Where is the cast of Halloween now? From Kyle Richards’ transformation from child actress to reality star to Jamie Lee Curtis’ battle with opioid addiction, FEMAIL reveals what became of the movie’s stars, 45 years after its premiere

• Halloween launched Jamie Lee Curtis’s career and she went on to win an Oscar
• Others like Nick Castle and Nancy Kyes ended their acting careers shortly after
• Kyle Richards, who was just nine when in the film, went on to be a reality TV star

Horror fans first met Michael Myers 45 years ago when Halloween hit theaters in 1978. 

The film was so monumental that it launched its cast’s careers and for some, remains their biggest credit to this day.

Halloween follows Michael Myers (Nick Castle) after escaping from incarceration for murdering his sister when he was six years old.

Psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis (Donald Pleasence) is hot on Michael’s trail to detain him, whom he describes as ‘pure evil.’

Horror fans first met Michael Myers 45 years ago when Halloween hit theaters in 1978

The film was so monumental that it launched its cast’s careers and for some, remains their biggest credit to this day, featuring Jamie Lee Curtis (R), Nancy Kyes (L) and P.J. Soles (C)

After his escape, Michael returns to the town where the brutal slaying was committed. 

However, he has already locked his eyes on new prey: Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) plus her friends Annie (Nancy Kyes) and Lynda (P.J. Soles).

Following Halloween’s success, the franchise has become legendary with an impressive 13 films – some which take place in different universes. 

While John Carpenter and Debra Hill were at the helm for the first three Halloween films, Paul Freeman, Rob Zombie and Jason Blum have all come in and offered their own interpretations of Michael Meyer’s fate.

As more Halloween films have come out over the years, the cast of the original film have had their own eventful careers and personal life updates. 

After Halloween launched Jamie Lee Curtis’s career, she went on to win an Oscar.

Meanwhile, other cast members — like Castle and Kyes — stepped out of Hollywood, leaving Halloween as their biggest acting credit. 

Here’s what the cast of Halloween has been up to since the origin film of the hit franchise was released 45 years ago. 

Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie): The actress suffered from opioid addiction and has been an outspoken advocate for aging naturally after getting cosmetic surgeries

Halloween was Jamie Lee Curtis’s big screen debut. Since playing Michael Myers’s victim, Laurie, she has gone on to become an A-List actress

Halloween was Jamie Lee Curtis’s big screen debut. Since playing Michael Myers’s victim, Laurie, she has gone on to become an A-List actress.

Shortly after, she went on to appear in Carpenter and Hill’s next horror project, The Fog (1980), and her breakout film’s sequel, Halloween II.

She then met her current husband, Christopher Guest, in 1984 and married him after just five months of knowing him.

‘I met my husband by seeing his picture in a magazine and saying out loud to a friend of mine, “I’m going to marry that dude,” and married him… months later,’ Curtis told Hoda Kotb during an appearance on TODAY in 2021. 

‘So the truth of the matter is life hinged for me on a couple seconds that I didn’t see coming.’ 

Just one year later though, she made a decision that she claims to regret. 

She revealed that a cameraman’s comments about her ‘puffy eyes’ on the set of Perfect in 1985 led her to go under the knife. 

In 2002 Curtis told More magazine: ‘Ten years ago, before anybody did that, I had fat taken from underneath my eyes because I was on a movie and I was puffy…. And I can remember the cameraman saying, “I can’t shoot her.” I remember being mortified.’ 

Before and after: Pictured left in 1985 before surgery and right in 1988 post-surgery

Candid: The Oscar-winning actress said she considered herself ‘lucky’ not to have ended up in prison due to her drug battle. Here the icon is seen in 1995 at the height of her addiction

She added: ‘I’ve had a little lipo. I’ve had a little Botox. And you know what? None of it works. None of it. It’s such a fraud. And I’m the one perpetuating it.’ 

Decades later, she still warns people about the negative impacts plastic surgery can have. 

‘I have been an advocate for natural beauty for a long time, mostly because I’ve had the trial and error of the other part,’ she told Lorraine in 2021.

‘I did plastic surgery – it didn’t work, I hated it. It made me feel worse!

‘I tried to do everything you can do to your hair. Personally, I felt it was humiliating. I would go into a hair salon, the smell of the chemicals, the feeling of that color on my hair, sitting under the hairdryer – it was like, for what?

The surgery had long-term consequences for her as it lead to her addiction to Vicodin. 

In 2018 Curtis first revealed she had had an opioid addiction for 10 years, from 1989 to 1999. 

She told People: ‘I was ahead of the curve of the opiate epidemic.

‘I had a 10-year run, stealing, conniving. No one knew. No one.’

‘I’m breaking the cycle that has basically destroyed the lives of generations in my family.

‘Getting sober remains my single greatest accomplishment… bigger than my husband, bigger than both of my children and bigger than any work, success, failure. Anything.’ 

Curtis has gone on to have a storied Hollywood career, including starring in the 1999 hit Virus

She also shared the screen with Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday (2003)

She opened up about how she considers herself ‘lucky’ not to have ended up in prison due to her drug battle in an emotional chat on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

She said: ‘I was an opiate addict, and I liked to get opiate buzz.

‘And if fentanyl was available, as easily available, as it is today on the street, I’d be dead.

‘My worst day was almost invisible to anyone else. I never was arrested. I didn’t make terrible decisions high or under the influence that then for the rest of my life I regret.

‘There are women in prison whose lives have been shattered by drugs and alcohol — not because they were violent felons, not because they were horrible people, but because they were addicts. And I am incredibly lucky that that wasn’t my path. I was headed there.’

Fortunately, she overcame her addiction and celebrated being 22 years sober in 2021.

‘With God’s grace and the support of MANY people who could relate to all the “feelings” and a couple of sober angels… I’ve been able to stay sober, one day at a time, for 22 years,’ she penned on Instagram.

All the while, Curtis continued to act while building her family with husband Christopher Guest. 

Curtis and Guest struggled with infertility and adopted their eldest, Annie, through an agency in 1986. Nine years later, they adopted Ruby.

Curtis and Guest struggled with infertility and adopted their eldest, Annie, through an agency in 1986. Nine years later, they adopted Ruby

She then met her current husband, Christopher Guest, in 1984 and married him after just five months of knowing him

Toast of Tinseltown: The star won a Best Supporting Actress gong this year for Everything Everywhere All at Once

Curtis revealed that Ruby – who was previously known as Thomas – was transgender in 2021, telling AARP: ‘Our son became our daughter Ruby’

In the interview, which was conducted with Ruby’s permission, Curtis explained that she had tossed out the ‘old idea’ that gender was fixed and was instead leaning into the idea that life was a ‘constant metamorphosis.’

Curtis also revealed Ruby’s engagement and wedding plans.

‘She and her fiancé will get married next year at a wedding that I will officiate,’ the Halloween star said.

While Curtis has starred in plenty of hits over the years, including True Lies (1994), Virus (1999), Freaky Friday (2003) and Knives Out (2019), her biggest success comes from earning the Academy Award for Best Featured Actress in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

She honored her actor parents – Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh – in her acceptance speech, stating: ‘My mother and my father were both nominated for Oscars in different categories – I just won an Oscar!’ 

Even though she has gone on to achieve great success, she hasn’t forgotten her roots.

Curtis has returned to the Halloween franchise for the 2018 version, Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022).  

Nick Castle (Michael Myers): Paid $25 a day to play villain in Halloween and moved on from acting – instead opting to write and direct

Nick Castle was the first-ever actor to embody ‘the shape’ of Halloween villain Michael Myers. He since went on to become a director and screenwriter

Nick Castle was the first-ever actor to embody ‘the shape’ of Halloween villain Michael Myers. 

Fans may be shocked to learn how little Castle made for playing the titular role. 

‘I was paid $25 per day for Halloween,’ he told Vanity Fair. ‘That was a lot at the time!’ 

‘You have to remember: my interest in doing the film was being on set, so I could demystify the experience of filmmaking and directing. 

‘I expected to hang around the set for no money. But hey, $25 per day, and all I had to do was wear a rubber mask.’

He shared that the process of filming his role in the hit horror film was surprisingly simplistic. 

‘It’s a mystery what John [Carpenter, who directed the first Halloween] saw in me and the way I moved,’ he told the outlet.

‘I asked John, “What is this character going to do?” And he said, “Just walk across the street.” I knew Michael’s movements weren’t going to be robotic. He was a real guy. He’s not rushing.’

Fans may be shocked to learn how little Castle made for playing the titular role. ‘I was paid $25 per day for Halloween,’ he told Vanity Fair

After Halloween, he hung up his Michael mask and moved on from acting. While the famous mask was a keepsake from his days of playing villain, he revealed the sad way he lost track of the valuable.

‘I did have the original mask, when the movie was finished,’ Castle told Yahoo Entertainment.

‘Until [producer] Deborah Hill came back when they were about to do the second one [1981’s Halloween II] and said, “We can’t figure out how to do the mask the way it was done originally. Can we borrow your mask?” And I said, “Yes.” Last time I saw it.’

He added: ‘[It’s] unfortunate. There were [two or three] masks made, and one someone found and over time it really deteriorated and there’s nothing there anymore.’

However, he still had the Hollywood experience he gained from Halloween and used that to propel his career in directing and writing.

He teamed up with Carpenter on the 1981 film Escape From New York. Castle wrote the screenplay while Carpenter directed.

Castle then went on to direct his first project, Tag: The Assassination Game (1982) and then found immense success with The Last Starfighter (1984).

He also tied the knot with actress Charlene Nelson in 1981, who would go on to star in both of these films. 

In 2018, Myers revealed a sequel for the film was greenlit, but it never came to fruition.

‘This was 10 years ago or more, maybe 12 years ago. I think it was 2005 and it was going to be at that point a 30 year, 35 year sequel,’ he told Bloody Disgusting.

After Halloween, he hung up his Michael mask and moved on from acting. While the famous mask was a keepsake from his days of playing villain, he revealed the sad way he lost it

Eventually, he put his acting hat back on and returned for the latest Halloween trilogy helmed by director David Gordon Green

He continued: ‘It was literally a sequel where Lance [Guest] and Catherine Marie [Stewart], the leads were going to come back as parents. We had a fun script so I’m not sure right now where Jonathan [Betuel] is going to take it. 

‘He has a partner named Gary Whitta who wrote Rogue One so he’s in good company there. Hopefully, they’ll mount something fun and we’ll see our characters again,’ he added.

Eventually, he put his acting hat back on and returned for the latest Halloween trilogy helmed by director David Gordon Green. 

He returned to film one specific scene in which Laurie, Curtis’ character, sees him through a window. 

‘It has all kinds of connotations, I think,’ Castle told USA Today of this pivotal moment. 

Castle explained that he and Curtis had a heartfelt reunion and shared a hug.

‘She said, “Is this nuts or what?!” So that was kind of what it felt like: “What the hell, this is going on again 40 years later?”‘ he said of the moment.

His lifelong attachment to the role of Michael Myers is bittersweet for Castle. 

‘I know it will be the thing that’ll be my epitaph: They won’t say anything about my movies, I’ll be this guy in a rubber mask,’ he lamented.

‘There’s the sense that “Aw, (no), that’s gonna be me?” And then there’s the other side: I’m a horror icon, so that’s not so bad.’

Nancy Kyes (Annie): After starring in Halloween she left Hollywood to become a sculptor and college professor

Nancy Kyes acted alongside Curtis as one of her character Laurie’s best friends, Annie. However, she left acting to become a sculptor and college professor

Nancy Kyes acted alongside Curtis as one of her character Laurie’s best friends, Annie. Michael attacks on the night that Laurie is babysitting Tommy Doyle (Brian Andrews), while Annie watches Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards).

When trying to pawn off Lindsey to Laurie so she could meet up with her boyfriend, Michael approaches Annie at her car and slashes her throat.

Like most of her castmates, her role in Halloween was her biggest role yet at the time.

‘It was really just a bunch of young people who knew next to nothing about anything. Very little life experience on any level just trying to do their best and it turned into what it turned into,’ she told the Poly Post in 2018.

Because of this, Kyes revealed that she and the rest of the cast were shocked by the film’s success. 

‘Nobody had this idea that it was going to be the franchise that it became,’ she said. ‘In 1978, when the movie was made, the whole sequel thing was just taking off, so we were making jokes about “Oh yeah, there’ll be a sequel.”‘

She continued: ‘The thing about all that work was that you don’t think you’re making great works of art that are somehow going to last through the ages.’

‘For me, it’s such a phenomenon that there is such an interest and I think that what I see now is that the films themselves are a way to connect with each other,’ she added.

After working on Halloween, Kyes worked on Carpenter’s next film, The Fog, along with Curtis.

Kyes revealed that she, and the rest of the cast of Halloween, were shocked by the film’s success

After working on Halloween, Kyes worked on Carpenter’s next film, The Fog, along with Curtis

‘John at a certain point had this kind of repertoire company of actors he liked to use and not only actors, but crew people [also]. It was a group of people he could depend on and that sort of fed his creativity,’ she shared.

Kyes enjoyed this aspect of creating the film as well as the special effects involved with filming the horror flick from back in the 80s.

‘I actually love it… there were just lots of great special effects that were real effects, not what you see today,’ she said. 

‘You’re really trying to fool people, right? You’re trying to scare them. And so, you have to dream up things, you actually have to cogitate what’s going to look good on camera, what’s going to stay within our budget and work and scare people.’

She returned for Halloween II and Halloween III. During this time, she started dating the third film’s director and writer, Tommy Lee Wallace.

The two eventually tied the knot and she stepped away from acting after she had their two daughters. 

About nine years later, Kyes tried to return to the industry but realized she didn’t have the passion for acting that she once held.

She transitioned to a career in visual art and became a sculptor. 

‘I realized something had changed and I really was more interested in visual art and making objects with my hands,’ she said. 

‘There was this big transition in my mind which I owe to all that time I spent sitting on the floor playing with blocks and colors and watching my kids create chaos faster than anything you can imagine and watching all of these strange piles of random objects filling up.’

She also pursued her Master’s degree at Cal State. After completing her studies, she was hired to teach Introduction To Theater in 2010. She now teaches there full-time. 

Donald Pleasence (Dr. Loomis): The actor appeared in numerous Halloween sequels and worked up until his death in 1995 aged 75

Donald Pleasence played Dr. Loomis, the psychiatrist who was hot on the trail of Michael Myers once he escaped from incarceration.

Dr. Loomis became a consistent presence in the Halloween presence in the franchise, with Pleasence appearing in Halloween II, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Unlike the majority of the Halloween cast, Pleasence had an extensive Hollywood career going into the film.

In addition to the Halloween films, Pleasence continued to work with Carpenter and Castle in Escape From New York.

He also starred in a number of other slasher films The Devonsville Terror, Phantom Of Death, Alone In The Dark, Prince Of Darkness, River Of Death, Buried Alive, Creepers, The Devil Within Her and The House Of Usher.  

‘I only make odd films,’ he told the LA Times in a 1983 interview, reflecting on his career.

In addition to the Halloween films, Pleasence continued to work with Carpenter and Castle in Escape From New York

He also starred in a number of other slasher films The Devonsville Terror

He is survived by his five daughters – including his youngest, Miranda Pleasence, which he shares with Meira Shore (pictured together in 1970 after the birth of their daughter, Miranda)

Because of this, he gained a strong and loyal following.

‘I’m a kind of lovable figure, really. I’m loved by middle-aged women. When men stop me in the street for my autograph it’s always for their wives, who must be about 50,’ he said.

Pleasence worked up until his final days. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1995 at 75 years old after heart failure due to complications from a prior heart valve replacement surgery.

He is survived by his five daughters – Angela and Jean Pleasence from his first marriage to Miriam Raymond, Lucy and Polly Jo Pleasence with Josephine Crombie and Miranda Pleasence with Meira Shore.

He is also survived by his fourth wife, Linda Kentwood.

The Halloween franchise honored his legacy by finding a way to incorporate him in the 2018 Halloween film.

‘We have a Donald Pleasence soundalike,’ director Green revealed in an interview with Yahoo. 

‘Obviously he’s no longer with us, but having someone that could mimic his voice was a fun challenge.

‘And we nailed it, I think. If I do say so myself. And then there’s a couple other [nods to previous Halloween films]. There’s a vocal cameo you may or may not notice till the end credits.’

P.J. Soles (Lynda): Enjoyed a steady Hollywood career and was even married to Dennis Quaid

P.J. Soles (right in 2016) played Lynda (left), another one of Laurie’s best friends. Michael strangles Lynda with a phone cord. She went on to pursue a Hollywood career

P.J. Soles played Lynda, another one of Laurie’s best friends. Michael strangles Lynda with a phone cord as she’s on the phone with Laurie.

1978 was a big year for Soles. Not only was she in the hit Halloween, but she filmed Our Winning Season with Dennis Quaid.

While filming the coming-of-age flick, they started their whirlwind relationship led to them tying the knot not too long after. 

Their relationship ended when they divorced in 1983. 

That same year, she tied the knot with retired pilot Skip Holm. 

All the while, she continued to act in films like Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) and Stripes (1981) as well as making TV appearances in shows like Cheers (1984).

She continued to act in films like Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979)

She tied the knot with retired pilot Skip Holm in 1983 and the couple – pictured in 1987 – have two kids together

Unfortunately, her personal life took a hit when she and Skip got divorced in 1999. She went on to star in films like Jawbreaker that year (pictured)

She also became a mom, having her son, Jeffrey Sky Holm, the same year she and Skip tied the knot. 

They welcomed daughter Ashley Brooke Holm into the world five years later in 1988.

Unfortunately, her personal life took a hit when she and Skip got divorced in 1999.

However, this didn’t stop her from continuing to pursue a career in Hollywood. 

She went on to star in films like Jawbreaker (1999) and The Devil’s Rejects (2005) and still acts to this day, with her most recent credit being Monster Manor 1313 (2021).

In fact, she even returned for the 2018 Halloween film. However, since Lynda died, she couldn’t return as her. Instead, she played a role that is credited as Teacher. 

Kyle Richards (Lindsey Wallace): From a Hollywood child star and a recurring role on medical drama ER to being a Real Housewife

Kyle Richards was just nine years old when she played Lindsay Wallace, the kid Annie was babysitting, in Halloween. She went on to become a reality TV star

Kyle Richards was just nine years old when she played Lindsay Wallace, the kid Annie was babysitting, in Halloween.

The film, in addition to her role on Little House On The Prairie, launched Richards’ career as a child actress. 

She went on to star in The Watcher In The Woods (1980) and the TV series, Down To Earth (1984-1987). 

After finding success early in life, she also got married early on. 

She married Guraish Aldjufrie in 1988 after she got pregnant when she was just 19 years old.

The film, in addition to her role on Little House On The Prairie, launched Richards’ career as a child actress

She got married after she became pregnant when she was just 19 years old

Richards and Umansky wed in January of 1996, two years after they crossed paths at a club

All the while, she continued to act with a recurring role in the TV series ER from 1998 to 2006

They welcomed their daughter, Farrah Aldjufrie, that year. However, the marriage didn’t last long as they got divorced in 1992.

It wasn’t long after that when she met her next husband, real estate mogul Mauricio Umansky, in a nightclub. 

They got engaged in 1994 and got married two years later. Their daughter, Alexia, was born that same year in 1996, and Sophia came four years later in 2000.

All the while, she continued to act with a recurring role in the TV series ER from 1998 to 2006.

Richards moved on to unscripted TV in 2010 when she snagged a spot on The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills.

Richards is the only founding member of the series who is still on it to this day. 

After much speculation about her marriage on the series, it came to light that she recently separated from her husband of more than 26 years, Umansky.

Richards and Umansky ‘have been separated for a while now but are still living under the same roof,’ an insider told People in July. ‘They remain amicable as they figure out what’s next for them and their family.’

Richards moved on to unscripted TV in 2010 when she snagged a spot on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

After much speculation about her marriage on the series, it came to light that she recently separated from her husband of more than 26 years, Umansky 

The shocking split comes amid a TMZ report that Kyle has been ‘dating country singer’ Morgan Wade, 28, in the wake of their separation 

While they initially kept quiet, the couple eventually released a statement addressing the rumors. 

The statement from Richards and Umansky read: ‘In regards to the news that came out about us today… Any claims regarding us divorcing are untrue.

‘However, yes, we have had a rough year. The most challenging one of our marriage. But we both love and respect each other tremendously. There has been no wrongdoing on anyone’s part.’

They continued: ‘Although we are in the public eye, we ask to be able to work through our issues privately.

‘While it might be entertaining to speculate, please do not create false stories to fit a further salacious narrative.’

They wrapped up by saying, ‘Thank you for the love and support,’ signing the letter, Kyle & Mauricio. 

The shocking split comes amid a TMZ report that Kyle has been ‘dating country singer’ Morgan Wade, 28, in the wake of their separation, and that they ‘allegedly have matching heart tattoos.’

In August, Richards insisted that the two are just friends. 

Brian Andrews (Tommy Doyle): Stepped away from acting for nearly three decades but returned in 2010s

Brian Andrews played Tommy Doyle, the child that Laurie was babysitting. He then stepped away from the spotlight for nearly three decades, but he did return in the early 2010s

Brian Andrews played Tommy Doyle, the child that Laurie was babysitting.

After Halloween, he continued to act for a bit in his childhood, appearing in The Great Santini (1979) and Three O’Clock High (1987).

However, he then stepped away from the spotlight for nearly three decades.

Even though his character, Tommy Doyle, continued to appear throughout the Halloween franchise as an adult, other actors like Paul Rudd and Anthony Michael Hall took on this role.

However, he did return to the big screen in the 2010s to star in The Day of the Living Dead (2014) and Sky Harbor (2015). 

He has not landed any major credits since.

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