Jodie Foster Eleanor Arroway Matthew McConaughey Palmer Joss James Woods Michael Kitz John Hurt S. R. Hadden Tom Skerritt David Drumlin William Fichtner Kent Clark David Morse Ted Arroway Angela Bassett Rachel Constantine Geoffrey Blake Fisher Max Martini Willie Rob Lowe Richard Rank Jake Busey Joseph Jena Malone Young Ellie Tucker Smallwood Mission Director Henry Strozier Minister Haynes Brooke Drumlin Aide Larry King Himself Thomas Garner Ian Broderick Donna Kelley Herself Claire Shipman Herself Saemi Nakamura Japanese Anchor Tabitha Soren Herself Geraldo Rivera Himself Ian Whitcomb British Anchor Jay Leno Himself Michael Albala Decryption Hacker Leo Lee Major Domo William Jordan Chairman of Joint Chiefs David St. James Joint Chief Steven Ford Major Russell Jennifer Balgobin Dr. Patel Marc Macaulay NASA Technician Jeffery Thomas Johnson Mechanical Yuji Okumoto Electrical Jodie Foster Eleanor Arroway Matthew McConaughey Palmer Joss James Woods Michael Kitz John Hurt S. R. Hadden Tom Skerritt David Drumlin William Fichtner Kent Clark David Morse Ted Arroway Angela Bassett Rachel Constantine Geoffrey Blake Fisher Max Martini Willie Rob Lowe Richard Rank Jake Busey Joseph Jena Malone Young Ellie Tucker Smallwood Mission Director Henry Strozier Minister Haynes Brooke Drumlin Aide Larry King Himself Thomas Garner Ian Broderick Donna Kelley Herself Claire Shipman Herself Saemi Nakamura Japanese Anchor Tabitha Soren Herself Geraldo Rivera Himself Ian Whitcomb British Anchor Jay Leno Himself Michael Albala Decryption Hacker Leo Lee Major Domo William Jordan Chairman of Joint Chiefs David St. James Joint Chief Steven Ford Major Russell Jennifer Balgobin Dr. Patel Marc Macaulay NASA Technician Jeffery Thomas Johnson Mechanical Yuji Okumoto Electrical Rob Elk Pad Leader Alex Veadov Russian Cosmonaut Robin Gammell Project Official Catherine Dao Life Support Valorie Armstrong Senator William L. Thomas Reporter #6 Matt Bennett Senate Observer Christopher Boyer Scientist Aixa Clemente President's Secretary Elaina Erika Davis Philanthropy Bureaucrat Carl Gilliard Controller Jodie Foster Eleanor Arroway Matthew McConaughey Palmer Joss James Woods Michael Kitz John Hurt S. R. Hadden Tom Skerritt David Drumlin William Fichtner Kent Clark David Morse Ted Arroway Angela Bassett Rachel Constantine Geoffrey Blake Fisher Max Martini Willie Rob Lowe Richard Rank Jake Busey Joseph Jena Malone Young Ellie Tucker Smallwood Mission Director Henry Strozier Minister Haynes Brooke Drumlin Aide Larry King Himself Thomas Garner Ian Broderick Donna Kelley Herself Claire Shipman Herself Saemi Nakamura Japanese Anchor Tabitha Soren Herself Geraldo Rivera Himself Ian Whitcomb British Anchor Jay Leno Himself Michael Albala Decryption Hacker Leo Lee Major Domo William Jordan Chairman of Joint Chiefs David St. James Joint Chief Steven Ford Major Russell Jennifer Balgobin Dr. Patel Marc Macaulay NASA Technician Jeffery Thomas Johnson Mechanical Yuji Okumoto Electrical Rob Elk Pad Leader Alex Veadov Russian Cosmonaut Robin Gammell Project Official Catherine Dao Life Support Valorie Armstrong Senator William L. Thomas Reporter #6 Matt Bennett Senate Observer Christopher Boyer Scientist Aixa Clemente President's Secretary Elaina Erika Davis Philanthropy Bureaucrat Carl Gilliard Controller Ming Lo Pod Systems Control Sunshine Logroño Puerto Rican Taxi Driver Denise Loveday Press Secretary