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)