Honestly, it feels like it happened in a different lifetime. 2004. A year of velour tracksuits, flip phones, and the absolute peak of "Olsen Mania." When the New York Minute cast first hit the big screen, it was supposed to be this massive bridge for Mary-Kate and Ashley to cross from direct-to-video tween stars to legitimate Hollywood heavyweights.
It didn't exactly go to plan at the box office, but the movie became a cult classic anyway.
If you flip on a TV today, you’ll still see the remnants of that cast everywhere, even if the twins themselves have basically vanished from the acting world. Let's get into what the cast is doing now, because some of these career pivots are actually wild.
The Olsen Twins: From Jane and Roxy to Fashion Moguls
Most people know the broad strokes. Mary-Kate played the rebellious Roxy Ryan, and Ashley was the high-achieving Jane Ryan. It was a classic "twins with opposite personalities" trope. But what most fans don't realize is that New York Minute was actually the end of the road.
It was their final film together.
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Ashley never acted in a feature film again after this. Mary-Kate did a few things—remember her in Weeds or that movie Beastly?—but by 2012, they both officially retired. They didn't just quit; they vanished into the high-end world of Manhattan fashion. They founded The Row, which is now a massive luxury powerhouse. We’re talking $3,000 sweaters. They went from being the faces of Walmart clothing lines to winning CFDA Designer of the Year awards multiple times.
It's a weirdly successful second act that nobody in 2004 would have predicted.
Eugene Levy as the Obsessed Max Lomax
You can’t talk about the New York Minute cast without mentioning Eugene Levy. He played Max Lomax, the overzealous truant officer who spends the whole movie trying to catch Roxy.
Levy was already a legend because of American Pie, but he’s had a massive resurgence lately. Most of us spent the last few years obsessed with Schitt’s Creek, where he played Johnny Rose. It's kind of funny to look back at him in New York Minute and see that same frantic, eyebrows-first energy he’s been perfecting for decades.
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He’s basically the glue that holds the comedy together in this movie. Without him, it would just be a series of fashion montages and chase scenes.
Jared Padalecki: Before He Was a Winchester
This is the one that usually trips people up. Before he was hunting demons on Supernatural for fifteen seasons, Jared Padalecki was Trey Lipton in New York Minute.
He was the "cute boy" love interest.
He didn't have a ton to do besides look good and help the girls out, but for a generation of fans, this was their first introduction to him. He’s since become a staple of The CW, moving from Supernatural straight into the Walker, Texas Ranger reboot. Honestly, the man has stayed booked and busy for twenty years straight. Not many actors from 2004 teen comedies can say that.
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Supporting Players and Surprising Cameos
The depth of this cast is actually kind of sneaky. You’ve got:
- Andy Richter: He played Bennie Bang, the guy involved in the whole "illegal chip" subplot. Richter is obviously best known as Conan O'Brien's sidekick, and he’s still a huge deal in the comedy and podcasting world.
- Darrell Hammond: The SNL legend played Hudson McGill.
- Riley Smith: He played Jim the bike messenger. If you watch a lot of TV, you’ve definitely seen him in Nancy Drew or Nashville.
- Dr. Drew Pinsky: Yes, the actual Dr. Drew played their dad. It was a weird bit of casting that somehow worked.
- Bob Saget: This was the ultimate "Full House" Easter egg. He has a non-speaking cameo near the end of the movie. It was a sweet nod to the twins' TV dad, and looking back on it now, after Saget’s passing, it feels a lot more poignant than it did at the time.
Why the Movie Still Sorta Works
Look, it’s not The Godfather. It was never trying to be. The critics in 2004 absolutely shredded it, calling it "formulaic" and "shallow." But for a certain demographic, it captures a very specific New York energy—even if a lot of it was actually filmed in Toronto.
The movie also featured the band Simple Plan, who were huge at the time. Their presence in the film is like a time capsule of pop-punk culture.
The plot involves a black market music piracy ring, a stolen dog (Renaldo, the Chinese Crested), and a speech for a scholarship to Oxford. It’s chaotic. It’s messy. But the chemistry between the sisters—even if they were over it by then—is undeniable.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to revisit the New York Minute cast or the film itself, here are a few things you should know:
- Where to watch: It frequently pops up on streaming platforms like Max or Netflix, but availability shifts monthly. It's usually a cheap digital rental if you're feeling nostalgic.
- The Wardrobe: If you're a fashion nerd, pay attention to the clothes. You can actually see the early seeds of the "Boho-Chic" style the Olsens became famous for right before they launched their own brands.
- The Soundtracks: The 2000s pop-rock soundtrack is actually a banger. If you need a workout playlist that feels like a 2004 mall, look it up on Spotify.
- Follow the Cast: Check out Eugene Levy in The Reluctant Traveler on Apple TV+ if you want to see him being his charming, anxious self in real life.
The legacy of New York Minute isn't really about the box office numbers anymore. It's about a moment in time where two child stars decided they were done with the limelight and walked away to build an empire. That alone makes it worth a re-watch.