Honestly, looking back at 2014, things felt a little different. We were all obsessed with Frozen, "Happy" was playing on every radio station every five minutes, and Hollywood decided it was finally time to give the world's most famous redhead a total makeover. I'm talking about the movie that swapped 1930s breadlines for 21st-century viral videos.
When people search for the actors in Annie 2014, they usually remember the big names—Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz. But the cast was actually this wild, weirdly perfect mix of legendary Oscar winners, literal toddlers who grew up to be massive stars, and a very famous Australian couple who were actually dating in real life while filming.
The Girl at the Center: Quvenzhané Wallis
It’s easy to forget how huge Quvenzhané Wallis was at that moment. She wasn't just some random kid they found at an open call. She had just become the youngest person ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Beasts of the Southern Wild. She was basically Hollywood royalty at nine years old.
In this version, Annie isn't an "orphan" in the classic sense; she's a foster kid. She’s savvy. She knows how to navigate the New York City subway and how to charm a room without being annoying. Wallis brought a dry, cool energy to the role that was lightyears away from the "gee-whiz" version of the 80s.
Jamie Foxx as Will Stacks
Then you’ve got Jamie Foxx. He’s playing Will Stacks, who is basically a tech-billionaire version of Oliver Warbucks. He’s a cellphone mogul running for Mayor of New York.
Foxx is naturally charming, but his character is a total germaphobe who carries hand sanitizer everywhere. It’s a funny dynamic because he’s this powerful guy who is absolutely terrified of a ten-year-old girl’s germs. Watching him transition from a cold businessman to a dad-figure felt surprisingly genuine, probably because Foxx is a dad himself and just has that "vibe."
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The Supporting Cast of Actors in Annie 2014
If you look closely at the background of this movie, you'll see faces that are way more famous now.
One of the biggest "oh, wait!" moments for modern viewers is seeing the other foster girls.
- Zoe Margaret Colletti: She played Tessie. You might recognize her now as a lead in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark or from Fear the Walking Dead.
- Eden Duncan-Smith: She played Isabella. She’s gone on to be a huge activist and actress in indie hits like See You Yesterday.
The Cameron Diaz "Final" Performance
We have to talk about Cameron Diaz. Seriously. For a long time, this was her last movie before she went on a decade-long hiatus from acting.
As Miss Hannigan, she was... a lot. Instead of the terrifying Matron from the 1982 version, she’s a washed-up 90s pop star who failed to make it big and now takes it out on the kids. People were divided. Some critics thought she was overacting, but honestly? It’s a musical. You’re supposed to be a little "extra." Her version of "Little Girls" was more about her own mid-life crisis than actually hating the orphans, which gave it a weirdly modern, sad layer.
The Real-Life Couple: Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale
This is the part that most people miss. Rose Byrne plays Grace (the assistant), and Bobby Cannavale plays Guy (the sleazy campaign manager).
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In the movie, they barely interact in a romantic way, but in real life? They’ve been together since 2012. They have kids together. They’re basically one of Hollywood’s most stable "it" couples. There’s a scene where they dance together during "Easy Street," and if you watch it knowing they’re a couple, the chemistry makes so much more sense.
Why the Casting Worked (and Why it Didn't)
The 2014 remake was produced by Will Smith and Jay-Z, so the whole thing had this polished, pop-radio feel.
| Actor | Role | Why it mattered |
|---|---|---|
| Quvenzhané Wallis | Annie | First African-American Annie on film. |
| Jamie Foxx | Will Stacks | Brought a modern, tech-focused "Warbucks" to life. |
| Cameron Diaz | Miss Hannigan | Her final role before a 10-year retirement. |
| Rose Byrne | Grace Farrell | Provided the emotional "glue" of the movie. |
| Bobby Cannavale | Guy Danlily | A villain who felt like a real-life political shark. |
The movie gets a bad rap sometimes. Critics at the time were pretty harsh—it’s sitting at a 28% on Rotten Tomatoes. But if you ask anyone who was a kid in 2014, they’ll tell you the soundtrack slaps. Sia was heavily involved in rewriting the songs, and you can totally hear her influence in the phrasing of "Opportunity" and the updated "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile."
The "Cameo" Game
Keep your eyes peeled for the "MoonQuake Lake" scene. It’s a fake movie-within-a-movie that the characters go to see.
The actors in that fake movie?
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- Mila Kunis
- Ashton Kutcher
- Rihanna
It’s a hilarious parody of Twilight-style young adult movies. It’s only on screen for a few minutes, but it shows how much pull the producers had to get those names for a three-minute gag.
Real Talk: The Career Impact
For Wallis, Annie was a turning point. She kind of stepped back from the massive blockbuster machine after this. She started writing children's books and focused on being a normal teenager, though she’s popped up in things like Black-ish and Swagger more recently.
Jamie Foxx, obviously, stayed Jamie Foxx. He’s a force of nature. But for Diaz, this movie was the end of an era. It’s a strange, glittery, loud, and heart-filled project to go out on.
If you’re planning on revisiting this one, don't go into it expecting the 1982 Broadway vibe. It’s not that. It’s a time capsule of 2014—the phones, the social media, the pop-synth beats. It’s about a kid trying to find a home in a world where everyone is looking at their screens.
What to do next
If you want to see how these actors have evolved, go watch Beasts of the Southern Wild to see Quvenzhané Wallis’s Oscar-nominated debut, or check out Spy to see Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale’s incredible comedic chemistry together. It’s a great way to see the range of the talent that was packed into this musical remake.
Sources: Metacritic, Fandango, Wikipedia, Collider.