Jake Busey Joseph
Jodie Foster Ellie Arroway
Matthew McConaughey Palmer Joss
Tom Skerritt David Drumlin
Allen Hall Special Effects Supervisor
William Fichtner Kent
William Ross Orchestrator
Michael Condro First Assistant Camera
Angela Bassett Rachel Constantine
Jena Malone Young Ellie
John Hurt S. R. Hadden
Rob Lowe Richard Rank
Valorie Armstrong Woman Senator
James Woods Michael Kitz
Peter Jackson Additional Visual Effects
Delaney Williams Believer #1 (uncredited)
David Morse Ted Arroway
Leo Lee Major Domo
Robert Zemeckis Director, Producer
Don Burgess Director of Photography
Victoria Burrows Casting
Ming Lo Pod Systems Control (uncredited)
Jerome Chen CG Supervisor
Jay Leno Jay Leno
J.A. Preston Senator (uncredited)
Robin Gammell Project Official
Max Martini Willie
Kristoffer Ryan Winters Dynamics #2
Allen E. Taylor Production Accountant, Production Controller
Michael Goldenberg Screenplay
Lynda Obst Executive Producer
Dennis Sands Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Yuji Okumoto Electrical
Josh Lusby Set Designer
Carl Sagan Novel, Co-Producer, Story
Neal Matarazzo Kitz's Aide (uncredited)
Kenneth Karman Music Editor
Michael Albala Decryption Hacker
Henry Strozier Minister
Alex Veadov Russian Cosmonaut
Kathryn Blondell Key Hair Stylist
Douglas Murray Sound Effects Editor
Steven C. McGee Chief Lighting Technician
Haynes Brooke Drumlin Aide
Bryant Gumbel Bryant Gumbel
Larry King Larry King
Jennifer Balgobin Dr. Patel
Deborah La Mia Denaver Makeup Artist
Richardson Morse Mission Doctor
François Duhamel Still Photographer
Keith VanderLaan Prosthetic Makeup Artist
Bill Clinton Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Joan Bradshaw Executive Producer, Unit Production Manager
William Jordan Chairman of Joint Chiefs
Catherine Harper Foley Artist
Tom Johnson Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Janice Alexander Hairstylist
Mark O'Kane Steadicam Operator
Frank D. Parrish Second Assistant Camera
Jeff 'Moose' Howery Dolly Grip
Gary Rizzo Sound Re-Recording Mixer, Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Ken Ralston Senior Visual Effects Supervisor
Steven Ford Major Russell
Harry Keramidas Additional Editing
Todd Thompson News Reporter (uncredited)
Boris Lee Krutonog Astronaut (uncredited)
Randy Thom Sound Designer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Peggy Names Cableman
Kenneth Jones Visual Effects Supervisor
Candice T. Cain Supporter (uncredited)
Saemi Nakamura Japanese Anchor
Hope Slepak Costumer