‘We Are Marshall’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

We Are Marshall is a 2006 sports biopic that tells the story of the Marshall University football team. The film had an all-star cast, including Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie and Kate Mara. And while We Are Marshall had mixed reviews, and it wasn’t a commercial success, the film was an emotional roller coaster because of that the team had to overcome.

In 1970, the team was involved in a plane crash that killed 75 people, including 37 players, five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director and 25 boosters. The team got back on the field in 1971 with Jack Lengyel as the head coach. Because of the loss of players from the crash, Lengyel had to recruit athletes from other sports and bring in several walk-ons to rebuild the team. Marshall struggled in 1971, finishing with a 2-8 record. And while the Thundering Herd didn’t win a lot of games with Lengyel, the team would continue to rebuild, which led to them winning two FCS national championships in 1992 and 1996. Here’s a look at where the cast of We Are Marshall is now.

Matthew McConaughey – Jack Lengyel

McConaughey was already a big star when We Are Marshall was released, and it hasn’t changed. In 2013, the Texas native won an Academy Award for his role in Dallas Buyers Club. He has no movies lined up to be released this year, but he starred in The Beach Bum, The Gentlemen and Serenity, which were all released last year. 

Matthew Fox – Red Dawson

Fox is known for his roles on the TV Shows Party of Five and Lost. He went on to star in the films World War Z, Alex Cross, Extinction and Bone Tomahawk, which is his last project. Bone Tomahawk was released in 2015, and Fox hasn’t been seen onscreen since. 

Anthony Mackie – Nate Ruffin

Mackie took off after his appearance in We Are Marshall. He was in the Academy Award-winning film The Hurt Locker, he starred with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Mark Wahlberg in Pain & Gain, and he will be in The Woman in the Window with Amy Adams this year. But let’s not forget he played the role of Sam Wilson in six Marvel films including Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

David Strathairn – Donald Dedmon

Strathairn is no stranger in Hollywood as he appeared in his first film in 1980. He has not slowed down ever since, appearing films such as A League of Their Own, L.A. Confidential and Good Night, and Good Luck. Since We Are Marshall, Strathairn was featured in Darkest Hour Godzilla: King of Monsters and The Devil Has a Name. He is set to star in three more films in the near future, including Nightmare Alley with Bradley Cooper.

Kate Mara – Annie Cantrell

Mara continued to make a name for herself in Hollywood, appearing films such as Iron Man 2, Fantastic Four and The Martian. Her last film was in 2018, appearing in Chappaquiddick with Jason Clarke and Ed Helms. She is set to star in the FX miniseries A Teacher. 

January Jones – Carole Dawson

Most fans know Jones for her role in Mad Men, which she started after We Are Marshall. Jones has also appeared in X-Men: First Class, the TV series The Last Man on Earth and also appeared on The Politician. She recently appeared in the Netflix series Spinning Out, which was canceled after one season. 

Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Williams-Paisley has appeared in various films and TV shows since We Are Marshall. This year the wife of Brad Paisley is set to appear in The Violent Heart, which is set to be released this year. She is more known for her work on TV, being featured in According to Jim and Nashville.