guru-surfer-bandit Bodhi in "Point Break." These characters are just his personal Mount Rushmore — he enjoyed many other memorable roles in sleeper hits like "Youngblood," "Red Dawn," and "Donnie Darko." Patrick Swayze died in 2009 at the age of 57 from pancreatic cancer (via ABC News). Though his career was cut short, he left an indelible legacy behind.

The son of actor Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez decided to make a name for himself under his own, well, name. The wise-cracking Two-Bit of "The Outsiders" was actually one of his very first performances, and thus one of his earliest steps on the road to stardom. He went on to shine as a leading member of the "Brat Pack" in movies like "The Breakfast Club" and "St. Elmo's Fire." In 1992, he starred as Gordon Bombay in the family-friendly "The Mighty Ducks," a role he reprised in two sequels and a Disney+ series.

Throughout his career, Estevez has also honed his work behind the camera. He co-wrote the adaptation of another S.E. Hinton novel, "That Was Then ... This Is Now" in 1985, and wrote and/or directed films including "Men At Work," "The War At Home," and "The Way" in the following years. In 2003, well after his family ties became common knowledge, he appeared as a younger version of his father's character on "The West Wing." At that point, it was clear to everyone that his own career no longer risked being overshadowed.

Michelle Meyrink's  acting career was brief, but she demonstrated an uncanny ability to pick up spectacular scripts during the time she spent in Hollywood. After playing Cherry Valance's uptight "soc" friend Marcia in "The Outsiders," she took parts in three other comedies that went on to achieve cult film status. First, she played Suzi, a member of the ensemble, in 1983's "Valley Girl." She then played Judy, an adorably geeky love interest to one of the titular nerds in 1984's "Revenge of the Nerds." Finally, she appeared as Jordan Cochran in 1985's "Real Genius." 

Despite this success, Meyrink realized she didn't actually enjoy the hustle of showbiz. In a 2020 interview with Python's Paradise, she said, "It felt like it was always this panic about the next job, and I hated that feeling." Eventually, she moved to Vancouver and opened the Actorium, a multifaceted school of acting. She also became deeply devoted to Zen Buddhism.

"The Outsiders" was Darren Dalton's big break, despite the fact that his character, Randy Anderson, boasts only a small amount of screen time. Still, it was enough to parlay into a journeyman career in Hollywood. Immediately after appearing in "The Outsiders," Dalton reunited with Patrick Swayze for the 1984 teen action movie "Red Dawn." He followed that up with made-for-TV movies like "Brotherhood of Justice," "Daddy," and "Montana."  After that, he settled into a steady career playing small parts in B-movies like "Scanner Cop" and "The Land That Time Forgot."

Dalton doesn't just work in front of the camera, however — he's also a talented screenwriter with a number of titles under his belt. Perhaps most memorably, he co-wrote the screenplay for "The Day The Earth Stopped," an Asylum straight-to-DVD release directed by none other than his "Outsiders" co-star, C. Thomas Howell. That's got to be one of Hollywood's most unique reunions.

That's right, Tom Waits is in "The Outsiders." He played Dally's friend Buck Merrill, who briefly shows up when Ponyboy and Johnny go to find Dally at a party in a moment of crisis. After gaining a following for his eclectic style throughout the '70s, Waits produced the soundtrack to Coppola's 1982 musical "One from the Heart." Despite the film's critical and commercial failure, Waits went on to appear in "The Outsiders" and Coppola's next film, "Rumble Fish."

Waits has earned a cult following for his musical experimentation, and still finds time for the occasional film cameo or small part. He began a lifelong collaboration with director Jim Jarmusch with a leading role in 1986's "Down By Law," going on to appear in four more Jarmusch films, including 2019's "The Dead Don't Die." Waits has popped up in films as varied as "Mystery Men," "Seven Psychopaths," and "The Book of Eli" as the years have gone by.  Even if you're not a fan of his uniquely gruff singing voice, there's a fair chance you might recognize him from his decades of playing oddballs and weirdos.