"As You Wish!" Catch Up With 'The Princess Bride' Cast and See the Stars Then and Now

Who doesn’t love the Princess Bride cast? This iconic movie, which was released in 1987, was a hit out of the gates and is still a cherished film to this day, with a strong cult-like following.

Directed by Rob Reiner, this romantic fantasy adventure film was based on the 1973 novel of the same name by William Goldman. The story follows the quest of Westley, a young farmhand, as he embarks on a journey to rescue his true love, Princess Buttercup, from the clutches of evil.

Filled with swashbuckling sword fights, hilarious humor, and timeless romance, the film has captivated audiences for decades. Beyond its enchanting storyline and memorable quotes, the film owes much of its enduring appeal to the stellar performances delivered by its talented cast. From the whimsical Westley to the dastardly Prince Humperdinck, each character was brought to life with finesse and charisma.

Here, we look back at the Princess Bride cast and where they are today.

Cary Elwes as Westley

Born on October 26, 1962, in London, England, Cary Elwes played Westley, also known as the Dread Pirate Roberts. He was the dashing hero of The Princess Bride cast, known for his swashbuckling skills and unwavering love for Princess Buttercup.

Prior to being in this movie, Elwes had parts in several other films including Yesterday’s Hero (1979), Oxford Blues (1984) and Lady Jane (1986). Then he had his career defining role as everyone's favorite farm boy and pirate.

After the Princess Bride cast, Elwes went on to appear in several movies including 1989's Glory, and the 1993 Mel Brooks comedy Robin Hood: Men in Tights. He also starred as Lawrence Gordon in 2004's Saw.

Plus, he had several TV roles including shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Stranger Things. Most recently, he made an appearance in 2023’s Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.

Elwes also wrote a memoir about the making of The Princess Bride, entitled As You Wish.

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Robin Wright as Princess Buttercup Princess Bride cast

Born on April 8, 1966, in Dallas, Texas, Robin Wright played the role of Princess Buttercup. The princess was the epitome of grace and beauty, beloved by Westley and coveted by Prince Humperdinck.

Before the Princess Bride cast, Wright had one of the leads on the soap opera Santa Barbara. She played the role of Kelly Capwell from 1984 to 1988.

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After her role as Princess Buttercup, Wright starred in several movies including Forrest Gump (1994), The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Wonder Woman (2017), Blade Runner 2049 (2017) and Justice League (2017).

She also played the coveted role of Claire Underwood in Netflix's House of Cards from 2013-2017. She received several Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for that role.

Wright also became a director and made her feature film debut in 2021’s Land.

Wright was married to Sean Penn from 1996 to 2010 and they have two children. She also married Clement Giraudet in 2018, but they divorced in 2022.

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Mandy Patinkin as Inigo Montoya

Born on November 30, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois, Mandy Patinkin played the role of Inigo Montoya, a skilled swordsman seeking revenge against the six-fingered man who killed his father. His famous line is one of the favorites from the movie: “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

Prior to the Princess Bride cast, Patinkin starred alongside Barbra Streisand in 1983's Yentl.

After Princess Bride, he had roles on several shows including Chicago Hope, Dead Like Me and Criminal Minds. However, it was his role as Saul Berenson in the Showtime series Homeland that earned him several Emmy nominations and really put him on the map. He’s also appeared in several movies including doing the voice of Papa Smurf in the Smurf franchise.

Most recently he was in the 2021 series The Good Fight as Hal Wackner, and he was also in the 2024 TV series Death and Other Details playing the role of Rufus Cotesworth.

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Chris Sarandon as Prince Humperdinck Princess Bride cast

Born on July 24, 1942, in Beckley, West Virginia, Chris Sarandon played the role of Prince Humperdinck the cunning and manipulative ruler of Florin, determined to marry Buttercup for his own nefarious purposes.

Prior to Prince Humperdinck, heir to the throne of Florin, Sarandon was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Leon Shermer in 1975's Dog Day Afternoon.

After the Princess bride, he appeared on Broadway in The Light in the Piazza. He also appeared on the small screen in episodes of Psych, The Good Wife, and Orange Is the New Black. Additionally, he was the voice of Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas. Most recently he was in 2020 TV series Sofa Shakespeare.

Little known fact: he was married to actress Susan Sarandon from 1967 to 1979.

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Andre the Giant as Fezzik

Born on May 19, 1946, in Coulommiers, France, André René Roussimoff suffered from acromegaly, a hormonal disorder where the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone and results in enlargement of the head, face, hands, feet and chest.

By age of 12 he was over 6' 3". He started wresting at the age of 17 and continued to do so for the next 30 years. At his prime as a WWF Heavyweight Champion, he stood at 7’ 4” and weighed 520 pounds. That’s why he got the monikor Andre the Giant.

Prior to Princess Bride, he appeared in several TV shows including The Six Million Dollar Man, B.J. and the Bear, The Fall Guy and Greatest American Hero.

However, Andre's career defining role came when he was cast as the rhyme-obsessed Fezzik. After Princess Bride, he went back to wrestling. His last role as an actor was a cameo 1994's Trading Mom (it was produced before he passed away)

In 1993, André the Giant died in his sleep of congestive heart failure at the age of 46. In 2018, WWE and HBO produced the movie Andre the Giant based on the wrestler's life.

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Christopher Guest as The Six-Fingered Man Princess Bride cast

Christopher Guest played the role of Count Tyrone Rugen – a.k.a. the The Six-Fingered Man.

Prior to Princess Bride, Guest wrote, directed and starred in This Is Spinal Tap (1984). From there, he continued to make mockumentary-style movies including Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006), and Mascots (2016). Most recently, he’s done voice work in Sponge Bob.

Guest is married to actress Jamie Lee Curtis.

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Wallace Shawn as Vizzini

One of the film’s favorite characters is Wallace Shawn, who played the character of Vizzini, everyone’s favorite villain. His famous line is “Never to go against a Sicilian when death is on the line.”

Born November 12, 1943 in New York City, Shawn was in several films including My Dinner with Andre (1981), A Little Sex (1982), The Bostonians (1984), and Prick Up Your Ears (1987).

After Princess Bride, he appeared in Vanya on 42nd Street (1994), Clueless (1995), and The Incredibles (2004). He also played the voice of Rex the dinosaur in Pixar's Toy Story franchise.

In addition to movies, he also appeared in several TV shows including The Cosby Show, The Good Wife (with fellow Princess Bride co-star Mandy Patinkin), Crossing Jordan, The L Word, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Young Sheldon. He also appeared as Blair's lovable stepfather Cyrus on Gossip Girl.

Most recently, he played the role of Father Frank Ignatius in the TV series Evil (2022-24).

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Billy Crystal as Miracle Max Princess Bride cast

Born on March 14, 1948 in New York City, Billy Crystal started out doing stand-up comedy before getting his first acting gig on the TV show Soap. He then became a regular on Saturday Night Live and even hosted his own short-lived variety show, The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour (1982). His movie credits included Running Scared (1986) and Throw Momma from the Train (1987).

He then got the role of Miracle Max, who brought Westley back to life (as you may remember, Westley was “almost” dead).

Crystal continued to get great roles after the Princess Bride cast, including 1989's When Harry Met Sally, 1991's City Slickers and 1999's Analyze This. He also provided the voice of Mike Wazowski in the Monsters, Inc. franchise, with the most recent iteration the TV show Monsters at Work (2021).

His autobiography, 700 Sundays, was published in 2005. Crystal has hosted the Academy Awards a record nine times from 1990 to 2012.

He also starred on Broadway’s Mr. Saturday Night (2022).

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