‘Cool Runnings’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

People got to know and love the Jamaica national bobsled team in 1993 due to the Disney film Cool Runnings. The movie is loosely based on a true story of the team’s journey to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and starred Leon Robinson, Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba, and John Candy. This project was Candy’s last film to be released during his lifetime, as he died in 1994.

“It meant so much to me that the film was loved in Jamaica,” director Jon Turteltaub said in an interview with The Guardian in September. “I felt I had given the people there something to be really proud of, and something they could laugh about at the same time. I loved the line spoken by Malik’s Yul Brenner character: ‘We’re different. People always afraid of what’s different.’ It puts a different spin on hatred – for Yul to have that wisdom shows that his character experienced this before, and his own anger comes from a vulnerable place.” Cool Runnings became a big hit for Disney, earning $154.9 million at the box office. Here’s a look at where the cast of the hit film is now.

Leon Robinson – Derice Bannock

Shortly after Leon Robinson appeared in Cool Runnings, he started in the basketball drama Above the Rim and Little Richard. He can currently be seen in the Hallmark movie. Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas with Lacey Chabert. 

Doug E. Doug – Sanka Coffie

In 1996, Doug E. Doug became a series regular on the TV series Cosby and appeared in 93 episodes. His last credited film was An Act of War in 2015 and, and his TV appearance was Brown Nation. He recently released a book called The Fall of ’87, which he talks about in the video above. 

Rawle D. Lewis – Junior Bevil

Rawle D. Lewis has continued to work in Hollywood over the last 27 years. According to his IMDB page, Lewis is currently filming a new movie called Big America where he plays a teacher. He can be seen in the film Where We Begin, which was released earlier this year. 

Malik Yoba – Yul Brenner

Malik Yoba has had a successful career after Cool Runnings. Most fans know him from the Fox Series New York Undercover, which aired from 1994-1999. He recently starred in the 2019 film Awake and appeared in five episodes of the CBS Series God Friended Me in 2018. 

John Candy – Irving “Irv” Blitzer

As mentioned John Candy died shortly after the release of Cool Runnings. He did posthumously appear in two films – Wagons East and Canadian Bacon. Candy is known for having memorable roles in various films such as Spaceballs, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, National Lampoon’s Vacation, The Great Outdoors and Home Alone. 

Raymond J. Barry – Kurt Hemphill

Raymond J. Barry has not slowed down even at the age of 81 years old. Over the last few years, Barry has been seen in top TV shows such as New Girl, The 100, Ray Donavan, Gotham, Shooter and 13 Reasons Why. 

Peter Outerbridge – Josef Grool

Peter Outerbridge went on to star in the CW series Nikita and he also appeared in the film Saw IV. In 2019, Outerbridge had a recurring role in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy.