Honestly, if you grew up in the late '90s, you probably have a very specific memory of a giant purple egg and a farm. Maybe you remember the catchy "Animal Picnic" song or the way the theater smelled when you went to see a six-foot dinosaur on the big screen. Barney's Great Adventure was a massive deal back in 1998. It was the first—and only—time the purple T-Rex got the full Hollywood theatrical treatment.
But have you ever looked back at the Barney's Great Adventure cast and realized just how many of those kids actually stayed in the spotlight? It’s kinda wild. While some child actors disappear into the "where are they now" void, a few of the faces from the Greenfield farm went on to become major names in TV and film.
The Kids Who Chased the Magical Egg
The movie isn't just about Barney. It's really about Cody, a cynical kid who thinks he's too old for imagination, and his sister Abby. They're sent to their grandparents' farm, and things get weird when a colorful egg falls from the sky.
Trevor Morgan played Cody Newton. He was the "too cool for school" protagonist who didn't believe in Barney. If you think he looks familiar, you're right. Morgan wasn't just some random kid; he became a go-to child actor for high-stakes movies. You probably recognize him as the kid from Jurassic Park III or the son in The Patriot alongside Mel Gibson. He brought a genuine groundedness to a movie that was, let's be real, pretty trippy.
Then you have Diana Rice as Abby Newton. She was the heart of the movie, the one who actually believed in the magic from the start. Unlike some of her co-stars, Diana didn't stick with the Hollywood grind forever. She did some work in the early 2000s, like The New Ghostwriter Mysteries, but she largely stepped away from the limelight.
The Breakout Star: Kyla Pratt
If there is one person in the Barney's Great Adventure cast who truly "made it," it’s Kyla Pratt. She played Marcella, Abby’s best friend.
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Even back then, Pratt had a lot of charisma. Shortly after hanging out with a purple dinosaur, she became the voice of Penny Proud in The Proud Family. She also starred in the Dr. Dolittle franchise and more recently headlined the sitcom Call Me Kat. It's sort of funny to think that one of the most recognizable voices in animation got her start chasing a sparkly egg through a bird sanctuary.
The Adults and the Legends
The movie didn't just cast random adults. They actually pulled in some heavy hitters for the grandparent roles.
- George Hearn (Grandpa Greenfield): This man is a Broadway legend. We’re talking two-time Tony Award winner. Seeing a man who starred in Sweeney Todd and La Cage aux Folles hanging out with Barney is a level of "professional range" most actors can only dream of.
- Shirley Douglas (Grandma Greenfield): She was a powerhouse of Canadian acting and a famous activist. Fun fact: she was also the mother of Kiefer Sutherland.
It’s these casting choices that make the movie feel a bit more "prestige" than the typical Saturday morning episode. They weren't just phone-calling it in. They played the grandparents with a warmth that felt like a real summer at a farmhouse.
The Suit and the Voice: Who Was Barney?
This is where things get interesting. Most people don't realize that playing Barney was a two-person job. It wasn't just one guy in a hot suit doing everything.
David Joyner was the man inside the suit. He did the dancing, the hugging, and the physical comedy. Joyner has a fascinating story—he actually practiced Tantra to help him stay calm and energetic inside that massive, heavy, and incredibly hot costume. Imagine being stuck in a purple furnace for 12 hours a day and still having to skip. That’s dedication.
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The voice, however, was Bob West. West had been the voice of Barney since the early days of the Backyard Gang videos. His "Ho-ho-ho-ho!" is iconic. Even though he wasn't on set in the suit, his vocal performance defines the character for an entire generation.
Why the Casting Was Almost Very Different
Believe it or not, the Barney's Great Adventure cast almost looked like a Hollywood A-list gala. According to production notes and industry reports from the time, there were talks about having massive cameos.
We’re talking John Travolta, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Can you imagine the Terminator showing up to help Barney find a magical egg? It never happened, obviously. Budget constraints or scheduling probably got in the way, but the fact that it was even discussed shows how big "Barney-mania" was in the late '90s.
Also, Mara Wilson (the star of Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire) was actually offered a role in the movie. She turned it down. In her memoir, she mentioned she was getting tired of being "the cute kid" in movies. It’s a bit of a "what if" moment—her presence would have definitely changed the energy of the film.
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A Legacy of Imagination
The movie didn't win an Oscar. Critics like Roger Ebert weren't exactly thrilled with it (he famously gave it two stars, though he admitted it was fine for its target audience). But for the kids who watched it, the cast felt like friends.
The film was shot in Quebec, Canada, which gave the "farm" a very specific, lush look that differed from the TV show's studio set. It felt like Barney had finally stepped into the real world.
If you're looking to revisit the magic or show it to a new generation, keep an eye on the background actors. You’ll see plenty of Canadian talent who popped up in other '90s classics.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out Kyla Pratt’s voice work in the The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Disney+ to see how far she's come.
- Look up David Joyner's interviews about his time in the suit; his perspective on the physical demands of the role is actually pretty inspiring.
- If you still have a VCR, try to find the original 1998 VHS—the "behind the scenes" featurettes give a great look at how they built the "Egg-mobile."