‘The Outsiders’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

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'The Outsiders' Cast: Where Are They Now?

Stay golden. Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze and more transformed into ‘60s teens for Francis Ford Coppola’s big screen adaptation of The Outsiders. The coming-of-age drama, based on S. E. Hinton's classic novel of the same name, hit theaters in March 1983 and helped to kickstart the careers of several of its stars. In particular, Macchio received rave reviews for his turn as Johnny Cade in the battle of the Greasers and Socs. “I read the book when I was 12 years old in seventh-grade English class. It was the first book that I ever finished cover to cover,” the Karate Kid actor told Parade in 2017. “S.E. Hinton — like J.K. Rowling of today — started a lot of young kids reading in school. I was immediately connected to it.” Macchio was drawn to Johnny before even being cast in the project. “I always felt [Johnny] sounded like I looked,” he recalled. “Big puppy dog eyes, dark hair. He was the runt. I was never the biggest guy in class. But I didn’t come from his backstory by any stretch. … Johnny was a kid whose mother was an alcoholic. His father was abusive, and home was the last place he wanted to be. Those were the challenges, but I embraced them.” Lowe, for his part, looked back on how Coppola turned Hollywood’s Brat Pack into “wrong side of the tracks guys,” sharing behind-the-scenes secrets with Kelly Clarkson in 2020. “[He] found a bunch of different actual greasers who were now grown-up adults and made us go spend the night and live with them,” the “Literally” podcast host said on The Kelly Clarkson Show at the time. “They came to us at rehearsal and, like, ‘OK, so we’re gonna divide you up. Rob, Tom, you guys are gonna go stay with Bill and Sandy whoever.’ And we just went to their little house and had dinner.” The costars “ended up in the basement on two cots” — and neither of them were thrilled with the setup. “I mean, who vetted them? Really?” Lowe joked. “Do you think Francis Ford Coppola spent a lot of time vetting these people? I can tell you, he didn’t. He was [sitting] with an espresso and watching some fancy Fellini movie and went, ‘Yeah, yeah that sounds great’ and went back to his espresso.” Decades after its release, The Outsiders is still widely recognized as an all-time classic film. Scroll down to see what the cast is doing now:

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C. Thomas Howell (Ponyboy Curtis)

Before The Outsiders, which earned him a Young Artist Award, Howell made his movie debut in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He later appeared in The Hitcher, Grandview U.S.A., Secret Admirer and Red Dawn and was one of the actors considered for the role of Marty McFly in Back to the Future, which ultimately went to Michael J. Fox. More recently, Howell has starred in The Amazing Spider-Man, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and LBJ, with TV roles on Grimm, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, Animal Kingdom and The Blacklist. The California native previously dated Kyle Richards before marrying Rae Dawn Chong in 1989. The twosome called it quits one year later, and Howell tied the knot with Sylvie Anderson in 1992. They split in 2016.

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Matt Dillon (Dallas Winston)

Following appearances in There's Something About Mary and Wild Things, Dillon made his directorial debut in 2000 with City of Ghosts. His performance in Crash won him an Independent Spirit Award and earned him nods at both the Oscars and Golden Globes. The New Yorker is a Grammy nominee, gaining recognition in 2001 for narrating Jack Kerouac's On the Road. Dillon has also appeared in Employee of the Month, You, Me and Dupree, Herbie: Fully Loaded and Capone.

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Ralph Macchio (Johnny Cade)

Macchio is best known for playing Daniel LaRusso in the original Karate Kid franchise, a role he reprised on Netflix’s Cobra Kai, which began in 2018. He went on to star in ​​My Cousin Vinny, Crossroads, Hitchcock and Psych: The Movie. On the small screen, the New York native had roles on Ugly Betty, The Deuce and Eight Is Enough. He landed in fourth place with pro Karina Smirnoff on season 12 of Dancing With the Stars in 2011. The Distant Thunder star shares daughter Julia and son Daniel with wife Phyllis Fierro.

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Patrick Swayze (Darrel Curtis)

Apart from The Outsiders, Swayze’s most memorable performance was as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. His popularity grew after 1990’s Ghost, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame seven years later. Following roles in Point Break, Donnie Darko, One Last Dance and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, the actor died of pancreatic cancer in 2009. His final film credit was 2009’s Powder Blue. He is survived by wife Lisa Niemi, who wed Albert DePrisco in 2014.  

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Rob Lowe (Sodapop Curtis)

A member of the Brat Pack, the Virginia native is known for his work in Oxford Blues, St. Elmo's Fire, About Last Night... and Square Dance. Lowe later turned to television, starring in Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing from 1999 to 2003. The Code Black alum has experienced a few ups and downs throughout his career, including a sex tape scandal and a sobriety journey. He made a major comeback with Parks and Recreation, playing Chris Traeger from 2010 to 2014 before joining the cast of 9-1-1: Lone Star in 2020. The Emmy nominee shares sons Matthew and John Owen with wife Sheryl Berkoff. In March 2023, John Owen and his dad teamed up for the Netflix series Unstable, in which they play a father-son duo who work together at a biotech research facility. 

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Emilio Estevez (Two-Bit Matthews)

Martin Sheen’s son joined Lowe as part of the Brat Pack, also starring in The Breakfast Club and ​​St. Elmo's Fire. The filmmaker is also known for appearing in the Mighty Ducks franchise as hockey coach Gordon Bombay. After three of the sports movies, a series titled The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers debuted on Disney+ in 2021. Estevez raised eyebrows when he exited the show amid rumors he disagreed with the set’s COVID-19 vaccine policy. He later clarified to Deadline that his departure was due to “nothing more than a good old fashioned contract dispute” and “a myriad of creative differences.”

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Tom Cruise (Steve Randle)

A three-time Oscar winner, Cruise is one of the hottest actors in Hollywood, with iconic roles in Top Gun, Risky Business, Jerry Maguire, The Mummy and more. Apart from his work on screen, the New Yorker’s personal life has been making headlines for years. He has been married thrice: to Mimi Rogers from 1987 to 1990, Nicole Kidman from 1990 to 2001 and Katie Holmes from 2006 to 2012. Cruise, who is a member of the Church of Scientology, welcomed a daughter with Holmes in 2006 and shares two adopted children —  Isabella (born 1992) and Connor (born 1995) — with Kidman.

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Glenn Withrow (Tim Shepard)

Along with The Outsiders, the Kentucky native has worked in movies such as Rumble Fish and Peggy Sue Got Married. He jumped behind the camera in 2012, directing his first full-length feature film, The Mooring. Withrow has been married to Hallie Todd, with whom he shares daughter Ivy, since 1991.

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Diane Lane (Cherry Valance)

Lane has been a working actress since age 14, making her movie debut in A Little Romance. Other notable credits include The Perfect Storm, Unfaithful, Under the Tuscan Sun, Must Love Dogs, Man of Steel and more. She was previously married to producer Christopher Lambert — with whom she shares daughter Eleanor — from 1988 to 1994 and to Josh Brolin from 2004 to 2013.

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Leif Garrett (Bob Sheldon)

Garrett was a child star and a teen idol, signing a five-album record contract in 1976. Two decades later, he released a greatest hits compilation, The Leif Garrett Collection, which included covers of songs by the Beach Boys, Dion and more. The Fear Factor alum had a number of legal troubles over the years, from personal bankruptcy to driving under the influence. He was arrested several times throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s for drug possession and later dropped out of a court-ordered rehab program. Garrett entered treatment once again in 2010.

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Darren Dalton (Randy Anderson)

After The Outsiders, Dalton starred in Red Dawn alongside Swayze, Howell, Jennifer Grey, Harry Dean Stanton, Charlie Sheen and more. He went on to make guest appearances on TV shows including Quantum Leap and Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman. The Wyoming native was married to Kristin Dalton from 1993 to 2009.

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Michelle Meyrink (Marcia)

The Canadian is also known for her work in 1984’s Revenge of the Nerds, but her last acting credit was just four years later in Permanent Record. She lives in Vancouver with her husband, John Dumbrille, and their three children.

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Gailard Sartain (Jerry)

The Oklahoma native has been acting in small roles since the 1970s with credits including The Buddy Holly Story, Fried Green Tomatoes and The Replacements. His last known performance was in 2005’s Elizabethtown starring Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Alec Baldwin and Susan Sarandon.