On December 28, 2001, Ridley Scott released one of the loudest, most violent, and most realistic war movies with Black Hawk Down. The military epic, which is based on the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, is filled with some of the best actors of the time, with everyone from seasoned acting veterans like the late Sam Shepard to up-and-comers like Tom Hardy portraying actual Army Rangers and Delta Force operatives as well as characters based on the likeness of others.
A lot of time has passed since the Black Hawk Down cast provided engaging and sometimes harrowing performances in the tense and hectic war drama, and you may be curious to know what they’re up to now. You have come to the right place if that’s the case.
Josh Hartnett (Matt Eversmann)
Josh Hartnett was one of most bankable young stars in Hollywood by the time he joined the Black Hawk Down cast as Staff Sergeant Matt Eversmann in 2001, with movies like The Faculty, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, and Pearl Harbor under his belt.
More recently, Josh Hartnett has continued to find success on both the big screen and small screen, with everything from Wrath of Man to Ida Red and Paradise Lost to Exterminate All the Brutes coming out since 2020. The former teen heartthrob will next appear in The Long Way Home and The Fear Index.
Eric Bana (Norm “Hoot” Gibson)
Already a massive star in his native Australia by the time Black Hawk Down came around in December 2001, Eric Bana got one of his first big breaks in Hollywood with his portrayal of Delta Force Sergeant First Class Norm “Hoot” Gibson.
In the years following the release of Ridley Scott’s gritty war drama, Eric Bana appeared in Hulk, Troy, Munich, and Star Trek, and has continued to remain a busy actor with recent movies like King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, The Dry, and Back to the Outback. He’ll next appear in the upcoming drama Blueback.
Ewan McGregor (John “Grimesey” Grimes)
Ewan McGregor gave a tremendous performance as Army Rangers Specialist John “Grimesey” Grimes in Black Hawk Down, a movie that came out in the middle of one of the Scottish actor’s most successful runs (the film was released between Moulin Rouge! and Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones).
No surprise here, but Ewan McGregor has remained just as successful and just as prolific in the two decades since he went from a desk clerk to combat soldier, with Doctor Sleep, Birds of Prey, and The Birthday Cake all coming out since late 2019. McGregor will also take on the role of his famous Jedi master once more in the upcoming Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Tom Sizemore (Danny McKnight)
Just a few years after Saving Private Ryan and only months following the release of Pearl Harbor, Tom Sizemore tried his hand at the military drama genre with his portrayal of Colonel Danny McKnight in Black Hawk Down.
Despite extensive legal trouble over the years, Tom Sizemore has remained one of the busiest figures in Hollywood (he appeared in 28 movies between 2017 and 2018), and has continue to appear in multiple film and TV projects like Twin Peaks, Adam, and Central Park Dark.
William Fichtner (Jeff Sanderson)
Following successes like Heat, Armageddon, and The Perfect Storm, William Fichtner went on to portray Sergeant First Class Jeff Sanderson in Black Hawk Down.
Here more recently, William Fichtner has shown up in everything from 12 Strong to The Space Between on the film side of things with appearances on TV including Mom, Veep, and Corporate. At some point in the near future, Fichtner will try his luck again at the small screen with the upcoming Peacock series Joe Exotic which is to feature the actor as the Tiger King’s former producer Richard Kirkham.
Sam Shepard (William Garrison)
The late Sam Shepard, who found a great deal of success as an actor, playwright, author, and director, portrayed Major General William F. Garrison in Black Hawk Down.
In the years prior to his 2017 death at the age of 73, Sam Shepard appeared in Midnight Special, Never Here, and Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (though the film wasn’t released until 2019). He also appeared on the Netflix series Bloodline shortly before his passing.
Jason Isaacs (Mike Steele)
Jason Isaacs, who made a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s leading villainous actors with The Patriot and later the Harry Potter franchise, showed up in a less evil role in Black Hawk Down as Captain Mike Steele.
More recently, Jason Isaacs has appeared on Star Trek: Discovery, Sex Education, and Castlevania, as well as movies like Mass, Scoob!, and Hotel Mumbai. Isaacs has multiple projects in the works, including Spinning Gold and Henry VIII: Man, Monarch, Monster.
Ewen Bremner (Shawn Nelson)
One of the many actors who appeared in both Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down, Ewen Bremner shows up in the latter as Specialist Shawn Nelson.
Over the course of the past five years, Ewen Bremner has appeared in T2 Trainspotting (reprising his role from the 1996 original), Wonder Woman, First Cow, and Creation Stories to name a few. He will soon appear in the upcoming HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death.
Orlando Bloom (Todd Blackburn)
Just as he was becoming an overnight sensation with the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Orlando Bloom took on another memorable role as Private First Class Todd Blackburn in Black Hawk Down.
Since the December 2001 release of the violent war drama, Orlando Bloom has become an international superstar with franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and The Hobbit (where he reprised his LOTR role). Bloom is currently one of the leads on the Amazon series Carnival Row.
Tom Hardy (Lance Twombly)
Not long after he found a place on the Band of Brothers cast, Tom Hardy stuck with military dramas as Specialist Lance Twombly in his feature film debut.
Since then, Tom Hardy has become and remained one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood balancing comic book adaptations like The Dark Knight Rises and Venom with dramas like The Revenant and Dunkirk. Hardy will next appear in Gareth Evans upcoming crime thriller Havoc.
Kim Coates (Chris Wex)
Already an established name in show business by the time he joined the Black Hawk Down cast as Master Sergeant Chris Wex, Kim Coates has continued to find success in film and TV in the past 20 years.
The Sons of Anarchy and Prison Break star has recently appeared on shows like Tangled: The Series, The Crew, and Van Helsing, as well as movies like Fantasy Island, See for Me, and Donkeyhead.
Ioan Gruffudd (John Beales)
Ioan Gruffudd had already appeared in movies like Titanic and Another Life by the time he was cast as Lieutenant John Beales in Black Hawk Down, but his career would take off even more years after with Fantastic Four (and its 2007 sequel), King Arthur, and W.
More recently, Ioan Gruffudd has appeared in movies like The Professor and the Madman, Buttons, and Ava, as well as TV shows like Liar and Harrow.
Hugh Dancy (Kurt “Doc” Schmid)
Hugh Dancy made his feature film debut in Black Hawk Down as Sergeant First Class Kurt “Doc” Schmid, but it certainly wouldn’t be his last.
Following the success of The Jane Austen Book Club, Confessions of a Shopaholic, and Martha Marcy May Marlene, Hugh Dancy landed roles in more recent film productions like Late Night and the soon-to-be-released Downton Abbey: A New Era. Dancy will also appear on Law & Order Season 21 in early 2022..
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Gary Gordon)
Before he became known for his portrayal of Jaime Lannister on Game of Thrones, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau took on the role of Delta Force operative Master Sergeant Gary Gordon in Black Hawk Down.
Since completing his role in the divisive Game of Thrones Season 8, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has portrayed the titular character in a 2020 production of Macbeth, The Silencing, and A Taste of Hunger, with several upcoming projects on the way including Against The Ice and God is a Bullet.
Jeremy Piven (Clifton Wolcott)
Though more associated with comedic roles, Jeremy Piven showed up in Black Hawk Down as Clifton Wolcott, the pilot of the doomed Super 61 helicopter.
In the years following the release of Black Hawk Down, Jeremy Piven would land one of his most iconic roles when he was cast as Ari Gold on the HBO series Entourage (and the 2015 film adaptation). Recently, Piven has shown up in Last Call, American Night, and the soon-to-be-released All-Star Weekend alongside Jamie Foxx.
Ty Burrell (Timothy A. Wilkinson)
And then there is Ty Burrell, who has a brief appearance as Technical Sergeant Timothy A. Wilkinson in Black Hawk Down.
In the years following the film’s release, Ty Burrell would find success, first in Zack Snyder’s 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake and then on a much larger scale as Phil Dunphy on the long-running Modern Family. Since the landmark series completed its run in 2020, Burrell has voiced Jack Harris on the animated series Duncanville.
This is just a little more than a dozen of the actors who appeared on the Black Hawk Down cast, as including every single name would take a very long time. If it has been forever since you watched Ridley Scott's Academy Award-winning war drama, now's the perfect time as it is one of the best movies on HBO Max.
