Honestly, it’s hard to overstate just how massive Crocodile Dundee was back in '86. It wasn't just a movie; it was a cultural takeover. You had Paul Hogan, a guy who was basically just a TV comedian in Australia, suddenly becoming the biggest face on the planet. But when you look back at the crocodile dundee movie cast now, in 2026, the story isn't just about box office numbers or that iconic knife scene. It's a mix of massive Hollywood success, quiet retirements, and some genuinely heartbreaking ends for the people who made Walkabout Creek feel real.
Most people remember the leads, but the chemistry of the entire ensemble is what made the fish-out-of-water story work. It felt authentic because half the cast were actual Aussies who didn't have to "act" tough. They just were.
Paul Hogan: The Man Who Wanted to Go Home
Paul Hogan is 86 now. It's wild to think about, right? For years, he was the guy every American associated with Australia. After the Dundee trilogy ended, things got a bit complicated. He didn't exactly become a dramatic powerhouse in Hollywood. He did Almost an Angel and Lightning Jack, but nothing ever hit the heights of Mick Dundee.
Recently, Hoges has been in the news for things he probably never expected. He spent decades living in Los Angeles—specifically Venice Beach—but he’s spent the last few years being very vocal about wanting to move back to Australia for good. He’s had some health scares too. He mentioned in an interview with A Current Affair that he’s suffering from retroperitoneal fibrosis, a condition that’s made him quite thin and weak.
The most human thing about Hogan right now? He’s basically stayed in the US as long as he has because of his son, Chance. He didn't want to leave his kid behind. But as of 2026, reports show he’s been liquidating his massive property empire and spending more and more time on home soil. He wants to be an Aussie again. Simple as that.
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Linda Kozlowski’s Quiet Exit from the "Schlock"
Linda Kozlowski, who played the intrepid Sue Charlton, had a very different trajectory. She and Hogan famously fell in love on set, got married in 1990, and were a Hollywood "it" couple for a long time. But Linda eventually just... stopped.
She retired from acting around 2001 after the third movie. Why? She was pretty blunt about it. She said the roles she was getting were "straight-to-video, schlocky films" that were basically giving her an ulcer. She felt like she was the only one on set who actually cared about the quality of the work.
She divorced Hogan in 2014, but they’ve stayed remarkably civil. Today, Linda lives a life that’s a world away from the New York press rooms. She married a Moroccan tour guide named Moulay Hafid Baba in 2017. They co-run a boutique travel business. If you ever find yourself in Marrakesh, you might literally bump into Sue Charlton. She’s swapped the paparazzi for philanthropy and environmental advocacy, and honestly, she seems way happier for it.
The Legends We've Lost
When you talk about the crocodile dundee movie cast, you have to talk about the heart of the film: the supporting players. Sadly, many of them are no longer with us.
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- John Meillon (Wally): He was the perfect sidekick. Meillon brought a certain groundedness to the role of Walter Reilly. He died quite young, only 55, back in 1989. He suffered from cirrhosis and passed away at his home in Mosman.
- David Gulpilil (Neville Bell): This man was a titan of Australian cinema. His portrayal of Neville was iconic because it played with Aboriginal stereotypes in a way that was actually quite progressive for the 80s. Gulpilil’s life was a rollercoaster of incredible artistic highs and deep personal struggles with addiction. He passed away in late 2021 after a battle with lung cancer.
- Mark Blum (Richard Mason): Remember the "villain" (or at least the annoying New York boyfriend)? Mark Blum was a staple of the New York acting scene. Tragically, he was one of the early high-profile victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, passing away in 2020.
The Surprise Stars You Forgot Were There
If you rewatch the movie today, you'll see some faces that make you go, "Wait, is that...?"
Reginald VelJohnson, famously known as Carl Winslow from Family Matters and the cop from Die Hard, had a role as Gus. He’s still working today, recently showing up in shows like The Blacklist. Then there's Aida Turturro, who played Jean. You know her better as Janice Soprano from The Sopranos. It’s a trip seeing them in such a different context.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Movie
People think Crocodile Dundee was a big-budget Hollywood production. It wasn't. It was an independent Australian film funded by tax concessions. They didn't even think it would work in America! They had to "Americanize" the dialogue in some scenes because they were worried people wouldn't understand the slang.
Also, that "knife" scene? The knife wasn't even steel in every shot. It was often stainless steel or even rubber for the stunts. But that one line defined an entire decade of cinema.
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Summary of the Cast’s Current Status
| Actor | Role | Status (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Hogan | Mick Dundee | Residing in Australia/US; dealing with health issues. |
| Linda Kozlowski | Sue Charlton | Retired; living in Morocco/US; travel business owner. |
| John Meillon | Wally | Deceased (1989). |
| David Gulpilil | Neville Bell | Deceased (2021). |
| Mark Blum | Richard Mason | Deceased (2020). |
| Reginald VelJohnson | Gus | Still acting; TV veteran. |
Moving Forward with the Legacy
If you’re looking to dive back into the world of the crocodile dundee movie cast, your best bet isn't just rewatching the first film. Check out the 2021 documentary My Name is Gulpilil to see the incredible, raw life of David Gulpilil. It’s a heavy watch, but it gives the actor the respect he deserves beyond the "Neville" character.
For Paul Hogan fans, his 2020 memoir The Real Hoges is the closest you'll get to the man's true voice. It's full of that dry, self-deprecating humor that made him a star in the first place. Whether he's in LA or back in the Outback, he remains the definitive face of a specific era of Australian pride.
The movie might be forty years old soon, but the impact it had on the actors' lives—for better or worse—is still being written today. It was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that changed everyone involved.
To explore more about the history of Australian cinema, you can visit the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia website to see original production stills and behind-the-scenes footage from the 1986 set. They have an extensive collection dedicated to the Dundee legacy that puts the film's production into a much clearer historical context.