A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality.
Cast
Jodie Foster
Ellie Arroway
Matthew McConaughey
Palmer Joss
James Woods
Michael Kitz
John Hurt
S. R. Hadden
Tom Skerritt
David Drumlin
William Fichtner
Kent
David Morse
Ted Arroway
Angela Bassett
Rachel Constantine
Geoffrey Blake
Fisher
Max Martini
Willie
Rob Lowe
Richard Rank
Jake Busey
Joseph
Tucker Smallwood
Mission Director
Jena Malone
Young Ellie
Sami Chester
Vernon
Timothy McNeil
Davio
Laura Elena Surillo
Cantina Woman
Henry Strozier
Minister
Larry King
Larry King
Thomas Garner
Ian Broderick
Conroy Chino
KOB-TV Reporter
Dan Gifford
Jeremy Roth
Vance Valencia
Senator Valencia
Donna Kelley
Donna Kelley
Leon Harris
Leon Harris
Claire Shipman
Claire Shipman
Behrooz Afrakhan
Middle Eastern Anchor
Saemi Nakamura
Japanese Anchor
Maria Celeste Arraras
Latina Anchor
Tabitha Soren
Tabitha Soren
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera
Ian Whitcomb
British Anchor
Jay Leno
Jay Leno
Natalie Allen
Natalie Allen
Robert D. Novak
Robert D. Novak
Geraldine A. Ferraro
Geraldine A. Ferraro
Ann Druyan
Ann Druyan
Kathleen Kennedy
Kathleen Kennedy
Michael Albala
Decryption Hacker
Ned Netterville
Decryption Expert
Leo Lee
Major Domo
William Jordan
Chairman of Joint Chiefs
David St. James
Joint Chief
Jill Dougherty
Jill Dougherty
Haynes Brooke
Drumlin Aide
John Holliman
John Holliman
Bobbie Battista
Bobbie Battista
Dee Dee Myers
Dee Dee Myers
Bryant Gumbel
Bryant Gumbel
Linden Soles
Linden Soles
Steven Ford
Major Russell
Alexander Zemeckis
Major Russell's Son
Janie Peterson
Major Russell's Daughter
Philippe Bergeron
French Committee Member
Jennifer Balgobin
Dr. Patel
Anthony Hamilton
British Committee Member
Rebecca T. Beucler
NASA Public Relations
Marc Macaulay
NASA Technician
Pamela Wilsey
Voice of NASA (voice)
Jeffery Thomas Johnson
Mechanical
Yuji Okumoto
Electrical
Gerry Griffin
Dynamics
Brian Alston
Communications
Rob Elk
Pad Leader
Mark Thomason
Security
José Rey
Controller #8
Todd Patrick Breaugh
New VLA Technician
Alex Veadov
Russian Cosmonaut
Alice Kushida
Scientist
Robin Gammell
Project Official
Richardson Morse
Mission Doctor
Seiji Okamura
Japanese Ensign
Bernard Shaw
Bernard Shaw
Mak Takano
Japanese Tech #1
Hiroshi Tom Tanaka
Japanese Tech #2
Catherine Dao
Life Support
Kristoffer Ryan Winters
Dynamics #2
Valorie Armstrong
Woman Senator
Jim Hild
Reporter #5
William L. Thomas
Reporter #6
Diego Montoya
School Boy
Jonathan Adler
White House Official (uncredited)
Robert Aguilar Jr.
NASA Controller #2 (uncredited)
Mark Bailey
Four-Star General (uncredited)
Matt Bennett
Senate Observer (uncredited)
Tony Boldi
Robert Hand (uncredited)
Christopher Boyer
Scientist (uncredited)
Christine Brady
White House Official (uncredited)
Ray Buffer
Press Reporter (uncredited)
Mark Byrne
Protester (uncredited)
Candice T. Cain
Supporter (uncredited)
Michael Chaban
Hadden Suit (uncredited)
Aixa Clemente
President's Secretary (uncredited)
Bill Clinton
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Derrick Damions
Ailing Believer (uncredited)
Elaina Erika Davis
Philanthropy Bureaucrat (uncredited)
Joey Dente
Factory Worker (uncredited)
Michael Egan
IMC Police Officer (uncredited)
Jeff Elmore
Monk (uncredited)
Pamela Fischer
Pedestrian (uncredited)
Carl Gilliard
Controller (uncredited)
William B. Kaplan
TV Interviewer (uncredited)
Boris Lee Krutonog
Astronaut (uncredited)
Ming Lo
Pod Systems Control (uncredited)
Sunshine Logroño
Puerto Rican Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Denise Loveday
Press Secretary (uncredited)
Neal Matarazzo
Kitz's Aide (uncredited)
Bill Miller
Reporter (uncredited)
Molly Mueller
Family Exchange (uncredited)
Paul L. Nolan
Ellie's Attorney (uncredited)
Marisa Petroro
Oval Office Secretary (uncredited)
Errica Poindexter
Police Officer (uncredited)
J.A. Preston
Senator (uncredited)
Frank Principe
Ailing Believer (uncredited)
Billy Quinn
Security Guard (uncredited)
Thomas Reid
Senate Hearing (uncredited)
Leo Rogstad
Ailing Believer (uncredited)
Russell Sanderlin Sr.
Photographer (uncredited)
Frank Silva
Army Officer (uncredited)
John A. Taylor
Senate Hearing Attendee (uncredited)
Todd Thompson
News Reporter (uncredited)
Cenk Uygur
Reporter (uncredited)
Holly Cross Vagley
Religious Zealot (uncredited)
Eric Alan Wendell
Protester (uncredited)
Delaney Williams
Believer #1 (uncredited)
Gregory L. Williams
Extra (uncredited)
Crew
Peter Jackson
Additional Visual Effects
Robert Zemeckis
Director, Producer
Michael Goldenberg
Screenplay
James V. Hart
Screenplay
Carl Sagan
Story, Novel, Co-Producer
Ann Druyan
Story, Co-Producer
Arthur Schmidt
Editor
Jana Lynn Gold
Assistant Editor
Harry Keramidas
Additional Editing
Don Burgess
Director of Photography
Bob Putynkowski
Color Timer
John Nicolard
Digital Color Timer
Bruce Moriarty
First Assistant Director
Cellin Gluck
Second Assistant Director
Lucille OuYang
Second Assistant Director
Alison C. Rosa
Second Second Assistant Director
Darin Rivetti
Second Second Assistant Director
Darryl Henley
Storyboard Artist
Darcy Fray
Production Coordinator
Joan Bradshaw
Executive Producer, Unit Production Manager
Lynda Obst
Executive Producer
Dawn Guinta
Production Supervisor
Steve Starkey
Producer, Second Unit Director
Steven J. Boyd
Associate Producer
Rick Porras
Associate Producer
Nick Booth
Production Assistant
Ed Verreaux
Production Design
Allen E. Taylor
Production Controller, Production Accountant
Josh Bleibtreu
Camera Operator
Robert LaBonge
Camera Operator
Nick Phillips
Camera Operator
Clyde Miller
Assistant Camera
Tony Rivetti Sr.
First Assistant Camera
Michael A. FauntLeRoy Sr.
First Assistant Camera
Ned Martin
First Assistant Camera
Michael Condro
First Assistant Camera
Chad Rivetti
Second Assistant Camera
Frank D. Parrish
Second Assistant Camera
Jeff 'Moose' Howery
Dolly Grip
Steven J. Winslow
Camera Technician
Mark O'Kane
Steadicam Operator
Gregory Lundsgaard
Steadicam Operator
Nikki Dalmau
Casting Coordinator
Scot Boland
Casting Associate
Victoria Burrows
Casting
Judith Bouley
Additional Casting
Nigel Boyd
Key Costumer
Taryn Weaver
Set Costumer
Patricia Bercsi
Set Costumer
Kenn Smiley
Set Costumer
Steve Ellsworth
Set Costumer
Jessica Fasman
Assistant Costume Designer
Pamela Wise
Costume Supervisor
Betty Brikowski
Costume Supervisor
Joanna Johnston
Costume Design
Robin Richesson
Costume Illustrator
Hope Slepak
Costumer
John P. Cazin
Pyrotechnician
Kathryn Blondell
Key Hair Stylist
Vivian McAteer
Hairstylist
Janice Alexander
Hairstylist
Carolyn Elias
Hairstylist
Frances Mathias
Hairstylist
Audrey L. Anzures
Hairstylist
Hallie D'Amore
Key Makeup Artist
Barbara Lacy
Makeup Artist
Deborah La Mia Denaver
Makeup Artist
Jean-Luc Russier
Makeup Artist
Roxanna Floyd
Makeup Artist
Margaret E. Elliott
Makeup Artist
Beth Bernstein
Art Department Coordinator
John B. Josselyn
Art Department Assistant
Sally Thornton
Assistant Art Director
Doug J. Meerdink
Assistant Art Director
Brad Ricker
Assistant Art Director
Gary Archer
Prosthetics
Keith VanderLaan
Prosthetic Makeup Artist
Randy Thom
Sound Designer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Teresa Eckton
Sound Effects Editor
Steve Boeddeker
Sound Effects Editor
Marian Wilde
Sound Effects Editor
Douglas Murray
Sound Effects Editor
Phil Benson
Supervising Sound Editor
David Dresher
Assistant Sound Editor
Susan Popovic
Assistant Sound Editor
Stephen Kearney
Assistant Sound Editor
Andrew Cowitt
Assistant Sound Editor
Karen Harding
Assistant Sound Editor
Mary Works
Assistant Sound Editor, Assistant Dialogue Editor
Kent Brown
Assistant Sound Editor
Cheryl Nardi
First Assistant Sound Editor
Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz
Temp Sound Editor
Gary Rizzo
Sound Re-Recording Mixer, Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Dennis Sands
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Tom Johnson
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
William B. Kaplan
Production Sound Mixer
Randolph Saucedo
Sound Recordist
Scott Levy
Sound Recordist
Earl Sampson
Boom Operator
Dennie Thorpe
Foley Artist
Catherine Harper
Foley Artist
Bruce Lacey
Foley Editor
Mary Helen Leasman
Foley Editor
Sara Bolder
Foley Editor
Tony Sereno
Foley Mixer
Tony Eckert
Foley Mixer
Sue Fox
Supervising ADR Editor
Lindakay Brown
ADR Editor
Charleen Richards-Steeves
ADR Mixer
Steven C. McGee
Chief Lighting Technician
William Cueto
Assistant Chief Lighting Technician
Roland Blancaflor
Special Effects Technician
Eric Cook
Special Effects Coordinator
Allen Hall
Special Effects Supervisor
Marzette Bonar
Special Effects
Charlie Bonilla
Special Effects Assistant
Ken Ralston
Senior Visual Effects Supervisor
Michael L. Fink
Senior Visual Effects Supervisor
Kenneth Jones
Visual Effects Supervisor
Lauren Alexandra Ritchie
Visual Effects Supervisor
Joe Matza
Visual Effects Supervisor
Ariel Velasco-Shaw
Visual Effects Supervisor
Stephen Rosenbaum
Visual Effects Supervisor
C. Marie Davis
Visual Effects Producer
Julia Rivas Frey
Visual Effects Producer
Debbie Denise
Visual Effects Producer
Mark S. Miller
Visual Effects Producer
Theresa Corrao
Visual Effects Coordinator
Dawn Llewellyn
Visual Effects Editor
Heather J. Morrison
Visual Effects Editor
Michael McGovern
Visual Effects Editor
Kosta Saric
Visual Effects Editor
J.W. Kompare
Visual Effects Editor
Kelly Granite
Visual Effects Compositor
Mimi Medel
Visual Effects Production Manager
Martin A. Kline
Visual Effects Art Director
David Stump
VFX Director of Photography
Ron Brinkmann
CG Supervisor
Jerome Chen
CG Supervisor
Matt Aitken
CG Supervisor
Joel Aron
CG Artist
Gregor Lakner
CG Artist
Robert Weaver
CG Artist
Alan Silvestri
Original Music Composer
Kenneth Karman
Music Editor
Kirk A. Holland
Transportation Captain
Randy Cantor
Transportation Captain
David Diaz
Transportation Co-Captain
Joel Marrow
Transportation Coordinator
Robert Cable
Second Assistant Accountant
Kevin Bowe
Assistant Accountant
Timothy Wilcox
3D Artist
Geoffrey Harvey
3D Animator
Spencer Knapp
3D Animator
Dylan Robinson
3D Animator
Michael Silvers
Dialogue Editor
Ewa Sztompke
Dialogue Editor
Barbara McBane
Dialogue Editor
Tim Monich
Dialect Coach
Rand R. Vargas
Rigging Grip
Robert E. Denne
Standby Painter
Michael Taylor
Set Decoration
Sara Gardner-Gail
Set Dresser
Kristen Pratt
Set Designer
Evelyne Barbier
Set Designer
Easton Michael Smith
Set Designer
Josh Lusby
Set Designer
James F. Claytor Sr.
Set Designer
Dean Wolcott
Set Designer
Mariko Braswell
Set Designer
Michael Diersing
Construction Coordinator
Scott E. Handt
Construction Foreman
Jerrold F. Brooks
Construction Foreman
Wayne Eaton
Propmaker
Michael Douglas Middleton
Still Photographer
François Duhamel
Still Photographer
Stephen Kennedy
Compositing Supervisor
M. Scott McKee
Compositing Supervisor
Bart Giovanetti
Compositing Supervisor
Luca Kouimelis
Script Supervisor
Mary Nelson
Roto Supervisor
Victor Jimenez
Digital Effects Supervisor
Bill Feightner
Technical Supervisor
Charlie Clavadetscher
Matchmove Supervisor
Jay Redd
Sequence Supervisor
David Jones
Sequence Supervisor
Kee-Suk 'Ken' Hahn
Sequence Supervisor
Sam Richards
Sequence Supervisor
Laurence Treweek
Sequence Supervisor
Douglas W. Smith
Electrician
Dave Mikutsky
Electrician
Thomas C. Mentzer
Carpenter
Dan Brizendine
Driver
Michelle Vogler
Set Production Assistant
Paul Pav
Location Manager
Luz Eneida Nuñez
Location Manager
Peggy Pridemore
Location Manager
Primrose Fukuchi
Location Assistant
Kristin Dehnert
Assistant Location Manager
Kathleen Beall
Location Scout
Ines Mongil-Echandi
Production Office Coordinator
Kevin LaRosa
Aerial Coordinator
Judd Nissen
Travel Coordinator
Jay Caputo
Stunts
Jill Stokesberry
Stunts
Kim Robert Koscki
Stunts
Dan Plum
Stunts
Lynn Salvatori
Stunts
Bud Davis
Stunt Coordinator
Robin L. Miller
Property Master
Clifton T. Cooper
Assistant Property Master
Peggy Names
Cableman
Renton-Paul Medcalf
Best Boy Grip
Tim Alexander
Digital Compositors
Christopher Casey
Swing
David Presley
Video Assist Operator
Michael Noles
Video Assist Operator
Mo Henry
Negative Cutter
Steve Smith
Key Grip
James Conroy
Grip
David Morton
Gaffer
Carl Catanese
Set Buyer
Rob Engle
Software Engineer
Richard Kriegler
Conceptual Illustrator
Nina Saxon
Title Designer
Nannette Rosa Collazo
Unit Manager
Edward J. Ertel
Projection
Craig A. Mumma
Digital Effects Producer
Gerardo Rosette
Tailor
John Rauh
Digital Compositor
Jean François Fontaine
Digital Compositor
Jeff Doran
Digital Compositor
George Denes Suhayda
Conceptual Design
John Wright
Craft Service
Mark Wineman
24 Frame Playback
Ira Toles
24 Frame Playback
Mark Marcum
24 Frame Playback
Jane E. Russell
Unit Publicist
Lawrence A. Hubbs
Art Direction
Bruce Crone
Art Direction
Jeff Johnson
Set Medic
Carin-Anne Strohmaier
First Assistant Editor
R. Orlando Duenas
First Assistant Editor
Jeremiah O'Driscoll
First Assistant Editor
Carley A. Berkman
Production Secretary
Steve Burg
Concept Artist
William Ross
Orchestrator
Joanie Karnowski
Rotoscoping Artist
Aaron Smith
Rotoscoping Artist
Gimo Chanphianamvong
Rotoscoping Artist
Lisa Kahatriya
Rotoscoping Artist
Maura Alvarez
Rotoscoping Artist
David Manhan
Leadman
Hap Weaver
Greensman
Frank McEldowney
Greensman
Doreen Austria
Graphic Designer
Jeff Deyoe
Mechanical Designer
Michael Egan
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