Beetlejuice then and now: What became of the cast of the original Tim Burton movie, including Winona Ryder?

Those of us of a certain age will no doubt be visiting our DVD collection (ask your parents) during these colder, darker winter months for some entertainment to keep us warm and, above all else, keep us content and happy as the nights draw in. For many of us, that includes a revisit to a halcyon time when it was okay to watch a movie that had dark, scary elements and at times off-colour language. 

With its sequel set for release next year, and 2024 little over a month away, Beetlejuice seems to be that comfort watch du jour for many of us before we cautiously venture to the theatre to see if the 2024 equivalent still packs the same goth-anarchic punch that Tim Burton gave viewers upon its release in 1988. It’s set to feature Jenna Ortega, whose appearance in Netflix’s Wednesday has earned her enough psychic capital to avoid a cause celebre with her casting, and Tim Burton’s current flame Monica Bellucci is also a new cast member to join the production. 

Even the great Willem Defoe is set to play a major role in the sequel, going on record over the weekend with Variety to confirm his role - a dead B-Movie star. He said: “I play a police officer in the afterlife, so I’m a dead person. And in life, I was a B-movie action star, but I had an accident and that’s what sent me to the other side.” Defoe added that because of his character’s skill set, he becomes a detective in the afterlife but that new role is “coloured by the fact of who I was [when I was alive]: a B movie action star”.

But let’s be honest - we’re returning to Beetlejuice for two of a possible three reasons: Michael Keaton returning as the bio-exorcist, complete with his iconic striped jumpsuit, Winona Ryder is also returning as an older Lydia Deetz and the always incredible Catherine O’Hara as Lydia's step-mother, the artsy if not incredible pretentious Delia Deetz - and that’s all of the original cast that is returning, sadly. 

So no Alec Baldwin and no Gina Davis, which begs the question - what happened to the careers of those who appeared in the original Beetlejuice, from their presence on screen before starring in the comedy-horror to where their careers went afterwards? Some for the better, some not so much, and some a Hollywood biopic in the making…

Then and Now - what happened to the cast of “Beetlejuice”?

Michael Keaton - Betelgeuse

Then: Primarily known at that point for his roles in Mr Mom opposite Teri Garr and Johnny Dangerously directed by future Clueless creator Amy Heckerling, Michael Keaton was creating a body of work in the comedy genre, with his casting by Tim Burton leading on to greater things later in the 80s.

Now: He became widely recognized for his portrayal of Batman in Tim Burton's films and earned critical acclaim for his roles in "Birdman" and "Spotlight," becoming a revered actor in Hollywood with an ability to delve between dramatic films and comedic roles. Many when he was first cast as Batman had their doubts about a comedy actor portraying the brooding Bruce Wayne. These days he is considered alongside Christian Bale as one of the “definitive” Batman actors, while the film itself is considered the forerunner to the big-budget Superhero film, complete with merchandise tie-ins. 

Winona Ryder - Lydia Deetz

Then: Beetlejuice would be the third film Winona Ryder would feature in, after her co-starring roles in the Corey Haim/Charlie Sheen teenage drama Lucas”in 1986 and Square Dance in 1987. 

Now: After being one of the most endearing young actors of the 80s, with appearances in the dark comedy, Heathers, opposite Christian Slater, and playing Myra Gale Lewis in the Jerry Lee Lewis biopic Great Balls of Fire, Ryder became a leading name in Hollywood in the 90s, teaming up with Tim Burton once again for the iconic fantasy romance Edward Scissorhands opposite Johnny Depp in 1990 and as Mina Harker in Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula in 1992. 

But she experienced a career downturn in the 00s, in part thanks to her arrest for shoplifting at Saks in 2001. Thankfully, a well-received cameo role in JJ Abrams Star Trek film in 2009 followed by a regular role in Netflix’s sci-fi juggernaut Stranger Things has helped rehabilitate her leading lady status - after all, we are talking about a two-time Oscar nominee.

Alec Baldwin - Adam Maitland

Then: Part of the Baldwin acting dynasty, Alec Baldwin was known to US viewers more for his role on the 80s soap opera The Doctors before embarking into the world of film. He made his big-screen debut in 1987’s Forever, Lulu and the John Hughes film, She’s Having a Baby, with Kevin Bacon in 1988 before being cast as Adam in Beetlejuice.

Now: Baldwin has had somewhat of an interesting career in the spotlight, and sadly not just because of his film choices. Baldwin had memorable roles in the big-screen adaptation of both Hunt For Red October in 1990 and Glengarry, Glenn Ross in 1992. In the new millennium, he had a number of roles on popular television shows including 30 Rock and his impression of Donald Trump for Saturday Night Live.

But his personal life has gathered at times more attention than his career - be it his acrimonious split from Kim Basinger, his phone messages left to his estranged daughter and more recently an incident involving a death on the set of the film Rust, in which Baldwin is also a producer.

Geena Davis - Barbara Maitland

Then: Geena Davis was already a prominent Hollywood actress by the time she was cast as Barbara in Beetlejuice. She appeared in the Oscar-nominated comedy, Tootsie, starring Dustin Hofman in 1982, followed by two films with future husband Jeff Goldblum, in 1985’s Transylvania 6-5000 and David Cronenberg’s body-horror remake of The Fly.

Now: Davis had a bit of a career revival on television with her starring role in Suddenly Susan and some success in the 90s with The Long Kiss Goodbye, but many will sadly recall her starring role opposite Matthew Modine in Cutthroat Island, directed by her then-husband Renny Harlin, in 1995. It was by 1995’s standards considered a huge flop.

Catherine O’Hara - Delia Deetz

Then: Part of the celebrated Second City troupe from Toronto, television viewers in the United States and Canada would already be familiar with the versatility of Catherine O’Hara through her roles on SCTV throughout the late 70s and 80s, with even Martin Scorsese recognising her talents, casting her in his 1985 black comedy After Hours.

Now: Where to begin; she played a neglectful parent in the Home Alone series, had numerous appearances in the improvisational films of Christopher Guest, with her earning Oscar buzz for her role in For Your Consideration in 2006 - a film about a bunch of actors trying to vie for an Oscar nomination - and has recently been seen alongside former SCTV performer Eugene Levy in the incredibly successful sitcom Schitts Creek.

Where can I watch the original Beetlejuice?

The original Beetlejuice can be streamed with a subscription or available to rent or buy through Prime Video in the United Kingdom.