In 2022, Steven Spielberg, a year after releasing his award-winning adaptation of West Side Story, has done it again with another story that hits home to his heart: The Fabelmans. Spielberg originally began this project all the way back in 1999 with his sister, per The New York Times, but had reservations about making the movie at that point because his parents were still alive and would most likely see it. 20 years later, in 2019, Spielberg began to return to this project and story, allowing the movie to finally see the light of day in 2022. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022, then made its way out into American theaters not long after that.

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The Fabelmans is semi-autobiographical, as it is based on Spielberg’s life. Its protagonist, Sammy, is given a lifelong devotion to filmmaking and the movies after his parents take him to the cinema as a child. Once he uses a film camera as a child for the first time, making his own movies, it’s game over. He’s sold on becoming a filmmaker, which leads to tensions between his parents and dreams. The cast of The Fabelmans is impressive throughout, and with their acting resumes, it is unsurprising how good of a job they do. These are where you might have seen them elsewhere.

Gabriel LaBelle

     Universal Pictures

Gabriel LaBelle portrays the protagonist of The Fabelmans, Sammy, when he has entered his later teenage years. The 20-year-old Canadian-American actor has had only a few other roles before this one, but they are pretty noteworthy. He briefly appeared in 2018’s The Predator movie, a part of the Predator franchise, as E.J. In the television world, he appeared on episodes of iZombie, Motive, and Brand New Cherry Flavor. In recent years, he portrays the younger version of Jon Bernthal’s character in American Gigolo.

Paul Dano

     Warner Bros.

Fans of The Batman, specifically Robert Pattinson’s version that recently graced screens all over the world, will recognize Paul Dano immediately. Dano had a stellar performance in that film as The Riddler, effectively getting under Wayne’s — and the viewer’s — skin. However, his acting resume was stacked even before then. He made his debut in the 2001 movie L.I.E. and gained acclaim for appearances in There Will Be Blood, 12 Years a Slave, and Love & Mercy. Per Deadline, he will soon be starring in the science fiction movie Spaceman and Dumb Money. And, perhaps, the DC Universe might be seeing more of his version of The Riddler due to the popularity of The Batman after it came out in theaters.

Michelle Williams

     FilmScience

Actress Michelle Williams is one of the standouts in The Fabelmans, and looking at her career so far, it’s no surprise why. She was in the critically acclaimed Manchester by the Sea, where she portrayed Casey Affleck’s ex-wife, and was paired opposite Eddie Redmayne in the 2011 movie My Week With Marilyn. Her most notable roles in the past decade include appearances in Shutter Island, Venom, The Greatest Showman, and the leading role in A24’s Showing Up. In television, she gained acclaim for her role in Fosse/Verdon, where she portrayed the dancer and actress Gwen Verdon.

Julia Butters

     Columbia Pictures

In The Fabelmans, Julia Butters portrays Reggie, Sammy’s younger sister. The teenage actress has had an impressive resume so far despite her youth. Fans of Quentin Tarantino might recognize her from her appearance in his most recent movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. There, she plays the character of Trudi Fraser. She also appeared in 2016’s A Family Man and the 2022 action thriller The Grey Man. Although Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was her initial breakout role, she’s had a variety of brief appearances on television shows like Short Circuit and I Think You Should Leave.

Jeannie Berlin

     Palomar Pictures International

Jeannie Berlin is the daughter of the legendary stage actress Elaine May, who, in 2022, was honored by the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences for her dedication and career in the arts. Berlin has had a prolific career as well; she landed Academy Award and Golden Globe nods for her performance in The Heartbreak Kid back in the 70s. Decades later, she continued her career while appearing in movies like Inherent Vice and Café Society. In 2016, she played a role as a district attorney on the miniseries The Night Of.

Judd Hirsch

     20th Century Fox

Out of all the actors that appear in this movie, Judd Hirsch has had the most developed career. It is not a surprise, especially as he was 87 when the movie was released in 2022. Many of his most prominent roles come from a prolific career in television shows, especially as he appeared in some of the biggest shows in the late seventies and eighties. He starred in Taxi, Dear John, and even Numb3rs. In the movie world, he appeared in 2022’s Showing Up alongside Michelle Williams, and also can be seen in Uncut Gems, Ordinary People, Independence Day, and A Beautiful Mind.