The original Carrie cast then and now - see their drastic transformations 50 years on from the iconic film

Carrie White became a horror icon of the bullied and downtrodden, thanks to her telekinetic powers that reveal themselves after a particularly bloody incident at prom. Sissy Spacek starred as the title character of the Stephen King favourite in 1976 after getting her start earlier in the decade with appearances on The Waltons, The Rookies and a lead role in TV movie Katherine.

The Oscar-winning actress is still acting today, appearing in well-loved shows like Bloodline and Outer Range. She most recently appeared in comedy-horror Die My Love and short film Love Letter to Texas. Otherwise, she's enjoying a quiet life in Virginia with husband Jack Fisk as well as their children Schuyler and Madison. 

Margaret White, played by Piper Laurie, needed more than hope and a fanatical prayer or two to save her reputation as Carrie's abusive mother. The haunting performance earned her an Oscar nomination and followed an already established movie career that began with 1950's Louisa. She's best known for her roles in 1961 project The Hustler and a three-year run on Twin Peaks between 1989 and 1991 as well as 1985 children's classic Return to Oz.

Piper continued to act throughout her life, last appearing in crime drama White Boy Rick in 2018, followed by a few voice acting projects, namely fantasy podcast Carcerem and scripted audio drama Around the Sun. The three-time Oscar nominee sadly passed away in 2023 at the age of 91.

Chris Hargensen was the object of loathing for every teen who related to Carrie's experience as the subject of high school bullying. The Regina George of her day, Nancy Allen brought Chris' cruelty to life on screen with brutal accuracy. The role earned her subsequent castings in features like RoboCop, Blow Out and Dressed to Kill. 

But the draw of fame didn't last all too long, and Nancy stepped back from Hollywood after 2008's Quality Time. Now, she's working as an activist and executive director of the weSPARK Cancer Support Center in Los Angeles, honouring her co-star Wendie Jo Sperber who she worked with on comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) and 1941 (1979).

John Travolta's Billy Nolan was as easily despised as his girlfriend Chris, who continually picks on Carrie. The film boosted John's Hollywood appeal and paved the way for his star success through the 1970s with hits like Grease and Saturday Night Fever, going on to star in Pulp Fiction and Face/Off during the '90s. 

Now, he's transitioned into the world of directing, debuting his feature Propeller One-Way Night Coach at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2026, which he also wrote and starred in. John is also a dedicated father, spending time with his actress daughter Ella Bleu and son Ben.

Not every bully is evil to their core, and Amy Irving's Sue Snell is better than most of her classmates in her treatment of Carrie. The actress continued to soar on screen following her appearance in the iconic horror,  a role that came just a year after she made her screen debut in 1975. Amy starred in TV series Once an Eagle, The Far Pavilions and performed Jessica Rabbit's singing voice in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. 

Amy is still acting today, with credits on recent projects like 2019 series Soundtrack, 2021 drama Confetti and Amanda Seyfried drama A Mouthful of Air. The Oscar-nominated actress has also pursued a career in music, releasing album Always Will Be in April 2025.

Sue Snell's boyfriend Tommy Ross, played by William Katt, proves himself better than the stereotypical high-school athlete: the aspiring poet accompanies Carrie to the prom, on girlfriend Sue's request, to make amends for her poor treatment. Unfortunately, his tragic fate upon accepting the title of Prom King and Queen with Carrie proves to be the latter's final straw.

Fame for William Katt came a little later, with '80s hit series The Greatest American Hero, a recurring role on TV movie series Perry Mason as Paul Drake Jr. and 2007 hit The Man From Earth. 

Sometimes it just takes one teacher to make a difference, and Carrie finds a supportive mentor in the form of gym teacher Miss Collins, who defends her against her bullies. Following the 1976 classic, she appeared in sitcom series Eight Is Enough, the Harrison Ford thriller Frantic and James McAvoy's 2016 horror Split. 

She's still acting today, cast in projects like 2024 horror feature Imaginary and rom-com Eternity, starring as the older version of Elizabeth Olsen's lead Joan Cutler alongside Callum Turner and Miles Teller.