
150 minutes
7/11/1997
A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality.

Jodie Foster
as Ellie Arroway

Matthew McConaughey
as Palmer Joss

James Woods
as Michael Kitz

John Hurt
as S. R. Hadden

Tom Skerritt
as David Drumlin

William Fichtner
as Kent

David Morse
as Ted Arroway

Angela Bassett
as Rachel Constantine

Geoffrey Blake
as Fisher

Max Martini
as Willie

Rob Lowe
as Richard Rank

Jake Busey
as Joseph

Tucker Smallwood
as Mission Director

Jena Malone
as Young Ellie
Sami Chester
as Vernon
Timothy McNeil
as Davio
Laura Elena Surillo
as Cantina Woman

Henry Strozier
as Minister

Larry King
as Larry King

Thomas Garner
as Ian Broderick
Conroy Chino
as KOB-TV Reporter
Dan Gifford
as Jeremy Roth

Vance Valencia
as Senator Valencia

Donna Kelley
as Donna Kelley
Leon Harris
as Leon Harris

Claire Shipman
as Claire Shipman
Behrooz Afrakhan
as Middle Eastern Anchor

Saemi Nakamura
as Japanese Anchor

Maria Celeste Arraras
as Latina Anchor

Tabitha Soren
as Tabitha Soren

Geraldo Rivera
as Geraldo Rivera

Ian Whitcomb
as British Anchor

Jay Leno
as Jay Leno
Natalie Allen
as Natalie Allen
Robert D. Novak
as Robert D. Novak

Geraldine A. Ferraro
as Geraldine A. Ferraro

Ann Druyan
as Ann Druyan
Kathleen Kennedy
as Kathleen Kennedy

Michael Albala
as Decryption Hacker
Ned Netterville
as Decryption Expert

Leo Lee
as Major Domo

William Jordan
as Chairman of Joint Chiefs

David St. James
as Joint Chief
Jill Dougherty
as Jill Dougherty

Haynes Brooke
as Drumlin Aide
John Holliman
as John Holliman
Bobbie Battista
as Bobbie Battista

Dee Dee Myers
as Dee Dee Myers

Bryant Gumbel
as Bryant Gumbel
Linden Soles
as Linden Soles

Steven Ford
as Major Russell
Alexander Zemeckis
as Major Russell's Son
Janie Peterson
as Major Russell's Daughter

Philippe Bergeron
as French Committee Member

Jennifer Balgobin
as Dr. Patel
Anthony Hamilton
as British Committee Member
Rebecca T. Beucler
as NASA Public Relations

Marc Macaulay
as NASA Technician
Pamela Wilsey
as Voice of NASA (voice)

Jeffery Thomas Johnson
as Mechanical

Yuji Okumoto
as Electrical
Gerry Griffin
as Dynamics
Brian Alston
as Communications

Rob Elk
as Pad Leader
Mark Thomason
as Security
José Rey
as Controller #8
Todd Patrick Breaugh
as New VLA Technician

Alex Veadov
as Russian Cosmonaut
Alice Kushida
as Scientist

Robin Gammell
as Project Official
Richardson Morse
as Mission Doctor
Seiji Okamura
as Japanese Ensign

Bernard Shaw
as Bernard Shaw

Mak Takano
as Japanese Tech #1
Hiroshi Tom Tanaka
as Japanese Tech #2

Catherine Dao
as Life Support
Kristoffer Ryan Winters
as Dynamics #2

Valorie Armstrong
as Woman Senator
Jim Hild
as Reporter #5

William L. Thomas
as Reporter #6
Diego Montoya
as School Boy
Jonathan Adler
as White House Official (uncredited)
Robert Aguilar Jr.
as NASA Controller #2 (uncredited)
Mark Bailey
as Four-Star General (uncredited)
Matt Bennett
as Senate Observer (uncredited)

Tony Boldi
as Robert Hand (uncredited)

Christopher Boyer
as Scientist (uncredited)
Christine Brady
as White House Official (uncredited)
Ray Buffer
as Press Reporter (uncredited)
Mark Byrne
as Protester (uncredited)
Candice T. Cain
as Supporter (uncredited)
Michael Chaban
as Hadden Suit (uncredited)

Aixa Clemente
as President's Secretary (uncredited)

Bill Clinton
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Derrick Damions
as Ailing Believer (uncredited)

Elaina Erika Davis
as Philanthropy Bureaucrat (uncredited)
Joey Dente
as Factory Worker (uncredited)
Michael Egan
as IMC Police Officer (uncredited)
Jeff Elmore
as Monk (uncredited)
Pamela Fischer
as Pedestrian (uncredited)

Carl Gilliard
as Controller (uncredited)
William B. Kaplan
as TV Interviewer (uncredited)

Boris Lee Krutonog
as Astronaut (uncredited)

Ming Lo
as Pod Systems Control (uncredited)

Sunshine Logroño
as Puerto Rican Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Denise Loveday
as Press Secretary (uncredited)

Neal Matarazzo
as Kitz's Aide (uncredited)
Bill Miller
as Reporter (uncredited)
Molly Mueller
as Family Exchange (uncredited)

Paul L. Nolan
as Ellie's Attorney (uncredited)

Marisa Petroro
as Oval Office Secretary (uncredited)
Errica Poindexter
as Police Officer (uncredited)

J.A. Preston
as Senator (uncredited)
Frank Principe
as Ailing Believer (uncredited)
Billy Quinn
as Security Guard (uncredited)

Thomas Reid
as Senate Hearing (uncredited)
Leo Rogstad
as Ailing Believer (uncredited)
Russell Sanderlin Sr.
as Photographer (uncredited)

Frank Silva
as Army Officer (uncredited)
John A. Taylor
as Senate Hearing Attendee (uncredited)

Todd Thompson
as News Reporter (uncredited)

Cenk Uygur
as Reporter (uncredited)

Holly Cross Vagley
as Religious Zealot (uncredited)
Eric Alan Wendell
as Protester (uncredited)

Delaney Williams
as Believer #1 (uncredited)
Gregory L. Williams
as Extra (uncredited)