It’s been a long time since the cast ofBatman Foreverlast joined forces to create the first major Batman film following the exit of Tim Burton from the franchise, and its stars have ended up in many different place since. As far asBatman moviesgo,Batman Foreversits in an odd place. The film is comically cheesy, stepping away from the darkness ofBatman Returnsto poor reception, but is perhaps underrated as a whole, with more than a few enjoyable aspects. Of these, some of the film’s performances are worthy of note.
The cast ofBatman Foreveris an eclectic bunch, with several noteworthy names in Hollywood sharing marquee space with some relative unknowns. Since the film’s release, many of its actors have fallen into varying levels of fame, especially in comparison to the even morestar-studded cast ofBatman & Robin,the film’s infamous sequel. Sadly,a few of the actors behind the series' characters have also since passed away.
10Val Kilmer
Still best known for playing Batman
Of all theactors to play Batman in live-action,Val Kilmer is by far the most connected to the character by fame, with no other roles ever reaching the same heights of pop culture as the Caped Crusader. Kilmer’s best known roles prior toBatman Foreverwere the ace pilot “Iceman” inTop Gunand the infamous real-life gunslinging dentist Doc Holiday in the WesternTombstone.
Since donning the cape and cowl of Batman, Val Kilmer’s career has seen some ups and downs.
Kilmer returned as Iceman in the wildly successful follow-upTop Gun: Maverickin 2022, his most recent film appearance to-date.Sadly, Kilmer’s acting career was marred by his throat cancer diagnosis in 2015, which was detailed in the striking documentary about his life titledValin 2021. Archival footage of Kilmer was also used in the 2022 fantasy seriesWillow,based off his 1988 star vehicle of the same name.
9Tommy Lee Jones
Still one of the most respected American actors today
Two-Face was quite an outlier in the career of Tommy Lee Jones, who is better known for playing stern authority figure such as the irreverent Agent K in theMen In Blackseries. As an eccentric villain, Jones' performance was in stark opposition to this typecasting, parading around the colorful sets ofBatman Foreverwith a chip on his soldier. Some of Jones' more famous film appearances only came in the wake ofBatman Forever,includingMen in BlackandNo Country for Old Men.
Tommy Lee Jones' 10 Best Movies, Ranked
Whether he’s in the leading role or merely a supporting character, Tommy Lee Jones has the talent to elevate any movie which he appears in.
In the modern day,Tommy Lee Jones is still very much a working actor, even at 78 years of age.He appeared in the crime and legal dramasFinestkindandThe Burialin 2023, and is set to appear in the upcoming mob action movieThe Razor’s Edgealongside James Franco. Jones has also done some directing of his own sinceBatman Forever,including the straight-to-TV drama filmThe Sunset Limitedin 2011.
8Jim Carrey
Only comes out of retirement to chase a certain blue hedgehog
Right alongside Tommy Lee Jones inBatman Forever’s villainous duo is none other than comedy legend Jim Carrey. Famously, the set ofBatman Foreverbegan a long-lastingfeud between Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, sparked by their proximity to one another as co-antagonists. After the film, Jim Carrey’s already well-known comedy chops were further proven by films likeHow the Grinch Stole Christman, Yes Man,and Bruce Almighty.
Carrey is slated to return as the hilarious mastermind villain Dr. Robotnik, a.k.a. Eggman, in the upcoming third installment,Sonic the Hedgehog 3,which will see the actor take on a secondary role as Eggman’s father.
Jim Carrey publicly announced his semi-retirement from acting in 2022, taking a well-deserved break after providing audiences with so much joy for so many decades. However,only one franchise since has been able to lure Carrey back to theaters in the modern age, being theSonic the Hedgehogfilm series. Carrey is slated to return as the hilarious mastermind villain Dr. Robotnik, a.k.a. Eggman, in the upcoming third installment,Sonic the Hedgehog 3,which will see the actor take on a secondary role as Eggman’s father.
7Nicole Kidman
Still a household Hollywood name following Batman Forever
Perhaps Batman’s most forgettable romantic interest, despite the film’s increased focus on romance compared to other Batman adventures, Nicole Kidman played Dr. Chase Meridian.A psychologist and damsel in distress who gets caught in a love triangle between Bruce Wayne and his own alter ego, Dr. Meridian is admittedly a relatively flat female character. That being said, Nicole Kidman at least earned her check onBatman Forever,and continued to establish herself as an icon of cinema in the years since.
Besides acting,Kidman has been quite busy on the production end of filmmaking, as well. She’s set to produce and star in a whopping four upcoming television series, most of which being dramas slated for exclusive release on Amazon Prime. Also on Amazon will be her appearance in the 2025 thriller filmHolland, Michigan. That being said, the easiest place to spot Kidman these days is as the spokesperson for AMC Theaters, her face being a common sight before most movies at the nationwide chain.
6Chris O’Donnell
Has stayed busy headlining a major TV series
The only live-action depiction of Robin outside ofJoseph Gordon-Levitt’s Blake inThe Dark Knight Risessince Burt Ward’s portrayal in the Adam West-ledBatmanfilm, Chris O’Donnell’s introduction inBatman Foreveris quite noteworthy.The film may struggle to give weight to Robin’s story amidst the already crowded narrative, but at least O’Donnell did the best with what he was given. Unlike Val Kilmer, O’Donnell returned to the dynamic duo forBatman & Robin.
Since the Joel Schumacher Batman movies, O’Donnell has been very busy on syndicated network television.Up until its finale in 2023, Chris O’Donnell had his work cut out for him onNCIS: Los Angelesplaying Special Agent G.Callen, a character he reprized for sister seriesNCIS: Hawaiʻi. He’s also since made a brief appearance in the comedy-drama seriesBupkisin an uncredited role.
5Michael Gough
Left behind an enduring acting legacy outside of Alfred
One of the few actors to return for all four films inBatman, Batman Returns, Batman ForeverandBatman & Robin,Michael Gough’s steadfast performance as the British butler Alfred is worthy of commendation.Before the franchise, Gough was known for his appearances in science fiction TV series that released in his native Britain, as well as the celebrated Hammer horror films to also come from the nation. Alfred was more-or-less a cherry on top of his already lauded career.
Gough only had a stark few feature appearances followingBatman ForeverandBatman & Robin.Among these were more than a few collaborations with visionary director Tim Burton, includingCorpse Bride, Alice in Wonderland,andSleepy Hollow,which homaged the Hammer horror films of his past. Gough passed away in 2011 at the grandiose age of 94, leaving behind an enduring legacy of wonderful performances.
4Pat Hingle
An undersung character actor
Like Michael Gough,Pat Hingle was one of the few faces to reprise his role in all four Batman films starting with 1989’sBatmanand ending withBatman & Robin.Hingle was a natural character actor, an unobtrusive performer who made his way into minor roles of a great many films, including the Batman franchise. Hingle’s specialty was authority figures and police officers, making him a natural fit for Commissioner Gordon in the Batman series.
Also like Gough, Hingle has sadly passed away, succumbing to cancer in 2008 at the age of 84.
Hingle was famously a close colleague of Clint Eastwood, showing up in a high number ofEastwood’s best filmsin various roles.AfterBatman Forever,Pat Hingle starred in a smattering of lesser-known films, alongside a bigger appearance in the Will Ferrell comedyTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.Also like Gough, Hingle has sadly passed away, succumbing to cancer in 2008 at the age of 84.
3George Wallace
More of a stage comedian than a dedicated actor
Batman Foreverwas a much more comedic direction for The Dark Knight to go in after the dizzyingly macabre atmosphere of Tim Burton’sBatman Returns.This could be partially attributed to the presence of George Wallace as the mayor of Gotham, a position that shockingly doesn’t come up much in the Batman films to follow. Primarily a stand-up comedian by trade,Batman Foreverwas one of the first films Wallace ever appeared in.
Following the movie, George Wallace would see himself appear in numerous lesser-known comedy films,the most recent of which being 2019’sHubie Halloween.Interestingly,Batman Foreverhas partially typecast the comedian as a Mayor or similar authority figure, playing such characters in many more of his theatrical appearances. Wallace is much bigger on TV, showing up as characters in comedy-dramas likeAtlantaor even just playing himself in the likes ofHistory of the World, Part IIorHacks.
2Drew Barrymore
If there’s one actor whose role inBatman Foreverwas incongruous with their fame as a Hollywood star, it’s Drew Barrymore.Drew Barrymore’s appearances in horror movieslikeFirestarterandCat’s Eyeas a child gave her an early level of notoriety in the acting world, one she would cement in the next year’sScream.Yet inBatman Forever,Barrymore plays Sugar, Two-Face’s angel-themed, sweet-minded minion who only serves as a very minor threat to Batman and Robin.
A famous scream queen, Drew Barrymore has continued to maintain a lauded career in the film and TV industry, most notably leading the tragically-canceled horror-comedySanta Clarita Diet, in whichshe stars a middle-aged mom and realtor re-invigorated by an undead cannibalistic curse.In September of 2023, Barrymore garnered controversy for the continuation of her syndicated talk showThe Drew Barrymore Showdespite the then-ongoing WGA strikes.
1Debi Mazar
A successful, if not well-known actress
With sugar must also come spice, and so too did Debi Mazar step into the role as the naughty side of Two-Face’s henchwoman duo inBatman Forever,Spice.The goth, seductive, dominatrix-like opposite of Barrymore’s Sugar, Mazar rounded out Two-Face’s need for diametric duality in all things.Batman Foreverwas relatively early in Mazar’s acting career, though her very first role as Sandy in the hit mafia dramaGoodfellascontinues to remain one of her most famous.
In recent years, Debi Mazar has continued a career as a working actress, even if she isn’t quite a household name like some of the other members ofBatman Forever’s cast. Her most recent film was the crime comedy thrillerThe Kill Room.Meanwhile, on TV, Mazar has sported a recent appearance as Medusa as the mythology-based comedyKaos,as well as a brief role in the Netflix rom-comEmily in Paris.Maybe not the most well-known alum ofBatman Forever,Debi Mazar’s list of credits is nothing to scoff at.
