Jodie Foster as Ellie Arroway

Matthew McConaughey as Palmer Joss

James Woods as Michael Kitz

John Hurt as S. R. Hadden

Tom Skerritt as David Drumlin

William Fichtner as Kent

David Morse as Ted Arroway

Angela Bassett as Rachel Constantine

Geoffrey Blake as Fisher

Max Martini as Willie

Rob Lowe as Richard Rank

Jake Busey as Joseph

Tucker Smallwood as Mission Director

Jena Malone as Young Ellie

Sami Chester as Vernon

Timothy McNeil as Davio

Laura Elena Surillo as Cantina Woman

Henry Strozier as Minister

Larry King as Larry King

Thomas Garner as Ian Broderick

Conroy Chino as KOB-TV Reporter

Dan Gifford as Jeremy Roth

Vance Valencia as Senator Valencia

Donna Kelley as Donna Kelley

Leon Harris as Leon Harris

Claire Shipman as Claire Shipman

Behrooz Afrakhan as Middle Eastern Anchor

Saemi Nakamura as Japanese Anchor

Maria Celeste Arraras as Latina Anchor

Tabitha Soren as Tabitha Soren

Geraldo Rivera as Geraldo Rivera

Ian Whitcomb as British Anchor

Jay Leno as Jay Leno

Natalie Allen as Natalie Allen

Robert D. Novak as Robert D. Novak

Geraldine A. Ferraro as Geraldine A. Ferraro

Ann Druyan as Ann Druyan

Kathleen Kennedy as Kathleen Kennedy

Michael Albala as Decryption Hacker

Ned Netterville as Decryption Expert

Leo Lee as Major Domo

William Jordan as Chairman of Joint Chiefs

David St. James as Joint Chief

Jill Dougherty as Jill Dougherty

Haynes Brooke as Drumlin Aide

John Holliman as John Holliman

Bobbie Battista as Bobbie Battista

Dee Dee Myers as Dee Dee Myers

Bryant Gumbel as Bryant Gumbel

Linden Soles as Linden Soles

Steven Ford as Major Russell

Alexander Zemeckis as Major Russell's Son

Janie Peterson as Major Russell's Daughter

Philippe Bergeron as French Committee Member

Jennifer Balgobin as Dr. Patel

Anthony Hamilton as British Committee Member

Rebecca T. Beucler as NASA Public Relations

Marc Macaulay as NASA Technician

Pamela Wilsey as Voice of NASA (voice)

Jeffery Thomas Johnson as Mechanical

Yuji Okumoto as Electrical

Gerry Griffin as Dynamics

Brian Alston as Communications

Rob Elk as Pad Leader

Mark Thomason as Security

José Rey as Controller #8

Todd Patrick Breaugh as New VLA Technician

Alex Veadov as Russian Cosmonaut

Alice Kushida as Scientist

Robin Gammell as Project Official

Richardson Morse as Mission Doctor

Seiji Okamura as Japanese Ensign

Bernard Shaw as Bernard Shaw

Mak Takano as Japanese Tech #1

Hiroshi Tom Tanaka as Japanese Tech #2

Catherine Dao as Life Support

Kristoffer Ryan Winters as Dynamics #2

Valorie Armstrong as Woman Senator

Jim Hild as Reporter #5

William L. Thomas as Reporter #6

Diego Montoya as School Boy

Jonathan Adler as White House Official (uncredited)

Robert Aguilar Jr. as NASA Controller #2 (uncredited)

Mark Bailey as Four-Star General (uncredited)

Matt Bennett as Senate Observer (uncredited)

Tony Boldi as Robert Hand (uncredited)

Christopher Boyer as Scientist (uncredited)

Christine Brady as White House Official (uncredited)

Ray Buffer as Press Reporter (uncredited)

Mark Byrne as Protester (uncredited)

Candice T. Cain as Supporter (uncredited)

Michael Chaban as Hadden Suit (uncredited)

Aixa Clemente as President's Secretary (uncredited)

Bill Clinton as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Derrick Damions as Ailing Believer (uncredited)

Elaina Erika Davis as Philanthropy Bureaucrat (uncredited)

Joey Dente as Factory Worker (uncredited)

Michael Egan as IMC Police Officer (uncredited)

Jeff Elmore as Monk (uncredited)

Pamela Fischer as Pedestrian (uncredited)

Carl Gilliard as Controller (uncredited)

William B. Kaplan as TV Interviewer (uncredited)

Boris Lee Krutonog as Astronaut (uncredited)

Ming Lo as Pod Systems Control (uncredited)

Sunshine Logroño as Puerto Rican Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Denise Loveday as Press Secretary (uncredited)

Neal Matarazzo as Kitz's Aide (uncredited)

Bill Miller as Reporter (uncredited)

Molly Mueller as Family Exchange (uncredited)

Paul L. Nolan as Ellie's Attorney (uncredited)

Marisa Petroro as Oval Office Secretary (uncredited)

Errica Poindexter as Police Officer (uncredited)

J.A. Preston as Senator (uncredited)

Frank Principe as Ailing Believer (uncredited)

Billy Quinn as Security Guard (uncredited)

Thomas Reid as Senate Hearing (uncredited)

Leo Rogstad as Ailing Believer (uncredited)

Russell Sanderlin Sr. as Photographer (uncredited)

Frank Silva as Army Officer (uncredited)

John A. Taylor as Senate Hearing Attendee (uncredited)

Todd Thompson as News Reporter (uncredited)

Cenk Uygur as Reporter (uncredited)

Holly Cross Vagley as Religious Zealot (uncredited)

Eric Alan Wendell as Protester (uncredited)

Delaney Williams as Believer #1 (uncredited)

Gregory L. Williams as Extra (uncredited)