What The Cast Of Say Anything Looks Like Today

Cameron Crowe burst onto the cultural scene as the writer behind 1982's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Seven years later, Crowe decided to take the directorial reigns on his third screenplay, and ended up creating one of the most iconic romantic comedies of all time. "Say Anything" has it all: an endearing story, a talented cast, and a killer soundtrack. It's one of the best John Cusack movies of the 1980s, and it boasts an ensemble of young actors who eventually went on to great success in Hollywood.

A lot has changed since Lloyd Dobler and Diane Court first seared themselves into the memories of an entire generation of moviegoers. Hardly anyone owns a boombox these days, kickboxing didn't turn out to be the sport of the future, and the cast of "Say Anything" has grown up, changing the acting world along the way. Here's what they've been working on since the days of "Say Anything."

In 1989, Ione Skye's career was just getting started. "Say Anything" was only Skye's fourth feature film, though she'd landed big roles in "River's Edge" and "A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon." Skye had high hopes for the success of Cameron Crowe's film, but it wasn't until filming began that she realized how special the movie was going to be. "I think halfway through, everybody was like, 'Wow, this is gonna be amazing,'" she told Today in 2019.

Skye went on to have an incredible career in Hollywood. She's never been one to limit herself to a single genre or type of character: Just three years after "Say Anything," Skye appeared in the comedy classic "Wayne's World," and 15 years after that, she took on a small role in David Fincher's dark thriller "Zodiac." According to Rotten Tomatoes, these are among Skye's most critically successful films, though nothing yet has managed to top "Say Anything."

On the small screen, Skye has a penchant for smartly written comedies. Her comedic chops have landed her roles in off-the-wall series like "Good Girls" and HBO's "Camping," as well as recurring guest appearances on "Arrested Development." With 2020's "Barons," Skye took on a drama series, but her latest project, Netflix's "Beef," will have her back in a comedy alongside Steven Yeun and Ali Wong (via Variety).

Anyone but the most diehard "Say Anything" fans could be forgiven for not remembering that Pamela Adlon had a role in the film. She played Rebecca, a mutual friend of Lloyd and Corey, but she had limited screen time and hardly more than a single line in the film. Her appearance just goes to show that Cameron Crowe had a real knack for choosing actors who would go on to become massive figures in their field.

Adlon has found most of her success in the TV world. You might recognize her from her roles in comedies like "Californication" or "Louie." It's even more likely that you'd recognize her voice. Adlon has lent her vocal talents to some massively popular animated series like "Recess," "Rugrats," and "Big Mouth." She even won an Emmy for her work as Bobby Hill in "King of the Hill."

Adlon is more than just a talented actress. She's also a comedic genius, writer, and director. She co-created FX's "Better Things" and has been working as a director, writer, and star of the series since 2016. Despite her blink-and-you-miss-it role in "Say Anything," Adlon has become one of the film's most notable cast members.

The Dobler family in "Say Anything" is rounded out by Constance's son and Lloyd's little nephew, Jason. Lloyd teaching his nephew the intricacies of kickboxing is the first moment in the movie where his tender charm really shines through to the audience. Jason was played by Glenn Walker Harris Jr., who was only six years old when the film debuted. By that point, he had already broken into the acting world with guest spots on "Highway to Heaven" and "L.A. Law." He went on to make a number of appearances in TV shows and movies, including a recurring role in "General Hospital" as an eight-year-old.

Walker Harris Jr.'s last acting credit came over a decade ago. In the late '90s, he appeared in the film adaptation of "Leave It To Beaver," voiced the young version of Dmitri in "Anastasia" (interestingly, the adult version of the character was played by none other than John Cusack), and guest starred on an episode of "ER." After that, he stepped away from acting before taking on a single episode of "Commander in Chief" in 2006. Walker Harris hasn't entirely left the business, though. These days he's behind the camera as a cinematographer, and recently worked on the music video for Melissa Sullivan's single "Sirens."

Heartbroken and humiliated after Diane gives him a pen while dumping him, Lloyd seeks out commiseration from other men. Instead, he finds the Gas 'n' Sip boys, who proceed to offer Lloyd all kinds of terrible advice until he realizes that maybe lonely boys behind a gas station don't have the wisdom he needs. It's one of the funniest scenes in "Say Anything," and it also features a brief appearance from Jeremy Piven as Mark.

Piven and John Cusack grew up together and began their acting journeys simultaneously (via The Guardian). They've worked together in half a dozen films including "Grosse Pointe Blank" and "The Grifters." They had a semi-public spat in the mid-'00s, but when The Guardian asked if the two were still friends, Piven said, "Well yeah, absolutely," adding, "Once you have such a history with someone, then yeah. I think we were all lucky to find each other."

Piven's biggest critical successes include "The Player," "Singles," and "Black Hawk Down." He's certainly kept himself busy on the big screen, and he doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. However, most probably recognize Piven from his iconic TV role as Ari Gold on the HBO series "Entourage."

Gregory Sporleder played another of the Gas 'n' Sip kids peddling sorry advice to Lloyd on a Saturday night. The remaining two members of the group were played by Patrick O'Neill and Johnny Green, both of whom left acting behind years ago. Sporleder, on the other hand, has maintained a busy schedule through the years that has taken him across genres. His acting career began with "Say Anything," and for years afterward he reunited with costars from the film in other projects like "The Grifters," "Being John Malkovich," and "Black Hawk Down."

Sporleder also had small roles in '90s hits like "True Romance" and "Fatal Attraction." He's likely best known, at least in the film world, for his role in "The Rock" as Captain Frye, or his role as Willie in "Twister." In recent years Sporleder has been making a name for himself as a talented character actor on television. He joined the cast of "True Blood" for one season in 2010, and he's had guest appearances on shows like "American Horror Story," "Sons of Anarchy," "Criminal Minds," and "Agent Carter." His next film, "The Martial Artist," is currently scheduled for release in 2023.

John Mahoney played Diane Court's father in "Say Anything," and is ostensibly the film's antagonist. He gets between the film's lead couple, and, as is later revealed, steals money from elderly people to finance his and his daughter's lifestyle. Mahoney's performance, however, brings such humanity to the character that as an audience member it's hard not to sympathize with Mr. Court. Cameron Crowe later told Rolling Stone that Mahoney "brought joy to every scene and every take" while working on the project. Mahoney's contributions to the film "sure did make a young director feel good," he said.

Mahoney's filmography is marked by critically celebrated films like "In the Line of Fire," "Moonstruck," "The Iron Giant," and "The American President." His film history is enviable, but most audiences will forever remember Mahoney as Martin Crane on "Frasier." Sadly, Mahoney died at 77 in 2018, but his memory will live on in his work.