The Les Misérables cast is full of talent – and they've done a lot since the film was released more than ten years ago.
I have been obsessed with movie musicals for as long as I can remember. I love to rewatch Mamma Mia!, check out the hit movie Chicago, and even dance around my room while rewatching Hairspray. No matter the movie musical, I love to rewatch it. Les Misérables was a movie musical that I loved for some time as a child. I recently decided to rewatch it, and my opinion of the film has changed significantly because my knowledge of the original musical has grown. But you want to know what has stayed the same? The love I have for the Les Misérables cast.
I'm not sure what Tom Hooper did to get an ensemble cast of this talent, but the Les Misérables cast is one of the most star-studded ensemble movie musicals I have seen in a long time. From Hugh Jackman to Russell Crowe to Anne Hathaway, there are plenty of cast members here that we have seen in massive movies, major TV shows and incredible stage productions.
If you're wondering where the Les Misérables cast is more than a decade after the film premiered, here is what they've been up to.
Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean)
First up on this list is the star of Les Misérables, Hugh Jackman. He portrayed Jean Valjean, and while I don't personally agree with making him the lead character, his acting was great in the film. He ended up scoring an Academy Award nomination for it. Jackman has always participated in theatre and musicals, so his being in Les Misérables makes sense.
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Jackman continued to further his musical talents after his role in the movie. Not only did he host the 2014 Tony Awards, where he put on an impressive opening performance featuring several big Broadway stars, but he also starred in the smash hit musical The Greatest Showman (which truthfully needs a sequel). He was also the star of the Broadway revival of The Music Man in 2022.
Aside from that, Jackman has appeared in many movies since his role in Les Misérables. He closed out his time as Wolverine in the X-Men movie franchise, but he will reprise the role one last time in the upcoming Deadpool 3, which paused filming due to the 2023 Writer's Strike.
Jackman also appeared in films such as The Front Runner, Bad Education, Prisoners, The Son and was the star of the Reminiscence cast in 2021. He also had a recurring voice role on the hit Netflix show Human Resources and a recurring role on Hulu's Koala Man. He'll be in a new film called Apostle Paul and a new miniseries called Faraway Downs next.
Russell Crowe (Javert)
Russell Crowe portrayed Javert in Les Misérables, and I will openly admit that I did not care that much for his casting, as most people didn't. Crowe isn't necessarily known for his singing ability. However, the actor is incredibly talented, and he's been in plenty of movies since then.
His most prominent movies include The Nice Guys, The Mummy, Unhinged, Noah (where he starred as the titular character), Poker Face, and The Greatest Beer Run Ever. He also portrayed Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder, and he was a part of the 2023 horror film The Pope's Exorcist. Crowe has also had a voice role on Ark: The Animated Series.
Crowe has plenty coming up in the next few years regarding new projects. He will be a part of the Kraven the Hunter cast, and he is set to appear in movies such as The Georgetown Project, A Taste for Blood, Sleeping Dogs, Rothko, and more.
Anne Hathaway (Fantine)
The Les Misérables cast is incredible, but no one surpassed Anne Hathaway, who played Fantine in the film. The actress won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role, and she has gone on to star in some pretty incredible projects since then. We've even ranked her best films.
My personal favorite performance of hers was when she had a co-starring role in Interstellar, one of Christopher Nolan's best films I watched in 2023. Aside from that, Hathaway has appeared in movies like The Intern, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Ocean's 8, Locked Down, The Witches, She Came to Me, Eileen, and more.
The actress also held a role on the Amazon Prime TV show Modern Love for two episodes. Hathaway will star in Mother's Instinct and several other movies like The Idea Of You, Mother Mary, The Lifeboat, and Bum's Rush in the coming years.
Amanda Seyfried (Cosette)
I've always loved Amanda Seyfried in any musical role, and her as Cosette was the perfect pick. Les Misérables showed the full capability of her musical talent. And ever since then, Amanda Seyfried has starred in some great films.
She was in the sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and she also starred in other movies such as The Big Wedding, Epic, A Million Ways to Die in the West, Gringo, Ted 2, Pan, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Scoob!, Things Heard and Seen, and A Mouthful of Air.
Seyfried has also expanded her talent into television. She had a leading performance in The Dropout cast on Hulu, one that earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination. She also had a lead role in Apple TV+'s The Crowded Room, and she was on four episodes of Twin Peaks.
Seyfried will appear in a new movie called My Ex-Friend's Wedding next, so be sure to check that out.
Eddie Redmayne (Marius Pontmercy)
Marius Pontmercy was the love interest of Cosette and one of the fighters of the rebellion in Les Misérables, and Eddie Redmayne portrayed him. This was the first time I had ever seen Redmayne, so his performance in this movie holds a special place in my heart.
A year later, Redmayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Theory of Everything, where he played Stephen Hawking. Aside from that, Redmayne has also gained a lot of notoriety for his role as Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts franchise in the world of Harry Potter.
Aside from this, Redmayne has appeared in several other movies, including The Danish Girl, The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Aeronauts, The Good Nurse, and Early Man. Up next, he will be starring in a new TV series called The Day of the Jackal.
Helena Bonham Carter (Madame Thénardier)
Helena Bonham Carter is arguably one of my favorite actresses, and her role as Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables is iconic in the best way possible. Ever since then, the actress has appeared in a variety of movies.
My choice for her best film post-Les Mis is the live-action Cinderella, where she played the Fairy Godmother. She also appeared in the Enola Holmes movies on Netflix, One Love, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Ocean's 8, Suffragette, and The Lone Ranger.
Carter also starred as Princess Margaret for two seasons on the hit Netflix series The Crown, and she had roles in Love, Nina, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (the latter of which was canceled). She appeared in a British miniseries as well, titled Nolly. She will be in two new films, The Offing and Four Letters of Love, and she will also appear in a TV series about David Copperfield.
Sacha Baron Cohen (Monsieur Thénardier)
I cannot think of a better actor to play Monsieur Thénardier in Les Misérables, especially opposite Helena Bonham Carter, than Sacha Baron Cohen. Cohen has appeared in movies since Les Misérables, including Alice Through the Looking Glass and The Trial of the Chicago 7, and he held a voice role in the emotional Pixar film Luca.
Cohen especially made waves when he released Borat Subsequent Moviefilm in 2020, a sequel to his hit movie Borat. The film received excellent reviews, and it earned a few Academy Award nominations.
He also created, wrote, and starred in Who Is America? and was in six episodes of The Spy series. Cohen will be in a new miniseries called Disclaimer and two new movies called Mandrake the Magician and Super Toys.
Samantha Barks (Éponine)
Samantha Barks played Éponine in Les Misérables, a known stage veteran who portrayed the same character in the stage production years before the movie. Since then, the actress has appeared in films, including The Christmas Candle, Bitter Harvest, Interlude for Prague, and Tomorrow Morning. She also had a guest role on the TV show Bear Grylls: Mission Survive.
Barks has mainly stuck to theatre since her role in the movie, appearing in various stage plays and musicals, including Chicago, Chess, Frozen, The Last Five Years, Amelie, City of Angels, Honeymoon in Vegas, and Pretty Woman: The Musical.
Aaron Tveit (Enjolras)
Enjolras wasn't as big of a star as Marius, but he certainly made an impact in Les Misérables, and Aaron Tveit is the reason for that. The actor has appeared in a few films, including Big Sky, Better Of Single, Out of Blue, and Created Equal, but has mainly stuck to television.
He was a part of Graceland and BrainDead, he also was part of the stacked Schimigadoon! main cast. He had several recurring and guest roles on shows such as The Good Fight, The Code, and American Horror Stories too. Tveit has also stuck to theatre, appearing in productions like Company, Assassins, and most recently, Moulin Rouge!, for which he won a Tony Award for.
Daniel Huttlestone (Gavroche)
Lastly, we have Daniel Huttlestone, who played Gavroche in Les Misérables. While the character is essential, Huttlestone hasn't done much acting since then. He appeared in Into the Woods in a prominent part, and then he appeared in the films Friday Download, London Town, and The Lost City of Z, but has since stopped acting.
There are so many talented stars on this list that I need to catch up on, and now I feel I need to do some movie marathons to celebrate all their incredible films. Does anyone else feel up to the challenge of watching Mamma Mia! over and over again with me?
